Disclosure: I was given the Kia Optima Hybrid for 1 week of driving for review purposes only.
The 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid EX is the perfect family sedan with all the luxury amenities that you could ever want in a vehicle. The gas efficiency on the Kia Optima is amazing! I drove all around Orange County and Los Angeles for 7 days straight and at the end of my week I was still left with half a tank of gas. The Kia got a combined city and highway mileage of 37 MPG, which is great! When purchasing a car, one of my first thoughts is how much gas is it going to cost me knowing that I drive back and forth all day long. With the Kia Optima Hybrid you will be paying an estimated average annual fuel cost of $1,450! That alone has me sold on this car. The Kia Optima Hybrid has such a sleek look from the outside that you would never think it was a Hybrid, but more of a sports car. This particular model had a beautiful satin metal color that just looked so appealing to me in the sunlight as well as in the dark! It also had so many great features that I absolutely loved! It was tough to say goodbye, but in the end, it was an amazing week of stylish fun in this beautiful car.
Backseat Spacing: I usually have at least 2 kids in the car with me at all times, which means the backseat needs to have a lot of room to comfortably fit 2 carseats. The Kia Optima’s backseat did just that! Not only did the seats fit perfectly, there was still plenty of leg room for my 4 year old son! Not once was I kicked in the back of the seat like I’m used to with kids!
Front Seat Spacing: The driver and passenger side had plenty of leg room for myself and my husband. My husband is 6 feet tall and I’m 5’10 so lots of leg room is always a bonus. The front console also had plenty of storage spacing to hold all my day to day goodies.
Heated Steering Wheel: I have never been in a car with a heated steering wheel and it sure did feel nice in the early morning when it was 40 degrees out! All you have to do is press one button on the dash and within minutes you’re driving with the luxury of a heated steering wheel. Not a necessity but a very nice little perk that I loved having.
Keyless Entry: This is one thing I like to highlight! This vehicle was equipped with keyless entry which means no key is needed to access the car or start the vehicle. As long as you have the key in your pocket or in your purse you can easily unlock the car with a touch of a button and start the car with the touch of a button! I love this safety feature! If I’m alone, I don’t have to rummage through my purse looking for my keys and by pressing the button to access the car it only unlocks my door.
Panoramic Sunroof: Since I live by the beach, it’s always fun to drive with the sunroof open and I loved this panoramic sunroof. Not only was I able to enjoy looking up, my kids had a blast as well! The sunroof easily slides open with the touch of a single button. I love the simplicity of this car!
Heated and Cooling Seats: This feature is right up there with the heated steering wheel. I leave the house at 7 am every morning and it’s not exactly warm. I get to enjoy the nice heated seats on the whole drive to work, then when it warms up I can enjoy the cooling seat features on the way home. It’s such a nice luxury to have in the Kia.
Navigation system with rear camera display: Let’s face it, when kids are in the car, cameras and navigation are crucial. I was able to easily pick my destination on the navigation system and was taken to my destination with voice directions, it was so convenient. The rear camera display makes parallel parking and backing up a breeze with the green, yellow and red lines. These indicators alerted you when you got to close to a vehicle or other objects behind the car.
The Hybrid feel: I have never driven a Hybrid before this car. It was so quiet turning the vehicle on, you didn’t even notice it was on. How cool is that? I really enjoyed driving the hybrid and I felt like I was doing something great for the environment.
The Kia Optima Hybrid EX has an MSRP of $32,725.00 which is very affordable considering how much you will be saving in gas over the course of a year and lifetime of the vehicle. If you would like to learn more about the Kia Optima you can visit their website here. With prices starting at just $21,500 this car is affordable for every person or family.
I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. I received the Kia Optima for 1 week of driving time to facilitate this review.
