The final page within the latest of Kia Optima novels has been officially placed in the public eye, the pricing of the hybrid version of the Korean sedan.
Grasping enthusiast interest of the environmentalists ever since it was unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show, the Kia Optima Hybrid now has a price sticker attached.
If you are tempted by the 40 mpg capable mid sized sedan, you’ll be glad to know it starts at a more than reasonable price of $26.500, on top of which you’ll have to add a $750 destination fee.
For that you get a pretty decent sedan built in Korea that is crammed full of technology to a point where the full description of the powertrain alone makes you believe it can do 35 mpg of city driving.
Until the EPA rating comes in we’ll have to settle for manufacturer claims and the joy of knowing you have a 2.4 liter Theta II engine, a 6 speed automatic transmission and an electric motor.
The first delivers 166 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque and the latter has just 40 ponies despite the amazing 151 pound-feet of torque it can deliver.
A set of lithium polymer batteries is the key of the relatively low price and the decent performance the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid manages.
Availability is set to see this generation of Kia hybrids on U.S. dealer lots sometime next month.
