2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid

midsize car / 4-door sedan

Plug-in hybrid

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Headlights (varies by trim/option)
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system
Superior

Other available safety features

  • Optional blind spot detection
  • Optional lane departure warning

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Headlights

Ratings are given for 4 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.

Trim level(s)

  • PHEV trim equipped with Technology package; built after March 2017
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?Yes
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the left side of the road and fair on the right side. On curves, visibility was good on the sharp left and both right curves and fair on the gradual left curve.

The low beams never exceeded glare limits.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was good on both right curves and fair on both left curves.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and on both left curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • PHEV trim equipped with Technology package
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? Yes
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2017-20 models built after March 2017
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 87.1 m None
Straightaway left edge 56.7 m None
250m radius right curve, right edge 75.9 m None
250m radius left curve, left edge 60.3 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 68.4 m None
150m radius left curve, right edge 56.0 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 154.6 m
Straightaway left edge 122.6 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 78.7 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 66.4 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 68.9 m
150m radius left curve, right edge 61.7 m

Trim level(s)

  • PHEV trim; built after March 2017
Low-beam headlight typeHalogen projector
High-beam headlight typeHalogen reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?No
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination Excessive glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and fair on the left side. On curves, visibility was fair on the sharp left and both right curves and inadequate on the gradual left curve.

The low beams created excessive glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair on the gradual right curve and inadequate on the sharp right and both left curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • PHEV trim
Low-beam headlight type Halogen projector
High-beam headlight type Halogen reflector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? No
Overall rating
Applies to 2017-20 models built after March 2017
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 95.0 m 78.6%
Straightaway left edge 51.6 m 78.6%
250m radius right curve, right edge 57.2 m None
250m radius left curve, left edge 47.0 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 47.2 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 45.5 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 173.4 m
Straightaway left edge 153.2 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 69.9 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 64.8 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 55.0 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 53.2 m

Trim level(s)

  • PHEV trim; built before April 2017
Low-beam headlight typeHalogen projector
High-beam headlight typeHalogen reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?No
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination Excessive glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair on the sharp right curve and inadequate on the gradual right and both left curves.

The low beams created excessive glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair on the gradual right curve and inadequate on the sharp right and both left curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • PHEV trim
Low-beam headlight type Halogen projector
High-beam headlight type Halogen reflector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? No
Overall rating
Applies to 2017 models built before April 2017
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 91.1 m 79.8%
Straightaway left edge 49.8 m 79.8%
250m radius right curve, right edge 53.3 m None
250m radius left curve, left edge 44.8 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 49.0 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 43.9 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 169.4 m
Straightaway left edge 151.6 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 67.7 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 62.4 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 54.4 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 52.1 m

Trim level(s)

  • PHEV trim equipped with Technology package; built before April 2017
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?Yes
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination Excessive glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good in all 4 tests.

The low beams created excessive glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good in all 4 tests.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • PHEV trim equipped with Technology package
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? Yes
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2017 models built before April 2017
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 110.4 m 236.3%
Straightaway left edge 72.1 m 236.3%
250m radius right curve, right edge 79.8 m 38.7%
250m radius left curve, right edge 73.4 m 91.4%
150m radius right curve, right edge 69.0 m 64.3%
150m radius left curve, left edge 65.9 m 89.5%
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 184.4 m
Straightaway left edge 175.5 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 83.6 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 81.1 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 71.5 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 68.2 m

How headlights are evaluated

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Optional Autonomous Emergency Braking

Package name

  • Optional Technology Package or Standard on SX Limited Trim

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2017-18 models

Superior
Superior
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.

How front crash prevention is evaluated