2011 Compare Cars: Kia Optima Hybrid vs BMW 320d

November 10, 2011 By: autocar Category: BMW car, car review, hybrid car, Kia car

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid vs BMW 320d

This is an article about 2011 compare cars Kia Optima Hybrid vs BMW 320d. We want to take advantage of the arrival of the Kia Optima Hybrid for engineering tests and perform comparisons other than normally publish. Two different views to get the same result: less fuel consumption and emissions.

Comparing 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid vs BMW 320d

Duo saver 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid vs BMW 320d

Evaluating the performance of hybrids on the road that we were not friendly, and representatives of the brand to the press involved in this initiative is not only unusual but interesting. We then have the opportunity to manage the proposed hybrid Kia. By the time they roll the two units in the country and has not taken a decision to offer this car in Colombia.

As an Optima Hybrid has not been in the window, we took the task of searching at the current bid sedan that the Colombian market by segment, specifications and ecological approach, theoretically could be a contender. Input options are limited because only the hybrids sold in our country is the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid (Auto test in Colombia), is very different from Kia for obvious reasons.

For this reason, it seems an interesting approach to overcome the various manufacturers in the industry on relevant issues such as reducing emissions and consumption.

Some dedicated to accelerating the process of making more efficient combustion engines, the other pursuing a hybrid propulsion system improvements and others have invested a lot of money on alternative power.

The selected 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid vs BMW 320d

The ideal candidate turns out to be the BMW 320d, D-segment sedan (same as Optima) sales since early 2010, driven by a two-liter turbocharged diesel horsepower, 184 and 38.7 kg-m torque from 1900 to 2750 rpm.

These figures are not so far from the Optima, the atmosphere of 2.4 liters of gasoline delivered 166 horsepower and torque of 21.2 kg-m at 4250 rounds in paper losses are terrible, but keep in mind that aided by the power plant to add 30 horsepower more for a total of 206 units not to mention the constant torque from 0 to 1400 rpm 20.8 kg-m (total of 27 kg-m torque and do not represent the sum of the two plants).

Weight loss is also very similar although the additional burden caused by Optima battery, thanks to factors such as the drive shaft 3 Series is rear wheel. The difference is 78 kilograms for BMW (only logical if we think that, while the same category, was 31 inches shorter).

Another similarity is the gearbox six-speed automatic (with torque converter was replaced in Kia by an electric motor) and, of course, has been created with the fuel economy and pollution at least a premise.

Method of efficiency 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid vs BMW 320d

320d does not have a lot of additional measures to further enhance the autonomy of the modern machine. In fact, devices such as the Start / Stop, which is itself in the X3, do not complete our test unit. The Kia if the system is equipped with different functions which take the Silverado Hybrid or commented X3, because it tends to turn off the car at nearly every stop made. Acts only on large detention.

In the Kia stand mechanisms such as the grill is equipped with flaps that can be locked when not needed cooling of the engine, in order to optimize the drag coefficient (0.26 against 0.27 of the 320d), achievement is also due to a flat floor, wheels, low rolling resistance (with a treadwear of 480) and lower ground clearance. Both sedans are electric and hydraulic power steering that avoids extra solutions for the machine.

Usefulness of power generation from urban Optima obvious maneuver or going at a constant speed. If the battery is charged, the starter is given in electric mode (EV mode), it saves time which wastes more gasoline. Then forwarded to the next stage where the 2.4 comes into operation before reaching 20 km / h. The transition is almost invisible and only give a little interesting.

If you are less than 100 km / h constant pressure on the gas pedal a minimum, the Optima is recirculated only with the support, without wasting a single drop of fuel and without emitting any harmful gases, but in connection with the Silverado, only hybrids that we have done with Optima (up to moment) is more difficult to travel like that.

An additional advantage is the silence of the place: just listen to music and mild wind noise or rolling. On the streets (as mentioned in the evidence Silverado Hybrid), we suggest that by hand poised over the horn as clueless as it is impossible to see the hidden presence of Kia.

Analog tachometer in the dashboard (moved to the digital box in the middle) is replaced by an “Eco-guide” in charge of the time shows that the Optima electricity works through two green lights (Ready and EV mode) and to encourage motorists to drive further efficiencies through a needle moving between the green line, one white and one red. The first one says that we do our job if we look more refreshed, pass the threshold to white and finally red if you use too much gasoline. There are also two digital thermometer: traditional water and batteries.

Onboard computer as an additional feature that rewards score or lower consumption of energy flow chart is also visible in the center console touchscreen is fast, very useful to be aware of the Optima Hybrid operation in real time: indicates the motor is active and when the battery is being recharged through the kinetic energy harvested from deceleration or braking.

Back in the BMW, the best tool for the reference to the economic management of our traditional instant consumption gauge is needle-shaped, so many household products have been Teutonic equipped decade.

Experience driving on 320d is much harder and more focused, in our opinion, feelings and sporty is faster transmission (manual mode automatic Kia is much slower than the other brothers and the end of his life) and the overall response is more direct and does not tend to isolate residents manner as given in the Optima.

Additional torque of the BMW recorded 1900 laps, but the beginning of the Korean electric mode more powerful and real, especially the urban environment.

At the end of some lines which cover most parts of the city and a small dose of feeder roads, consumption is obtained in both cases ranged between 40 and 50 miles per gallon (giving an average of more accurate, but the road was not identical).

Appetite content 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid vs BMW 320d

These figures lead us to conclude that the advantages of hybrids over diesel power consumption is not always less.

No doubt the hybrid is much more efficient along with other similar size and capacity of the equivalent cylinder, but faced with the latest generation of diesel technology, extraordinary virtues of the hybrid is its ability to move to zero emissions in a dense urban environment or as an open road, while the internal combustion gases such as releasing some are always clean and does not move. Hybrid approach, rather than just the economy caused more ecological awareness.

To be sure, many of these findings apply to modern diesel hybrids in general and not only for the two cars that were tested. Our idea is to expose the actual implementation of technology and do not face the participating brand is simply an empirical experiment.

Text and photos: Manuel Fernandez.