Kia Optima Euro NCAP crash test

5 stars. Overall excellent performance in crash protection and well equipped with comprehensive and robust crash avoidance technology

The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal offset test.  The Optima scored maximum points for the protection of the front passenger in that test, with good protection of all critical body areas.  Dummy readings indicated good protection of the knees and femurs of both dummies and Kia showed that a similar level of protection would be provided to occupants of different sizes and to those sat in different positions.  In the full-width rigid barrier test, protection of the driver was good for all body areas, and for the rear passenger it was good for all areas except the chest, protection of which was adequate.  In the side barrier impact, protection of all critical parts of the body was again good, and the Optima scored maximum points.  Even in the more severe side pole test, all body areas were well protected.  The front seats and head restraints demonstrated marginal protection against whiplash injury in Euro NCAP's tests.  A geometric assessment of the rear seats indicated marginal whiplash protection also for the occupants of those seats.  An autonomous emergency braking system is available on the Optima which would provide additional whiplash protection at the low, city speeds at which such injuries commonly occur.  The system was not included in this assessment as it is not standard equipment.

The Optima scored maximum points for its protection of the 1½ year dummy in the frontal offset test.  Forward movement of the 3 year dummy, sat in a forward-facing restraint, was not excessive, although neck tensile forces were marginally elevated.  In the side barrier test, both dummies were properly contained within the protective shells of their restraints, minimising the likelihood of head contact with parts of the car vehicle interior.  The front passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward-facing child restraint to be used in that seating position.  Clear information is provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag and the system was rewarded.  All of the restraint types for which the Optima is designed could be correctly installed and accommodated in the car.

The bumper provided good or adequate protection to pedestrians' legs.  Protection of the pelvis was mixed, ranging from good at some test points to poor at others.  The bonnet offered mostly good or adequate protection to the head of a struck pedestrian, with weak and poor results recorded along the base of the windscreen and on the stiff windscreen pillars.  The Optima's optional autonomous emergency braking system recognises pedestrians as well as other cars.  Euro NCAP will start to assess the performance of such functionality in 2016 so the system cannot be rewarded here.

Electronic stability control is standard equipment, together with a seatbelt reminder for the front and rear seats.  A speed assistance system is an option that is expected to be sold in sufficient numbers to qualify for assessment by Euro NCAP.  Data from a digital map is combined with information from a windscreen-mounted camera to provide information to the driver about the speed limit at any point.  The driver can set the speed to which the car is limited.  A lane departure warning system is also an option that was included in this assessment.  Autonomous emergency braking is available as an option but is not expected to be fitted widely enough to be included in this assessment.