Chevrolet Volt vs. Kia Optima MPG

Chart is based on 9 fuel economy reports for the Chevrolet Volt and 152 fuel economy reports for the Kia Optima.

Chevrolet Volt MPG

Year	Body/Powertrain	flat, hilly, or mountainousLand	driving style: very light to "lead foot"Foot	A/C use: none to heavyA/C	constant stop and goTraf %	many stops per mileCity %	stop every mile or twoSub %	fairly steady speedHwy %	Hwy Spd	MPG
2017	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Plug-in Hybrid CVT FWD	hills	med	light	10	10	0	80	75	90.5
2014	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	mtns	light	hvy	1	2	16	83	98	46.7
2012	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	flat	light	none	0	3	39	59	60	57.0

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This page shows only averages. See all the Chevrolet Volt fuel economy data.

Kia Optima MPG

Year	Body/Powertrain	flat, hilly, or mountainousLand	driving style: very light to "lead foot"Foot	A/C use: none to heavyA/C	constant stop and goTraf %	many stops per mileCity %	stop every mile or twoSub %	fairly steady speedHwy %	Hwy Spd	MPG
2019	4dr Sedan turbocharged 245hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	med	hvy	0	10	50	40	70	26.7
2017	4dr Sedan 154-horsepower 2.0L I4 Hybrid 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	light	30	30	20	20	70	52.6
2016	4dr Sedan turbocharged 178hp 1.6L I4 7-speed automated manual FWD	hills	light	light	6	0	14	80	67	39.0
2013	4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	light	0	24	21	56	69	25.5
2013	4dr Sedan 200-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	none	0	32	14	54	83	27.1
2013	4dr Sedan 159-horsepower 2.4L I4 Hybrid 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	v.lt	none	2	13	15	71	102	32.5
2012	4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	hills	light	light	4	18	39	39	72	25.6
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2012	4dr Sedan 200-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	med	none	0	4	20	76	69	32.3
2011	4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	hills	med	light	0	5	28	68	70	28.0
2011	4dr Sedan 200-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	hills	light	none	4	7	21	67	66	28.7
2011	4dr Sedan 200-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed manual FWD	flat	med	light	0	5	20	75	75	30.0
2010	4dr Sedan 194-horsepower 2.7L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	med	light	0	10	70	20	75	20.0
2010	4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	none	0	0	20	80	63	36.2
2009	4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	light	5	12	16	67	65	29.1
2008	4dr Sedan 162-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	light	20	60	10	10	60	26.3
2008	4dr Sedan 162-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD	flat	lead	light	30	15	30	25	75	26.2
2007	4dr Sedan 185-horsepower 2.7L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	med	none	7	13	3	78	108	29.5
2007	4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	hills	med	none	1	36	48	15	63	23.2
2006.5	4dr Sedan 185-horsepower 2.7L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	hvy	6	4	33	58	66	24.6
2006.5	4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	light	18	16	9	56	63	28.9
2006.5	4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD	flat	light	hvy	0	0	10	90	60	30.0
2005	4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.7L V6 4-speed shiftable automatic FWD	hills	lead	light	5	95	0	0	0	12.1
2004	4dr Sedan 138-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD	flat	light	hvy	0	0	5	95	70	30.0

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This page shows only averages. See all the Kia Optima fuel economy data.

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TrueDelta Reviews the Real Gas Mileage of the Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet Volt Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Comment
2016	From the start, the primary reason to buy either the Chevrolet Volt or the Toyota Prius has been energy efficiency. Which is more efficient depends on how many miles you tend to drive each day. The Volt is a car like no other. It can travel much farther and accelerate much more quickly on electricity alone than other plug-in hybrids. Consequently, it usually operates like a fully electric vehicle (EV). Other plug-in hybrids must rely much more often on their gasoline engines. While the Volt can't travel nearly as far on electricity alone as pure EVs, they don't have a gas engine as a backup. As long as there's a fossil fuel dispensary around you never have to worry about running out of juice in the Volt. How much farther can the new Volt travel on a full charge? GM's engineers enlarged and improved the battery pack, increased the efficiency of the electric motor and transmission, and reduced the car's weight by a massive 240 pounds. These changes increased the car's battery-powered range in the EPA's test from 38 to 53 miles. The 2012-2015 Prius Plug-in Hybrid had a range of only 11 miles even with the gas engine assisting with acceleration. (The upcoming Prius Prime should do better, but will likely still have much less battery-powered range and performance than the Volt.) As in all EVs and plug-ins, though, cold weather or heavy A/C use will significantly reduce the Volt's range. If your drives are rarely long enough to run the Volt's battery down, and you live in an area where the price of electricity is at or below the national average (or discounted at night), the Volt will cost less to operate than the Prius. Be aware that the price of electricity varies far more than the price of gasoline depending on where you live. Also, with gas prices down and the Prius's fuel efficiency up, the advantage of running on electricity isn't as large as it used to be. If your electricity is expensive, the Prius will actually cost less to drive. But will gas prices remain low? If you do need to run the new Volt on gasoline, then it manages very good but not amazing fuel economy, 42 mpg combined in the EPA's tests (up from the 2011-2015's 37 mpg). The Prius Eco scored 56 mpg, and in my driving easily exceeded this number. If your focus is on the environment rather than the cost of fuel, the Volt at least potentially uses cleaner energy (depending on the source of your electricity). Fully charging the Volt via a standard household outlet can take up to 13 hours. If you regularly drive more than 25 miles per day you'll probably want to get a 240-volt charger, which reduces the charge time to about four hours. see full Chevrolet Volt review

What Our Members Are Saying about the Real Gas Mileage of the Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet Volt Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2017	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Plug-in Hybrid CVT FWD	I bought the Volt because it meets my stringent requirements: It must run on electric only until the battery depletes, but it must also allow me to drive the 300 miles round trip to pick up my wine in Central Washington without requiring a wait to recharge. If I drive less than 55 miles per day, I can use zero gas, which happens 80% of my drives. Just shy of 5000 miles now, and I've used 20 gallons of gas and just over $100 of electricity. It's not so much the lower fuel expense for me (but it's nice to have), it's more the reduction of emissions especially in the water-power Pacific Northwest region. see full Chevrolet Volt review
2014	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	Many of us Volt owners think Chevy is under-advertising the features of the car. Our usage in three months is 3100 miles. Our tabulated mileage for gasoline is 88 MPG, or somewhere around 7 gallons a month. The largest percentage use is on the home charged 220 volt system which loads 11 kWh into the battery. Depending on outside temperature, this gives between 34 to 38 miles of electric driving, and as spring comes, it will be into the low 40's. An electric charge at the8c rate costs about a dollar. We bought a Clipper Creek 220 Volt charger... it does the task in 4 hours, and it is portable. You can charge on 110volts too, andthat takes 10 hours. You have the choice of how to use the drive system: All electric first, then gas. Or gas first, then electric. And two combined modes. In cold weather we start out with a plugged-in preheat, then go Gas Only to warm it fully, especially if the planned trip will be requiring some gas use because of the distance. For short trips, we use battery power to warm the cabin and seats. Our shopping is a 38 mile trip with a 500 foot elevation change. We do that trip so the total gas usage is 2/10ths of a gallon, sometimes 3/10ths. Our Church trips make up a large portion of the driving miles, and they are always all electric for the 22 mile trip. One thing this does is give a "good feeling" about running an errand.... it is esentally costless. GM Onstar keeps track of all energy use. But I also keep a book log. Some folks don't realize that you coulddrive this car all across the country on gas, and get 37 MPG. see full Chevrolet Volt review
2014	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	So far have driven in the winter when you get the poorest mileage on the electric motor. I have 3100 km. on the car and lifetime gas consumption is 2.6 Liters per 100km. I dont think there is another car out there that can do this well and it will get even better in the Volt as the weather warms up from the minus 12 degree weather we have had all of Jan and Feb. I LOVE NOT HAVING TO FILL UP AT THE PUMPS AND STILL HAVE NO RANGE ANXIETY. I previously have owned two Prius and the Volt is way ahead in so many ways. see full Chevrolet Volt review
2013	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	The reason you should buy a Volt is all about the fuel cost. In my case I'm averaged close to ~100 mpg (It would have been higher but for a recent 200 mile round trip to Ikea). Granted that mpg is excluding the electricity costs which in my case this car is costing ~ +$30/month increase in my electric bill so after 3 months of ownership (leased October 2012) I've used ~30 gallons of fuel (average cost $3.40 /gal) and driven 3200 miles which is ~ 6.2 cents/mile. Comparing this it a compact (Ford Focus) averaging 30 mpg with regular gas ~ $3.1 would have averaged 10 cents/mile. see full Chevrolet Volt review
2012	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	Obvious. see full Chevrolet Volt review
2012	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	I've had the Volt for 9 months and 13,000 miles. I drive it exactly like I would any of my other cars. It putts around town on errands, it goes hundreds of miles for various trips and everything in-between. Life-to-date gas mileage is 75.3--higher than I expected. see full Chevrolet Volt review
2012	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	Our lifetime average is 167 mpg after 15,000 miles! see full Chevrolet Volt review

Chevrolet Volt Real Gas Mileage: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2013	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	Although the electric range on this car fits most of my needs the fuel economy when the battery is empty is poor. Typically this car will get ~35 mpg (on highway) in premium gulping engine only mode - much lower than other hybrids and worse than many compact cars costing half as much. Therefore if you regularly traveling much beyond the battery only range (say >45 miles) you'd be better served with traditional hybrid. see full Chevrolet Volt review
2012	4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD	It's an electric car with a gas generator.. The electric range in the summer is amazing getting close to 30mi on full quiet comfort electric.. The winter MPG is horrible.. The design required the gas engine in cold weather to run the heat, it also required it to keep the batteries warm.. as a result combining the cost of electric and gas made my average around 6.8mpg in the harsh snow belt winters. see full Chevrolet Volt review

TrueDelta Reviews the Real Gas Mileage of the Kia Optima

Kia Optima Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Comment
2013	Many auto makers are substituting turbocharged fours for V6s because of their theoretically superior fuel economy. The Kia Optima SXL earns EPA ratings of 22 mpg city, 34 highway. The similarly turbo-foured Ford Fusion comes close, 22/33. The most fuel efficient V6, in the new Honda Accord, manages 21/34 without paddle shifters, but 21/32 with them. Trip computer numbers suggest a one-to-two mpg advantage for the Kia in real-world suburban driving--perhaps too close to call since these devices aren't terribly precise. Figure just under 20 with a heavy foot, mid-20s if you resist the temptation, and just over 30 with a very light foot and luck with the lights. All of these figures are with the engine warmed up. In cold weather, fuel economy is in the mid-teens for the first mile or two. An eco mode makes little noticeable difference in either how the car drives or its fuel economy. These numbers don't seem particularly good? Recall that the Kia Optima SXL is a very quick car. You won't find a 274-horsepower sedan that does better without the aid of a battery pack. see full Kia Optima review

What Our Members Are Saying about the Real Gas Mileage of the Kia Optima

Kia Optima Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2013	4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	I find fuel economy, in mixed driving, to be on par with a V6 of comparable power. I usually get about 24 MPG in combined driving. However, on a recent road trip, I had 32 MPG on one tank. It's perhaps slightly better than the Acura TL I had, but one big bonus: the Acura required premium unleaded. On the Kia Optima, however, the manufacturer only calls for regular unleaded. Over time, that can mean a significant savings. see full Kia Optima review
2012	4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	This is my biggest (and only real) complaint with the Optima. It advertises fuel economy of 22 city, 34 highway. I drive a lot (100 mile round trip daily, with more than half of it being highway miles). Admittedly, I have a heavy foot, but I regularly get about 24-25 mpg combined, with the car in ECO mode. The best tank of gas I ever got was a little over 28 mpg. (I calculate it manually, don't rely on the on-board MPG estimates, as they are always 3-5 MPG more generous than reality.) see full Kia Optima review
2011	4dr Sedan 200-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	High 30s on the highway and 29-30 overall with a lot of power. Active eco. setting for better economy. see full Kia Optima review
2011	4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	33 mpg on 200 mile trips at about 65 mph avg. see full Kia Optima review
2008	4dr Sedan 162-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD	Decent fuel mileage at this point for a mid-size sedan. see full Kia Optima review
2007	4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	25-30 city/hwy see full Kia Optima review
2007	4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	It may be a bit borderline in 100% city driving (19-20 mpg), but it gets 33mpg+ on the open highway, with only a 1-2 mpg penalty for using A/C. see full Kia Optima review
2007	4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	got 42 mgh yesteerday on a 120 minute drive 25%/75% in town/highway driving. Like paying $2.25 per gallon, see full Kia Optima review
2005	4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.7L V6 4-speed shiftable automatic FWD	AS above see full Kia Optima review

Kia Optima Real Gas Mileage: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2012	4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	I'd recommend this car in a heartbeat. I honestly like this styling even more than the updates they've made since 2012. My biggest cons are the fuel economy and the lack of a manual transmission on any models other than the base model. see full Kia Optima review