Roomy, dynamic hybrids.
The demand for hybrid vehicles continues to grow with each new year, and the choice has never been greater. The hybrid versions of the Kia Optima and the Toyota Camry represent great options if you're looking to go longer between fill-ups. These midsize sedans can both seat up to five people and feature roomy cabins, a comfortable ride, and smooth handling — as well as ample cargo space. They are easily maneuverable and sufficiently compact for driving around town, while also providing strong performance with a high level of stability and agility that's necessary for a highway ride.
Be it for your daily commute, grocery shopping, or family vacations, one of these sedans could easily fit your lifestyle. Read on to find out if the Kia Optima Hybrid or Toyota Camry Hybrid might be best for you.
Side-by-Side Comparison
2019 Kia Optima Hybrid | 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|
Average Price | $19,000 | $25,000 |
Performance | ||
Base Engine | 2.0L four-cylinder | 2.5L four-cylinder |
Horsepower | 154 | 176 |
MPG | 41 mpg combined | 52 mpg combined |
Interior | ||
Seating | 5 | 5 |
Cargo Space | 13.4 cu-ft | 15.1 cu-ft |
Front-seat Legroom | 45.5 inches | 42.1 inches |
Rear-seat Legroom | 35.6 inches | 38.0 inches |
Overall Interior Space | 118.2 cu-ft | 99.9 cu-ft |
Ratings | ||
Tailpipe Emissions | 213 g/mile | 170 g/mile |
NHTSA Safety Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Certain vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. Click here to look up a specific vehicle.
Features & Trim Options
The Kia Optima Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid come with plenty of standard features that enhance the overall riding experience for you and your passengers. The 2017–2020 Kia Optima Hybrid is available in two trim levels, while the 2017–2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid comes in three trims.
Kia Optima Hybrid
The base Kia Optima Hybrid model is equipped with a series of useful convenience features in an overall upscale interior, as well as a host of driver-assistance features. The Camry Hybrid may well lure you in with the intuitive infotainment system and the abundance of storage room (all models from 2017–2020).
If you opt for the Kia Optima Hybrid model from 2017–2020, you can look forward to these standard features, among others:
Dual-zone automatic climate control
16-inch alloy wheels
Heated side mirrors
Keyless entry
Push-button start
Toyota Camry Hybrid
The responsive Toyota Camry Hybrid, for its part, comes with a strong powertrain and has a nice and quiet cabin that offers plenty of head and legroom for all passengers. Standard features on model years 2017–2020 include:
Proximity keyless entry
Power-adjustable driver's seat
Lane departure warning with steering assist
6.1-inch touchscreen
Engine Options
The Kia Optima Hybrid is available with two engine options, both providing a pleasant and quiet ride. The Toyota Camry Hybrid comes with just one powertrain, but it's dynamic and strong, offering great performance on the highway.
Kia Optima Hybrid
2.0L four-cylinder engine and an electric motor, paired to a six-speed automatic transmission, for a combined 192 horsepower.
2.0L four-cylinder engine paired to an electric motor delivering a total of 202 horsepower (plug-in hybrid).
Toyota Camry Hybrid
2.5L four-cylinder engine combined with an electric motor, mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission, for a total output of 208 horsepower.
Fuel Economy
The plug-in hybrid version of the 2017–2020 Kia Optima Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 40 mpg combined for the hybrid engine and 103 MPGe for the electric-only, while models powered by the 2.0L four-cylinder engine get an EPA-estimated 41 mpg combined.††,3 This kind of gas mileage is a great fit for you if most of your trips are daily commutes to work and running errands around town.
The base trim 2017–2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid, with a 2.5L four-cylinder engine, gets an EPA-estimated 52 mpg combined.†† With an EPA-estimated 53 mpg on the highway, it's perfect for out-of-town trips for work or long-distance family trips.††
Tech Features
There are plenty of standard tech features on both the Kia Optima Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid.
The 2017–2020 Kia Optima Hybrid comes with lots of great infotainment and convenience features, such as:
Seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility
Bluetooth® connectivity
Dual-zone automatic climate control
One USB port
Satellite radio
The Toyota Camry Hybrid is available in three trim configurations, with the base LE trim equipped with several standard driver-assistance and entertainment features. The SE trim adds various features that make it look and feel sportier, and the top-level XLE trim is the most luxurious one. Here's what you can expect on the base model from 2017–2020.
Seven-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa
Six-speaker stereo system
Available Wi-Fi hot spot4
Pre-collision warning system with pedestrian detection
Lane departure warning with steering assist
Adaptive cruise control
Cargo Space
The Kia Optima Hybrid has 13.4 cu-ft of cargo room behind the rear seats, which you can fold down in a 60/40 configuration to fit in larger items.
The Toyota Camry Hybrid comes with 15.1 cu-ft of cargo space, and a 60/40 split-folding backseat is also standard. If you're looking for maximum space, the Camry is going to better accommodate your needs.
Pricing
The Kia Optima Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid can be found in roughly the same price range. The XLE trim on the Toyota Camry is the most high-end, since it adds various luxury features, whereas the Kia Optima comes in only one trim.
See below for average CarMax prices for all model years of the Kia Optima Hybrid:
2017—Average prices less than $17,000†
2018—Average prices less than $18,000†
2019—Average prices less than $19,000†
2020—Average prices less than $24,000†
See below for average CarMax prices for all model years of the Toyota Camry Hybrid:
2017—Average prices less than $20,000†
2018—Average prices less than $23,500†
2019—Average prices less than $25,000†
2020—Average prices less than $25,000†
Safety Ratings
The 2019 Kia Optima Hybrid achieved an overall five-star safety rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid also achieved an overall five-star safety rating. Certain vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. Click here to look up a specific vehicle.
2019 Optima Hybrid
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating Test: A head-on collision between two similar vehicles traveling at 35 mph.
Overall: 5/5
Side Barrier Crash Rating Test: A vehicle standing in an intersection sustains driver-side impact from a vehicle moving at 38.5 mph.
Overall: 5/5
Side Pole Crash Rating Test: A vehicle slides sideways at 20 mph and impacts a tree or telephone pole.
Overall: 5/5
2019 Camry Hybrid
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating Test: A head-on collision between two similar vehicles traveling at 35 mph.
Overall: 5/5
Side Barrier Crash Rating Test: A vehicle standing in an intersection sustains driver-side impact from a vehicle moving at 38.5 mph.
Overall: 5/5
Side Pole Crash Rating Test: A vehicle slides sideways at 20 mph and impacts a tree or telephone pole.
Overall: 5/5
Performance
The 2019 Kia Optima Hybrid gets from zero to 60 mph in eight seconds and achieves a top speed of 150 mph (according to the manufacturer, when new). The 2019 Optima Hybrid model powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine gets an EPA-estimated 41 mpg combined.††
The 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid gets from zero to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds and achieves a top speed of 128 mph (according to the manufacturer, when new). The 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid, with its 2.5L four-cylinder engine, gets an EPA-estimated 52 mpg combined.††
Emissions
According to EPA estimates, the FWD 2020 Kia Optima Hybrid's tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions are 213 grams per mile, while the FWD 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid's tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions are 170 grams per mile. These estimates are based on a brand-new model. Visit fueleconomy.gov for more details.
The Bottom Line
When you take all factors into consideration, both the Kia Optima Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid are great midsize cars that are suitable for all your daily needs around town, as well as for long-distance family trips. Both have a good number of driver-assistance features as part of the standard equipment, along with intuitive and user-friendly infotainment systems. The Optima has slightly more space in the trunk and up front, but if you regularly carry tall passengers in the back, the little extra legroom in the Camry would be welcomed.
No matter which car you end up choosing, you'll get a spacious, comfortable, and practical vehicle that offers a smooth, quiet ride for all passengers.
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