Toyota Prius vs. Kia Optima Review

Performance
As far as horsepower, the Optima packs quite a punch and will knock the Toyota Prius down a few rungs. However, bear in mind that high horsepower engines often command higher insurance premiums.

Handling
With their similar turning circles, the Toyota and the Kia Optima quite certainly handle roughly the same into and out of tight spots.

Drivetrain
The Toyota Prius's engine is considerably smaller than the Kia's. Bear in mind that smaller engines can be stressed more; on the flip side, smaller engines are often cheaper to fix. Torque is roughly equivalent to acceleration, and in this respect, the Kia Optima is tremendously more powerful than the Toyota Prius. The Kia Optima packs quite a punch compared to the Toyota Prius in terms of torque, which is roughly equivalent to acceleration.

Utility
Neither the Kia nor the Prius has a marked advantage when it comes to seating capacity.

Convenience
The Kia Optima's fuel tank will need to be replenished more often than the unit in the Toyota Prius.

Comfort
Taller drivers will significantly enjoy the extra head room in the Kia's front cabin compared to the Toyota. The ampler interior dimensions of the Optima make it more spacious for your passengers than the Toyota Prius.

Dimensions
Your wallet will hurt more every time you fill up the Kia Optima than the Toyota because of its bigger tank. The Toyota and the Kia Optima compete for the same parking spaces.

Cost
The destination charge is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle from its point of origin to the dealer. It costs about the same to get the Kia Optima to the dealership as the Toyota Prius. Producing an accurate gas mileage evaluation is so difficult that some think not even the federal government can do it, but it looks as though the Toyota Prius is the winner with respect to gas mileage. With respect to gas mileage, the Toyota Prius has the Kia Optima beat. The Toyota Prius isn't much costlier than the Kia Optima with respect to MSRP. The Kia Optima will cost you a bundle in gas every year compared to the Prius.

Warranty
The basic warranty that comes with the Toyota Prius isn't quite as generous as the Optima's.