It's no secret that we here at Elk Grove Kia are pretty big fans of the South Korean automaker. With models like the Kia Forte getting rave reviews, we know that there are some happy drivers on the road who are behind the wheel of the Forte.

But, the Kia Forte isn't the only model that is capturing the hears of consumers everywhere. Rather, the Kia Optima Hybrid is winning over both car-buyers and the folks at the Guinness Book of World Records. Wait, what? That's right the first hybrid offering from Kia is officially a record setter!

The specific record that hybrid model, based on the ever-popular Kia Optima, set is for the lowest fuel consumption when driving through all 48 continental US states in a gasoline hybrid car. That's quite a lengthy name for a record, but a truly important one to hold. Fuel economy is easily one of the biggest factors on the minds of today's car-buying public, and for Kia to hold it means quite a bit.

The Kia Optima Hybrid, which was driven by Wayne Gerdes and Chris Bernius, clocked in well over 7,899 miles. Their average fuel economy during the trip was an impressive 64.55 miles per gallon. This is an incredible 61 percent increase to the vehicle's EPA estimated highway rating. Overall, the trip took only 14 days, and the team managed about 564 miles driven per day. What's more impressive is that the Optima Hybrid was able to travel 1,418 miles between trips to fill up the tank... oh, and only five such stops needed to be made in full.

"While traveling across the United States the Optima Hybrid experienced temperatures ranging from more than 118 degrees Fahrenheit to less than freezing point." Kia's senior executive vice president and chief operating officer Thomas Oh said in a statement.¹

You can learn more about the Optima Hybrid or any other new Kia model simply by browsing our website's showroom and new Kia inventory pages online. Once you're there, you'll find a wide range of info on models like the Kia Sorento and Kia Sportage, which is dedicated to educating you on how you can have a positive car-buying experience when considering purchasing your next new or used Kia from us.

But, if you really want to get a good feel for the new and used cars that we proudly carry here at 8480 Laguna Grove Dr. Elk Grove, CA 95757, then make sure to schedule a test drive with us today. Test drives can be arranged easily by either dialing (877) 268-4983 or by filling out a contact form online.

Source: ¹http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2011/09/13/kia-optima-sets-guinness-record-for-fuel-economy/