THE Kia Optima Hybrid sounds too good to be true: a midsize sedan that gets 35 mpg around town, 40 mpg on the highway, costs less than US$30,000 and comes equipped with near-luxury features and state-of-the-art engineering.

That’s all true — and the closer you look, the better it gets. The Optima Hybrid is an engaging car to drive for those who get into the electronics and finesse of a gasoline-electric powertrain. Green enthusiasts will appreciate how far you can go on battery power.

Sold in the US in two trim levels, the Optima Hybrid starts at US$27,250, including the $750 freight charge from Korea. That’s US$5,800 more than the Optima LX (24/34 mpg), on which the hybrid is based.

A Hybrid Premium Technology Package, US$5,000, includes a panoramic sunroof; 17-inch alloy wheels; four-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat; driver’s seat memory; heated and cooled front seats; heated rear seats and steering wheel; HID headlamps with automatic levelling; navigation system with back-up camera and Sirius Traffic; and an eight-speaker Infinity audio system.

All Optima Hybrids have several aerodynamics-enhancing features, including front grille design with an “air shutter” that closes at highway speeds; unique 16-inch alloy wheels and low rolling-resistance tires; front and rear lower bumpers; and side sills. There’s also a slight, barely perceptible smoothing to the rear quarter panels and belly pans, both of which eke out tenths of percentage points for mileage. But it all adds up.

The hybrid system, also used in corporate-platform partner Hyundai’s Sonata Hybrid, combines a 166-hp, 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, lithium polymer battery pack and six-speed automatic transmission. Total system power is 206 hp on regular unleaded.

Kia states up to three miles of range on battery power alone, but that equates to a lot of commuter creeping or rolling along in the city. But get on the gas and there is fluid V-6 power.

A six-speed automatic is unusual in a hybrid, but that’s how Kia gets 40 mpg on the highway. Most hybrids get better in-town economy because of the battery driving. But Kia/Hyundai wanted to appeal to the distance commuters.

Those obsessed with eco-miling can get 50 mpg. (I’ve witnessed 51.7 in the Sonata Hybrid.) And at 65 to 70 mph, the car will be cruising on battery power. The Optima does the other usual hybrid things, such as regenerative braking, auto start-stop of the engine and eco-meter coaching, teaching the driver more efficient techniques. There’s also the Virtual Engine Sound System, which plays pre-recorded engine noise during low-speed, electric-only operation to warn pedestrians the hybrid is coming through. Too bad you can’t specify your favourite iTunes V-8 tone.

For those not thoroughly into the wearing of the green, the Optima is an attractive car with 40 inches of front headroom, 45.5 inches of front legroom and 57.2 inches for shoulders, making it a contender for the big-and-tall club.

There’s also gracious back-seat room; comfortable seat-back angles; fold-down padded armrest; lights; cup and bottle holders; and coat hooks. And trunk space isn’t greatly compromised by the battery pack, which is about the size of three loaves of bread and pushed against the seat-back to make for usable grocery/cargo space.

There is a premium to be paid for the peace of mind in a gasoline-electric sedan that can get nearly 700 miles on a tank of regular fuel. The Optima Hybrid isn’t too good to be true, it’s just leading the current competition of the Toyota Camry Hybrid (31/35 mpg), Nissan Altima Hybrid (33/33 mpg) and Ford Fusion (41/36 mpg).

Forty mpg highway is now common in the compact sedan segment, but the midsize Optima Hybrid raises expectations for smart and efficient use of energy.

— Mark Maynard