The Optima, part of Kia's lineup since 2001, is a midsize sedan with seating up to 5. Strong on technology, it has offered Android Auto and Apple CarPlay since 2015. Exceeding the average MPG (miles per gallon) for its class, it reduces fuel costs and the carbon footprint. Having more than average horsepower for its class, the Optima packs some oomph. Kia offers a 5-year, 60,000-mile basic warranty, and a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty on its lineup.
The 2018 Kia Optima is below average compared to all vehicles.
Comparison to all vehicles. This plot shows RSC safety scores on the horizontal axis vs. the number of vehicles with each safety score (depicted by bar height and percentages at the bottom). Colors reflect vehicle safety, ranging from red (not that safe) to green (safer). For reference, a score of 0 implies a 0.15% chance of driver death (13% chance of driver injury) over 15 years, and a score of 100 reflects a 0.016% chance (1.4% chance of driver injury). The 2018 Kia Optima has a score of 76, implying a 0.047% chance of driver death (4.2% chance of injury). If equipped with optional advanced driver safety features, the chance of death falls to 0.041%, and the chance of injury falls to 3.6%.
We estimate that the 2018 Kia Optima has a vehicle lifetime fatality chance of 0.0474% and a vehicle lifetime injury chance of 5.4095%, meaning the average driver has a 0.0474% chance of dying in an accident if they drive the car under regular conditions for fifteen years, and a 5.4095% chance of being injured.
Compared to the average vehicle, the 2018 Kia Optima is 2% more likely to result in a fatal accident. Compared to other sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons, the 2018 Kia Optima is 6% less likely to result in a fatal accident.
2018 Kia Optima offers AEB optionally. With AEB, the vehicle lifetime fatality chance drops by 14%.
And it is about as safe as many comparable models.
Comparison to similar models. This plot compares the RSC rating of the 2018 Kia Optima with its main competition. Models are plotted on a scale from 71 to 82. The 2018 Kia Optima is safer than the 2018 Nissan Altima and less safe than the 2018 GMC Terrain, the 2018 Honda Accord, and the 2018 Toyota Camry. It is about as safe as the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, the 2018 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, and the 2018 Nissan Rogue.
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