2018 Kia Optima vs Chevy Malibu

If you're in the market for a new sedan, you'll have a whole lot of options to choose from. Sedans are the most popular class of car in the country, so the market is incredibly competitive. Just about every manufacturer out there has at least one or two sedans in their lineup. To find the right one for your needs in Levittown, Philadelphia, and Langhorne, you'll have to do some research.

To make things easier for you, we've taken two of the best sedans available and put them up against each other in a head-to-head comparison. Both the 2018 Kia Optima and the 2018 Chevy Malibu have made plenty of sedan drivers happy, but only one can be right for you. Find out which would work for you best with our Kia Optima vs. Chevy Malibu comparison.

Performance

One of the most striking differences between these two sedans is engine power. The Malibu has put a turbocharger on its base level engine, but since it's just a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder, it can only manage 163 horsepower. Meanwhile, the Optima's standard 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine can offer up to 185 horsepower.

If you're looking to buy a hybrid, both have hybrid options available. The Optima is a bit more advanced, however, with a plug-in model with truly incredible power and efficiency, offering 202 horsepower with an EPA-estimated 103 MPGe. Meanwhile, the Malibu hybrid offers 122 horsepower with an EPA-estimated 46 MPGe.

Interior

Inside these sedans, you'll find plenty of room no matter which one you opt for. In fact, many of the dimensions only differ by fractions of inches-they just happen to differ in the Optima's favor. The largest discrepancy is with front legroom. You'll have 42 inches in the Malibu, but the Kia Optima offers a much more comfortable 45.5 inches of legroom.

When it comes to the interior materials, you can expect quality in both these sedans, as there are premium cloth and leather upholstery options. The lines on the dash are a bit sleeker with the Optima, and you'll find more soft touch materials in Kia's model than in the Malibu. Not to mention, you'd be surprised how far the noise reduction cabin in the Optima can go.

Safety

Safety is the most important feature than any vehicle can have, and you'll find plenty of innovative safety features in these sedans. The Malibu offers 11 distinct safety systems designed to prevent, protect, and respond. While impressive, the Optima offers much of the same, plus a few extras. The Optima is all about precision, so systems like Electronic Brake-Force Distribution and Vehicle Stability Management help you retain control of your ride.

Should the worst happen, however, you need to know that your vehicle is prepared to handle a crash. After extensive testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, both sedans in this comparison earned a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating. Looking into the details, however, reveals a small area in which the Malibu comes up short. Turns out, the Malibu is somewhat top-heavy, only earning four stars in rollover rating. The Optima, on the other hand, earned a full five stars.

Kia Optima vs Chevy Malibu: Verdict

Our Kia Optima vs. Chevy Malibu comparison was certainly close, but the 2018 Kia Optima proved to be the better sedan overall. If you want to try it out for yourself, head to Fred Beans Kia of Langhorne. Our experts will help you discover whether or not this is the right car for you to take through the streets of Levittown, Langhorne, and Philadelphia. Contact us to schedule your test drive today.