Safety & Security

Kia prides itself on its developing reputation for providing some of the safest vehicles on the road. Opirus continues to build on that reputation with a range of safety features that fall into three broad categories.

Preventative safety measures help to keep the driver alert and comfortable - ensuring that hands stay on the steering wheel and eyes stay on the road for the maximum amount of time.

Active safety systems help the driver avoid accidents through a combination of performance and handling that allows a rapid response to unexpected, difficult or dangerous situations.

Finally, passive safety measures protect the driver and passengers in the event that an accident occurs. Passive safety measures are tested by an enormous range crash tests, both real and simulated.

Opirus comes with the fullest range of safety features ever offered by Kia, to ensure the safest possible driving environment.

Preventative Safety

The interior of Opirus has been designed to ensure comfortable, fatigue-free motoring. The instrument cluster is clearly laid out and easy to read, control dials on the central fascia are simple to use and are placed within easy reach of the driver while the 8-way powered driver´s seat provides an exceptional degree of adjustability.

The large expanse of glass around the passenger compartment ensures that there is abundant natural light during the day. At night, high-intensity discharge headlamps provide a clear view of the road ahead and mirror natural light as closely as possible to reduce eye-strain and driver fatigue. The automatic headlamp-levelling device (manual in General market) and headlamp washer system (Europe only) ensure optimal illumination regardless of weather conditions or vehicle load, while the rear-view mirror features electro-chromic technology that automatically dims during night driving to reduce glare from following cars.

Interior noise levels can play a role in generating driver fatigue and Opirus has been designed to be an exceptionally quiet vehicle. From day one of the creation process, engineers employed a number of different structural and technological refinements to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. The results are remarkably low interior noise levels - from just 39 dB at standstill with an idling engine, up to 74 dB while driving at speed with the air-conditioner switched on. Road noise and driving interior noise are kept down to 64 dB at 60 kph on rough roads and 62 dB at 100 kph on smooth asphalt.

Active Safety

Opirus features an improved all-disc braking system supplemented by a range of electronic systems that ensure the driver maintains complete control of the vehicle even when braking under difficult conditions. The car comes with ABS, BAS, EBD, and TCS systems as standard for smooth, even braking and maximum control when accelerating. For the first time on a Kia, Opirus is also fitted with an ESP system which corrects driver errors and delivers even greater control during emergency manoeuvres.

The combination of these four systems makes the Opirus the most comprehensively equipped vehicle that Kia has ever produced in terms of active safety technology.

Sensors also reduce the risk of collision when the Opirus is reversing. Four ultra-sonic sensors mounted on the rear bumper detect obstacles which may be out of the driver´s line of sight. A variable audible warning system alerts the driver when an object is within 1.2 metres of the car - the warning tone rising as the distance decreases.

Passive Safety

While the Opirus monocoque bodyshell is computer designed to minimise deformation of the passenger compartment in the event of a collision and to disperse collision forces in a controlled and progressive manner, a host of additional passive safety equipment is fitted as standard.

A full complement of eight airbags includes driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags in both front and rear seats, and curtain airbags each side of the roof. The airbags are controlled by sensors that gauge the severity of a frontal impact before deploying the bags. This ensures that the airbags are not triggered by low impact collisions during parking manoeuvres or by stresses not caused by impact, such as hitting a pothole in the road at speed.

The airbags are also linked to seatbelt buckle sensors. This ensures that the car´s systems can respond to a collision in a different manner, depending on whether passengers are wearing seatbelts or not. In a minor, low-speed collision in which adequate protection is provided by the seatbelt alone, the airbag will not deploy. If seatbelts are not worn, however, the airbags will deploy at lower speeds in order to provide the required protection.

The airbags deploy a milli-second after initial impact. The driver´s side cushion-shaped airbag has a volume of 60 litres when inflated. The passenger´s side elliptically-shaped airbag has a volume of 125 litres. The airbag system also includes an electronic diagnostic system that checks component electronics. In the event that an error is detected a warning light on the dash warns the driver.

A first for Kia, Opirus side-airbags are installed in both the front and rear seats to provide added protection to an occupant´s chest and head in the event of a side impact. The four side airbags have a capacity of 10 litres each. Complementing the side airbags are two curtain airbags that extend the full length of the cabin on each side and deploy downward in the event of a side collision. With a capacity of 14.5 litres, the curtain airbag provides added protection for occupant´s heads.

Deployment of the side airbags is controlled by sensors in the bottom of central B-pillars. In the event that a side impact is registered, a signal is relayed to the front airbags and the seatbelt pretensioners, ensuring that all safety systems work in an integrated fashion to provide full occupant protection.

Opirus front seats are fitted with ´active´ head restraint technology which moves the head restraint forward and up when sensing an impact. This prevents the occupant´s head from whipping violently backward and forwards and thus helps to prevent the neck injuries that can result from comparatively minor accidents.

Three-point seatbelts are fitted for all five occupants (Europe only). The front seatbelts have height-adjustable top mounts for greater security and a more comfortable fit. They also have pre-tensioners and load limiters as well as buckle sensors to determine whether the seatbelt is being worn. Upon detecting a collision, the lap and shoulder belts tighten under resistance to maintain consistency at all times and to protect the passenger against violent forward movement. The load limiter then gradually pays out the belt to reduce tension and the risk of internal injuries. Two ISOFIX anchorage points for attaching child safety seats, are built into the rear seat (Europe only).

Security

To deter thieves, the Opirus comes with an ultra-sonic alarm which monitors the status of all doors, bonnet and boot and sounds the horn at half second intervals for a 27-second period if there is an unauthorised attempt to enter the vehicle.

Opirus also comes with an immobiliser incorporated in the head section of the ignition key (not included in General market). When the ignition is turned on, the transponder sends an ID code on a specified frequency. An antenna located in the front section of the steering wheel lock picks up the signal and transmits it to the immobilizer control module (ICM). The ICM analyses and verifies the signal to determine if it matches the pre-registered code. If the code and the signal do not match, the engine will not start.

Another thoughtful security feature allows the lock for the glove box and boot to be isolated from the ignition. A switch in the glove box allows both the glove box and the boot to be locked together, so that only someone with access to the glove-box key can open the boot. Where the car needs to be driven by another party - in a valet parking lot, for example - that other driver can be given an auxiliary key which will only open the door and start the engine.