Overview & Reviews
An all-new Kia Optima, boasting a much improved four-cylinder engine and sporty handling, debuts midyear. The old Optima is still available but on an increasingly limited basis. To differentiate the two Optimas, Kia is calling the new one a 2006.5.
- Underpowered V6, some cheap interior bits on old model.
User Reviews:
Showing 1 through 10 of 45.00-
Worst Mistake Ever Made - 2006 Kia Optima
By iAmDizzie - July 10 - 7:26 pmBought in Feb. 2007 to replace 2000 Kia Sephia. Biggest mistake we couldve made. Less than two months after purchasing it, we had to have the compressor for the AC replaced and that was just the first in a line of major issues we had over the 3 years we had this piece of junk. The crank shaft pulley broke, which in turn caused the timing belt to have to be replaced, too. Then, we started having to replace at least one low-beam headlight every month because they kept blowing. The final straw was that the passenger door started having some kind of issue where it wouldnt unlock and stay unlocked - you unlock, pull handle, then it re-locks itself. FINALLY got rid of this car last week!
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Youve got to be kidding me!!! - 2006 Kia Optima
By dezjet - September 12 - 1:00 amI bought this car, 2006.5 Optima two years ago based on the semi-glowing reviews of this and other sites. What a mistake. Im wondering if there are any real drivers out there. This car is an engineering piece of junk, nice looking with accessorie wheels, but not much else. MPG is puzzling also. Only car Ive ever had that got poorer mileage on the freeway than around town-dealer cant explain this phenomena. Oh, great ad campaign, Kia, all image and no substance. End note: if you drive like grandma or the snowbirds we entertain in Az, by all means, buy the Kia. If youre any other kind of driver, push it far, far, down your list. Disappointment is waiting.
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problems, problems - 2006 Kia Optima
By bo - December 14 - 6:13 pmRepairs started at 36,000 miles. Warranty would not cover according to mechanic. It was not a manufacturing defect. $4000.00 in repairs so far & it still is not drivable. Check engine light stays on. It has a new flywheel, clutch, timing belt, new sensors crank etc. EGR valve sensor, dont know what the new problem is. Out of money & patience
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Never getting a KIA again - 2006 Kia Optima
By never_a_kia - August 21 - 9:12 amI will never own a KIA again. I had to get the AC replaced 2 months after getting it new off the lot took them 4 weeks. I have also had to replace the sun visors 3 times on each side. The visors are only replaced in the first 50K, and I am not going to pay $130.00 for the visor now. Even the dealer says they see them all the time with velcro, tape, and one person stapled them up. The computer says that I am getting 29MPG but I have NEVER gotten it that good. I keep up the maintenance and when I run the numbers while filling up I am getting 19 to 20MPG. I will not even get into how you cant set the castor and camber on the front end. If you are cutting tires you cant fix it.
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Good while under warranty but doesnt hold up - 2006 Kia Optima
By steve may - September 20 - 2:14 pmWe bought one of these new and it turned out to be a shop car. After 8 yrs, I had a phone book thick folder of invoices. True, while the bumper to bumper warranty was in place, most things were covered. Afterwards, this quickly became an expensive car so we got rid of it. Sorry, Kia simply is not up there with the Japanese yet. The V6 is quiet but relatively gutless and at 2.7L and 185 hp a waste of gas and money. Unfortunately our trim did not come in a 4 cyl.
