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2012
Kia Optima Hybrid

Starts at:
$25,800
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New 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid
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Owner reviewed vehicle score
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
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Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
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2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid

Notable features

More standard features for 2012
Choice of two four-cylinders, including a 274-hp turbo engine
Available hybrid version
Available heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel
Available voice-recognition audio system

The good & the bad

The good

Sharp styling
Richly appointed cabin
Roomy trunk
Standard USB/iPod integration
Gas mileage

The bad

Backseat headroom
Front seats need more cushioning
Manual transmission not offered with turbo four-cylinder
Some options unavailable together
Folding backseat leaves small pass-through

Expert 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid review

our expert's take
Our expert's take
By David Thomas
Full article
our expert's take

Kia’s Optima sedan is such a perfect blend of styling, value and practicality that it won Cars.com’s highest honor as our Best Car of 2011. The hybrid version attempts to take on the likes of Toyota’s Camry Hybrid, Ford’s Fusion Hybrid — a past winner of our award — and its Hyundai counterpart, the Sonata Hybrid. All while the Toyota Prius overshadows them all with a 50 mpg combined rating and comparable interior room.

What’s a hybrid sedan to do?

The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid doesn’t deliver top mileage, but if you’re shopping for a hybrid sedan, it’s as competent a player as you’ll find on the market.

Full reviews of the gasoline only Optima and Optima Turbo can be found here.

Hybrid Powertrain
The Optima Hybrid uses both electric and gas power plants to propel the car, either in tandem or independently, while achieving an EPA-estimated 35/40 mpg city/highway, 37 mpg combined.

The electric motor can power the car on its own — even up to highway speeds when driving conditions and battery level allow. In short, when you hammer on the accelerator the two systems work together, but when cruising at higher speeds the electric (EV) mode kicks in for as long as the battery’s charge allows.

All this interaction works seamlessly and almost imperceptibly, unless you’re looking at one of the information screens that detail the process. A small color display between the gauges is standard, and the optional navigation system provides more detailed information on a dashboard touch-screen.

Steering and ride comfort were similar to the standard Optima four-cylinder I tested previously, but I thought the hybrid’s overall experience was quieter.

Braking was nice and linear, a trait new hybrids have developed despite using regenerative setups to recapture energy for the battery.

During my regular congested commute, I was seeing mileage in the high 30s, which is perfectly acceptable for what the car promises. Because of this system’s design and its ability to cruise at high speeds in EV mode, drivers who spend more time on open roads at highway speeds will benefit most in terms of fuel economy. Hybrids from Ford and Toyota emphasize city efficiency.

We recently calculated that it would take six years for buyers to recoup their higher investment in the Optima Hybrid through lower fuel costs versus a similarly equipped four-cylinder Optima. While getting those terrific mileage figures will make you feel better on your commute, the higher payments at the end of each month might be a downer.

The hybrid battery cuts into trunk space, as it does in nearly every hybrid sedan. In the Optima, cargo space goes from 15.4 cubic feet in the regular version to a very small 9.9 cubic feet in the hybrid. The Toyota Camry goes from an identical 15.4 cubic feet in the gas-only model to a very respectable 13.1 cubic feet in the hybrid version. Plus, the Optima Hybrid’s rear seats don’t fold flat.

Equipment
My tester was a base model with cloth seats, no navigation and a sticker price of $27,500, which is considerably higher than the base gasoline car’s $19,500. However, there are quite a few standard features in the hybrid that don’t come standard in that model, including a power driver’s seat, cruise control, dual climate control and push-button ignition.

Navigation, leather and other options can be had, but only as part of a single option package called the Hybrid Premium Technology Package. For $5,000, it adds a panoramic moonroof, a navigation system, an eight-speaker stereo, a power passenger seat, leather seats, heated and cooled front seats, 17-inch alloy wheels and high-intensity-discharge headlights.

Safety
The Optima Hybrid earned a five-star overall crash test score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It also earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, that agency’s highest honor. Very few cars on the market currently hold both designations.

The Optima Hybrid comes with a standard array of airbags, including side curtain airbags for the front and rear seats and seat-mounted side airbags for front occupants. You can read about more safety features here.

Optima Hybrid in the Market
The concept of a hybrid sedan still doesn’t resonate with me because, with moderate gas prices, it takes a long time to recoup the added cost versus a non-hybrid sedan. However, the Optima Hybrid delivers everything it promises and still retains the handsome looks that won me over when I first saw the non-hybrid version.

Send David an email  
Managing Editor
David Thomas

Former managing editor David Thomas has a thing for wagons and owns a 2010 Subaru Outback and a 2005 Volkswagen Passat wagon.

2012 Kia Optima Hybrid review: Our expert's take
By David Thomas

Kia’s Optima sedan is such a perfect blend of styling, value and practicality that it won Cars.com’s highest honor as our Best Car of 2011. The hybrid version attempts to take on the likes of Toyota’s Camry Hybrid, Ford’s Fusion Hybrid — a past winner of our award — and its Hyundai counterpart, the Sonata Hybrid. All while the Toyota Prius overshadows them all with a 50 mpg combined rating and comparable interior room.

What’s a hybrid sedan to do?

The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid doesn’t deliver top mileage, but if you’re shopping for a hybrid sedan, it’s as competent a player as you’ll find on the market.

Full reviews of the gasoline only Optima and Optima Turbo can be found here.

Hybrid Powertrain
The Optima Hybrid uses both electric and gas power plants to propel the car, either in tandem or independently, while achieving an EPA-estimated 35/40 mpg city/highway, 37 mpg combined.

The electric motor can power the car on its own — even up to highway speeds when driving conditions and battery level allow. In short, when you hammer on the accelerator the two systems work together, but when cruising at higher speeds the electric (EV) mode kicks in for as long as the battery’s charge allows.

All this interaction works seamlessly and almost imperceptibly, unless you’re looking at one of the information screens that detail the process. A small color display between the gauges is standard, and the optional navigation system provides more detailed information on a dashboard touch-screen.

Steering and ride comfort were similar to the standard Optima four-cylinder I tested previously, but I thought the hybrid’s overall experience was quieter.

Braking was nice and linear, a trait new hybrids have developed despite using regenerative setups to recapture energy for the battery.

During my regular congested commute, I was seeing mileage in the high 30s, which is perfectly acceptable for what the car promises. Because of this system’s design and its ability to cruise at high speeds in EV mode, drivers who spend more time on open roads at highway speeds will benefit most in terms of fuel economy. Hybrids from Ford and Toyota emphasize city efficiency.

We recently calculated that it would take six years for buyers to recoup their higher investment in the Optima Hybrid through lower fuel costs versus a similarly equipped four-cylinder Optima. While getting those terrific mileage figures will make you feel better on your commute, the higher payments at the end of each month might be a downer.

The hybrid battery cuts into trunk space, as it does in nearly every hybrid sedan. In the Optima, cargo space goes from 15.4 cubic feet in the regular version to a very small 9.9 cubic feet in the hybrid. The Toyota Camry goes from an identical 15.4 cubic feet in the gas-only model to a very respectable 13.1 cubic feet in the hybrid version. Plus, the Optima Hybrid’s rear seats don’t fold flat.

Equipment
My tester was a base model with cloth seats, no navigation and a sticker price of $27,500, which is considerably higher than the base gasoline car’s $19,500. However, there are quite a few standard features in the hybrid that don’t come standard in that model, including a power driver’s seat, cruise control, dual climate control and push-button ignition.

Navigation, leather and other options can be had, but only as part of a single option package called the Hybrid Premium Technology Package. For $5,000, it adds a panoramic moonroof, a navigation system, an eight-speaker stereo, a power passenger seat, leather seats, heated and cooled front seats, 17-inch alloy wheels and high-intensity-discharge headlights.

Safety
The Optima Hybrid earned a five-star overall crash test score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It also earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, that agency’s highest honor. Very few cars on the market currently hold both designations.

The Optima Hybrid comes with a standard array of airbags, including side curtain airbags for the front and rear seats and seat-mounted side airbags for front occupants. You can read about more safety features here.

Optima Hybrid in the Market
The concept of a hybrid sedan still doesn’t resonate with me because, with moderate gas prices, it takes a long time to recoup the added cost versus a non-hybrid sedan. However, the Optima Hybrid delivers everything it promises and still retains the handsome looks that won me over when I first saw the non-hybrid version.

Send David an email  

Safety review

Based on the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Overall rating
5/5
Combined side rating front seat
3/5
Combined side rating rear seat
5/5
Frontal barrier crash rating driver
5/5
Frontal barrier crash rating passenger
5/5
Overall frontal barrier crash rating
5/5
Overall side crash rating
5/5
Rollover rating
5/5
Side barrier rating
5/5
Side barrier rating driver
3/5
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat
5/5
Side pole rating driver front seat
5/5
9.6%
Risk of rollover
Side barrier rating driver
3/5
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat
5/5
Side pole rating driver front seat
5/5
9.6%
Risk of rollover

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
5 years / 60,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years / 100,000 miles
Powertrain
10 years / 100,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
5 years / 60,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
6 years or newer / less than 80,000 miles
Basic
12 months / 12,000 miles
Dealer certification
165-point inspection

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Consumer reviews

3.8 / 5
Based on 58 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.3
Interior 4.3
Performance 3.6
Value 3.7
Exterior 4.7
Reliability 3.8

Most recent

  • Don't buy this car!

    Absolutely horrible car engine wise, I have had to pay outrageous prices fixing and maintaining just to keep it going, and now I've got to buy a new engine at 160k miles *also had to replace transmission at 30k miles. I'm also getting a little tired of bringing my car in for the yearly recalls on the peice of xxxx.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 2.0
    Value 1.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 1.0
    6 people out of 7 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Best value out there

    Has been an awesome car. Excellent mileage, and super quiet due to being a hybrid. Don't have a negative thing to say about it after putting 120,000 miles on it!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    6 people out of 6 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • I used it as a taxi for 5 years

    I drove and owned so many different cars but this is the second time i buy kia optima but i prefer optima hybrid, only oil and brake pads changed. make sure to check with recalls if any immediately take to dealership they will fix it for you. it is my first time giving a review on a car but is worth it for sure.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    5 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Very reliable and comfortable

    Very reliable and comfortable. Really enjoyed the value of this car as it was fully loaded. Owned the car for eight years and never had any real issues. Local Kia dealership was great at providing service. Panoramic sunroof is a really nice feature and sound system was a plus.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Not worth the investment.

    This car, since the moment I drove it off the lot, had electric issues. For a hybrid, it doesn't perform that well in terms of gas mileage, which certainly doesn't make up for the money lost to tows, repairs, and upkeep. I've probably put in the same amount of money into this car in repairs as I have buying it. The nice look is truly the dress on the proverbial manure pile. Stay as far away from this problem-on-four-wheels as if your life depended on it (because it might if you do buy it).
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 1.0
    Value 1.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 1.0
    5 people out of 7 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • GREAT value and performance

    2nd owner. Purchased at 22k miles. It's been a fantastic car for what we paid. Not one major issue or hint of issue really. The only problem we've had has been the wear of the Kia symbol on the trunk and the hood. $30 total to replace so can't complain. Ride isn't the same as on our Audi, but didn't expect it to be. It can be a bit noisy on long road trips, but again, I'm comparing to a 2015 Audi A6 and a 2005 Touareg.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • least reliable car I have ever owned!

    This is the worst car ever!! Parts are expensive the car is made so cheap it’s had problem after problem costing me over 1000 every year I got it Almost new with about 40000 miles!!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 2.0
    Performance 2.0
    Value 1.0
    Exterior 2.0
    Reliability 1.0
    2 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Worst car I ever owned

    In the first month alone, had to replace rear view camera 3 times. I ended up putting in a Walmart backup camera in myself, that still works today. Car advertised 34/39 mpg, actual mpg is around 30, not even close to what it should be.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 2.0
    Interior 2.0
    Performance 1.0
    Value 1.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 1.0
    2 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Purchase this car on my own 😂

    Car met our needs lots of space roomy and so far it drives great it’s only been a few hours since we purchased this vehicle but we Love It
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    0 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Worst car and company to deal with

    Worst car ever Engine failed just after warranty Kia absolutely worst company to deal with made one offer for assistance then claimed it was not vaild
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 3.0
    Performance 1.0
    Value 1.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 1.0
    2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Best car ever

    Best car I have ever owned. Great gas mileage which is very great with gas prices nowadays. It also looks very nice. Would strongly recommend!!!
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Great Car Fun, Frugal and Feisty

    Looking for stylish, loaded with options, reliable low cost transportation, the Kia Optima Hybrid scores high on all points. Great warranty and low maintenance costs. My car has more accessible storage space and roomier rear seating than the ACCURA TLC Crossover. It tracks and holds the road at 100 mph like a train on the track, no annoying loud engine or wind resistance noise. It has become my vehicle of choice for road trips, the Cadillac stays home. It burns regular gas and gets 500 miles at 60 MPH per tank of gas. My only regret is that KIA has lowered the horsepower on the newer Optima Hybrids. I wish they would reconsider increasing the horsepower, it looks sporty, it should have the pep of my 2012 or higher.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No

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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid?

The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid is available in 1 trim level:

  • Hybrid (1 style)

What is the MPG of the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid?

The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid offers up to 34 MPG in city driving and 39 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid?

The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid reliable?

The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid has an average reliability rating of 3.8 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid owners.

Is the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid a good Sedan?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid. 67.2% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

3.8 / 5
Based on 58 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.3
  • Interior: 4.3
  • Performance: 3.6
  • Value: 3.7
  • Exterior: 4.7
  • Reliability: 3.8

Kia Optima Hybrid history

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