The all-new Kia Optima and Kia Sportage have both been awarded the maximum five-star crash safety rating by Euro NCAP in the latest round of safety testing.
Both the Optima and Sportage scored particularly highly for adult protection, scoring 89% and 90% respectively, with child occupant protection also rated highly at 86% for younger Optima passengers and 83% for those in the Sportage.
The Optima was praised in particular for its ability to offer uniformly high levels of protection to all occupants during the frontal offset test and in the event of a side barrier impact, no matter the size of passenger or where they were sitting in the car. The Sportage was also commended for its ability to protect passengers of different statures in all seats, scoring particularly highly in the demanding side pole test.
Depending on the market, both new models are available with a variety of optional safety technologies, including:
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), which employs a long-range radar detection system to detect a potential collision with another vehicle or pedestrian and help bring the car to a halt
Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), which detects the car’s position in relation to lane markings and takes automatic corrective action if it senses the car starting to draft without the use of indicators
High Beam Assist (HBA), which automatically adjusts headlamp range according to other vehicles and road conditions
Speed Limit Information Function (SLIF), displaying the speed limit in the driver’s instrument cluster based on cameras detecting roadside signs
Blind Spot Detection (BSD), with a visual warning in the door mirror when another car enters the driver’s blind spot
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), which warns against other cars driving behind the vehicle in car parks while reversing.
The all-new Optima is available with Advanced Smart Cruise Control, which automatically adjusts the car’s speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicles in front.
The structures of the all-new Optima and Sportage are significantly stronger than the models that they replace, largely due to the more widespread use of stronger Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS).
The Sportage boasts an extensive application of AHSS, rising from 18% of the bodyshell in the third-generation model to 51% in the new fourth-generation Sportage. By dramatically strengthening the core structure of the new Sportage, torsional rigidity has been improved by 39% from one generation to the next.
Passive safety is further ensured with airbag protection for all passengers and the standard fitment of ISOFIX child-seat tether and anchor points in the second row, to safely secure younger passengers.