Overview & Reviews

For much of its life, the Kia Optima had been firmly pegged as an also-ran vehicle. Introduced as Kia's first midsize sedan, the first-generation Optima couldn't promise the refinement, documented reliability and assured resale value of its key Japanese competitors. The second-generation Kia Optima followed much the same anonymous playbook, though with considerably better results.

The third-generation Kia Optima, however, is a different animal entirely. With sleek styling, plenty of standard features, potent engine choices and substantial value, the current Optima stands as a top pick for a midsize family sedan.

Current Kia Optima
Under the skin, the current Kia Optima is very similar to the Hyundai Sonata, but to Kia's credit, the Optima has a distinctive European flair to it. Inside and out, the Optima looks and feels like a much more expensive car than its humble price tag would suggest. Optimas are available in four trim levels: LX, EX, SX (standard and turbocharged variants) and SX Limited. There's also the Optima Hybrid, which comes in a single trim.

Optima LX and EX models are powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produces 200 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual is standard on the LX, while a six-speed automatic is optional and standard on all other Optimas. The SX and SX Limited boast a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 274 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque.

The Kia Optima Hybrid is powered by a four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with an electric motor. Combined output comes to 206 peak hp and it's sent through a six-speed automatic. The EPA estimates the Hybrid will achieve 36 mpg in combined driving.

Standard equipment on the LX includes alloy wheels, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a stereo with a CD player, satellite radio and an iPod/USB interface. The EX and Hybrid also include keyless ignition and entry, automatic climate control and leather upholstery. The SX is equipped similarly to the EX but adds 18-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, upgraded gauges (with integrated display screen) and paddle shifters. The SX turbo also comes with xenon headlights. The Limited's perks include a panoramic sunroof, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, a blind-spot monitor, the Uvo voice-command system, a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, upgraded audio and a navigation system.

In reviews, we've found that the Optima stands out thanks to its distinctive styling and upscale interior. Headroom is a bit limited, however, and taller drivers would be well advised to test the car with and without the sunroof. On the road, the Optima has a pleasant ride quality without feeling too isolated. The base engine will likely satisfy the vast majority of drivers, while the turbo is the pick for more spirited pilots. The Hybrid, however, is a bit of a disappointment. Its braking and acceleration in city traffic is uneven and somewhat unpredictable, and fuel economy trails that of competing hybrid sedans.

Used Kia Optima Models
Introduced for 2011, the current Kia Optima represents the third generation. This version is a dramatic departure from earlier Optimas due to its sharp styling, powerful engine lineup and upscale features. Since its debut, changes were minimal for the first few years. An EX Turbo trim level was offered for 2011 and '12 only. The voice command system (Uvo) debuted for '12, while the SX Limited trim debuted for 2013.

Shoppers should note that these earlier third-generation Optimas lack the current version's updated front and rear styling, revised front seats (for greater comfort) and new display screens. They also can't be had with some newer features, such as keyless ignition and entry, a blind-spot monitoring system and rear parking sensors.

Kia's second-generation Optima was produced from 2006-'10. Shoppers should be aware that the generation switch-over happened midway through the 2006 calendar year. Kia sold some first-generation models for '06 and then released the new sedan as the "2006.5" Optima.

At the end of this generation, the Kia Optima was offered in three trim levels: base, EX and SX. All came with a 175-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder as standard. The EX and SX could be had with a 194-hp 2.7-liter V6. A five-speed manual transmission was standard on the LX. Optional on the LX and standard on the EX and SX was a five-speed automatic transmission.

The automatic-equipped LX came reasonably well equipped with air-conditioning, full power accessories, antilock brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. The EX provided leather upholstery, while the SX came with a sport-tuned suspension.

Although the base four-cylinder provided class-competitive acceleration, the Optima's V6 was disappointing. It was significantly smaller and less powerful than other six-cylinders in the class. This Optima was reasonably fun to drive around town and provided a smooth ride quality, though many of its class contemporaries did a better job of isolating occupants from bumps and ruts.

This second-generation Optima had a few changes during its time. The most significant of these came in 2009, where the model received more distinctive styling and more power. The SX trim level also debuted. Previously, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder produced 161 hp, while the 2.7-liter V6 produced 185 hp. The other notable change came in 2008, when antilock brakes and stability control were made standard across the lineup.

The first-generation Kia Optima midsize sedan debuted for the 2000 model year. Mechanically, this model was very similar to the Hyundai Sonata of the time. Although it didn't include the finest-quality interior materials, it was well-suited for commuter duty thanks to a spacious cabin and comfortable ride quality.

First-generation models didn't have stability control or head curtain airbags, and four-cylinder models lacked the availability of antilock brakes. In road tests, we thought the 149-hp four-cylinder engine was a bit short in power and refinement. While the 170-hp V6 didn't inspire thrills, it was smooth and quiet, and offered better acceleration for highway merging than the four-cylinder.

For 2002, the V6 was updated to provide 178 hp. In its third model year (2003), the Kia Optima's front end was restyled (with rather dubious results). Improvements to the interior included a new center stack, door panels and fresh seat fabric. In addition, Kia began to offer Sportmatic manual-shift capability on four-cylinder automatic Optimas. Buyers might also notice that horsepower figures were revised downward that year due to a change in measurement technique, but actual output was unchanged.

User Reviews:

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  Awesome design and Fun to Drive - 2011 Kia Optima
  By mavic19 - January 28 - 7:50 pm

  I am absolutely in love with this car. The design is very sporty and draws a lot of attention and compliments. Great interior design and layout. Wood accents are sweet and not overly done. Performance is great. No torque off the bottom, but one she hits 4k she rips. Only thing I dont like is the NEXEN CP671 tires. Gas milage has been consitent at 28mpg after 3 tanks of mixed driving.

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  Bad experience - 2012 Kia Optima
  By Luis - January 28 - 6:31 pm

  Compre un kia optima 2012 con 18000 millas, el peor carro que he comprado, se me prendía el check engine y el turbo dejaba de jalar. lo lleve al dealer y me dijeron que era la bomba de gasolina. 910 dlls. A los 3 días comenzó a fallar otra vez de lo mismo. Lo tenía que prender apagar y volver a prender para que probablemente trabaje el turbo. Todavía debía 4 años de 340 dlls por mes. Finalmente un día no me prendió el check engine y aproveche para ir a la ford para cambiarlo por una Ford edge. No vuelvo a cometer el error de comprar un kia.

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  Excellent - Best by Far - 2004 Kia Optima
  By D Duke - January 27 - 5:16 pm

  Purchased this for high miles use and Kia warranty and outstanding value. 4th KIA owned - all excellent with high miles. Have never been left on the road walking by any of 4 Kias owned. Currently own 2 Optimas. Emergency road service excellent when I locked key out of KIA 2000 model. Atlanta rapid response and back inside within an hour. Top ride and good gas mpg...30+. As a Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, Chevy, Infiniti etc. owner who loves great cars, this is best overall for price, mpg, warranty, and reliability. On road all hours day and night and it gets me there. Always.

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  KIA Optima needs improvement on transmissions - 2009 Kia Optima
  By csaylors - January 25 - 6:43 am

  I have owned my 2009 KIA Optima for three years now and had to replace the transmission once already and it is in the shop again (not even a year later) with the same problem. I dont know if this is a problem everyone has or if I bought a lemon. The built in Bluetooth had some problems as well. I just had to quit using it. The headrest is not comfortable at all. But it handles well and it is fun to drive. It gets good gas mileage and thats what we needed at the time.

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  Premium and Value - 2012 Kia Optima
  By Acclaimed - January 22 - 7:19 pm

  I currently own a fully loaded 2012 Kia Optima EX Turbo and it has been "smooth sailing" with minimal problems since my ownership back in April 2016. My car had exactly 60k miles on it at time of purchase which was slightly high miles, but I was too thrilled about getting rid of my old 2004 Chrysler Sebring that was moderately reliable with the exception of significantly ignition coil and repeated oil leaks issues. Back to the Optima, after one week of ownership, my car kept dying and come to find out it had a dead battery cell and I had to replace it, alongside with my proximity key fobs that were dead after purchasing my vehicle. Several months later, my fog lamps have stopped working and I think it has something to do with the wires and now I need a coil spring to enhance my cruise control and steering wheel features to become accessible again. Most importantly, last December Kia had to replace a coupling part to stop my vehicle from clicking at every left and right turn. With that said, the value and luxury and performance of my car have been great. I love the panoramic moonroofs on hot summer days, and speaking of hot summer days, the climate control seats work wonders not to mention the rear heated seats for the winter months, along with the heated steering wheel. Oh -- I cant forget about the 2.0L Turbo that has V-6 power with 4-cylinder fuel economy with 274-horsepower and 269 lbs. ft. of torque with a modest to none torque steer.

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  Test drive review - 2011 Kia Optima
  By canreda6 - January 20 - 12:54 am

  I have been test driving the 2011 Sonata and Optima. Optima looks like an Infiniti or Audi and offers features the Sonata doesnt like hill start assist and dual exhaust on all trims. I am leaning towards the Optima and I really want to buy a manual trans, but Kia decided, in a truly bizarre move, to not allow you to get cruise control with the manual trans. Otherwise the car is excellent. Very good acceleration and you cant hear the valve train noise like you can on the Sonata which is nice. Also seems like the suspension is more upscale than the Sonata. No options allowed or a turbo with a manual trans?? Change the packaging and they would steal sales from BMW/Audi and others...

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  Great car for anyone with realistic expectations - 2011 Kia Optima
  By titan415 - January 17 - 8:51 am

  Im always interested to see how people react to things. Some people drive this car and see it for what it is: a great value and a really good car. And then there are those to say that its not a good car because they have driven, owned, or dreampt of better. Youll see plenty of those reviews here and other places. The reality is that this car is great for the money, offers a huge range of features, has a warranty that should allay any fears about the uknown, and, finally, it looks hot. Its not a perfect car, true. The wide c-pillar creates a blind spot, the engine isnt V6 smooth, and its true that the seats arent the best. But nits aside, this is a seriously good car.

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  My SX experience - 2011 Kia Optima
  By 72roadrunner - January 14 - 8:29 am

  I love this car. Handles great and has excellent power whether using ECO mode or regular mode. I am getting 30mpg overall combined city and hwy with about 50/50 of each. This car has the interior room of a much bigger car. I have extra long legs and I still fit in this car great, and there is room for someone to sit behind me with my seat all the way back the way I need it. This isnt true for many cars. The truck is also bigger than other large cars I have driven/owned. I love that people cant figure out what kind of car this is at first glance. That will probably change as more show up on the road, but for now I feel I am driving an exclusive luxury automobile, that runs on regular!

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  Gas Mileage SUCKS! - 2011 Kia Optima
  By westca - January 3 - 5:38 am

  I purchased the EX Premium package and love the panoramic dual sunroof, heated steering wheel, colled and heated seats and the rest. The car does sound like a go-kart (as others have posted) and I am very upset with the 21 mpg (mostly hwy) gas mileage after 2000 miles. Dealer said I need to break it in more, yet I do not read that in the owners manual and wish that was disclosed to me before my purchase! Reading reviews it seems this low gas mileage is a common issue, and hopefully KIA or EPA will do something about it! False advertising and a lemon!

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  More and better than expectation - 2005 Kia Optima
  By AstroBike - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Ive bought 2005 Kia Optima EX V6 from a private seller as a used car for my high school son. This is a hidden jewel! Fast, tight, luxurious, reliable, etc. Im more than 100% satisfied with this car. I think that Kia (and Hyundai) is under estimated than its real value. Its good factor to consumers though.