Kia expanded its company car driver-friendly Optima range in 2016 with two plug-in hybrid models, attempting to resonate with fleet managers and the drivers who’d run them.
You can choose between the saloon or Optima Sportswagon estate – the latter offering a larger 440/1,574-litre boot (rear seats up/down) to go with its low running costs.
What’s new on the Kia Optima Sportswagon PHEV?
For 2019, the firm has updated the plug-in hybrid model of the Sportswagon to bring it in line with the rest of the estate range that was updated back in summer 2018.
Whether the saloon variant will receive the same treatment is yet to be confirmed, but for now the Optima Sportswagon benefits from an additional trim level.
Named PHEV Plus, this model adds:
- Full leather interior
- Ventilated front seats
- Panoramic sunroof
- Powered tailgate
- Automatic high beam for the headlights
- Wireless mobile phone charging
- Rear cross traffic alert and blind-spot monitor
Elsewhere the tweaked exterior comes with new 17-inch wheels, LED headlights and a redesigned front bumper.
Standard equipment on the Optima Sportswagon PHEV includes:
- 8.0-inch touchscreen with sat-nav
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Heated front seats
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Lane-keeping assist
- Tinted rear windows
Performance, fuel economy and CO2 emissions match the entry-level PHEV model, but this flagship model commands an on-the-road price increase of £4,000 to a slightly eye-watering £38,995. The firm’s seven-year, 100,000 mile warranty remains.
What’s the Kia Optima Sportswagon powered by?
As before, the Optima Sportswagon plug-in hybrid combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine producing 154hp and a 67hp electric motor powered by an 11.26kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack.
Combined total power is rated at 205hp and 375Nm of torque. The 0-60mph time is quoted at 9.4 seconds with a top speed of 119mph. Top speed in pure electric mode is 75mph.
How much does the Kia Optima Sportswagon PHEV cost in BIK tax?
The Kia Optima Sportswagon plug-in hybrid boasts a CO2 emissions rating of 33g/km. This equates to a BIK rate of 13% in 2018-19 rates, leaving you with monthly bills of £76 a month for a 20% taxpayer on the PHEV. The PHEV Plus will cost you just over £9 per month more.
|
|
OTR price |
BIK rate (%) |
Monthly BIK cost (20%) |
mpg |
|
PHEV |
34,995 |
13 |
£75.82 |
188.3 |
|
PHEV Plus |
38,995 |
13 |
£84.49 |
188.3 |
Thanks to its rechargeable battery power, Kia says 188.3mpg is possible under the latest WLTP regulation, with a hybrid range of up to 696 miles per full tank of fuel.
Its real-world numbers are likely to be lower than that and they’ll also be influenced by the type of journeys you do, along with the frequency of access to a plug socket.
Still, a petrol-free range of 33 miles is on a par with most plug-in hybrids and low-speed refinement is admirable thanks to the silent-running electric motors.
What else in store from Kia for company car drivers?
The Optima Sportswagen PHEV will be joined in 2019 by the e-Niro and all-new Soul EV as part of the firm’s drive to reduce their fleet average in CO2 emissions of 25% by 2020, based on 2014 figures.
The revised 2019 Kia Optima Sportswagon PHEV is available now and Parkers will be among the first to test it.
To read the full review on the Kia Optima Sportswagon, click on the picture below:
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