Kia Optima extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
Why an extended warranty could make sense
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Kia Optimas are known to have average reliability, and an extended warranty offers extra protection against unexpected repairs as the vehicle ages.
We’ll break down what a Kia Optima warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty is worth it in the long run.
All new Kia Optimas come with a five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty from the factory.
Jump to insightWe received a $1,310.40-a-year quote for an extended auto warranty on a 2021 Optima. That’s more expensive than the average cost of an extended warranty.
Jump to insightKia has average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightGetting an extended warranty on an Optima gives you peace of mind and protection against repair bills once the factory warranty expires.
Jump to insightKia Optima extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your Optima comes with. For context, Kia Optimas come with the following warranties from the factory:
- A five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty
Factory warranties follow the vehicle, not the owner. So if you buy a 4-year-old car with 20,000 miles on it, you still have one year or 40,000 miles worth of factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining.
For an extended warranty on your Kia Optima, you have two options:
- Buy the official Kia extended warranty, called Kia Distinction VSC.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your car to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
In either case, you’ll generally get the most value by purchasing whichever plan offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum). These plans cover 90% or more of the parts on your vehicle. Less comprehensive Gold, Silver and powertrain plans may be cheaper, but they tend to cover fewer parts per dollar.
A ConsumerAffairs investigation found most drivers couldn't afford to cover a $1,000 repair bill with cash, and 13% had no way to pay a bill that large, even with credit.
Auto warranties only pay for repairs and replacements of specifically covered parts that fail from normal wear and tear, not from damage or accidents. Repairs generally aren’t covered under warranty if you don’t properly maintain the vehicle or you make aftermarket modifications.
In general, here are the differences between what a bumper-to-bumper warranty and a powertrain warranty cover:
| Warranty type | Typically covered | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| Bumper-to-bumper | ||
| Powertrain | Parts that create power and deliver it to the wheels | Parts not related to the engine, transmission or drive axle |
Note that some extended auto warranty plans fall somewhere between bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
How much does a Kia Optima extended warranty cost?
We were quoted $1,310.40 a year from Endurance for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage for a 2021 Kia Optima registered in Austin, Texas, with 65,000 miles. This third-party quote assumed a $100 deductible.
The “official” Kia extended warranty is called Kia Distinction VSC, and it may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Kia dealer to compare your options.
In general, quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 Optima with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
For context, the average cost of an extended warranty is around $1,000 per year of coverage. The quotes we collected for our hypothetical 2021 Kia Optima were more expensive by comparison.
All the quotes we received were for a bumper-to-bumper warranty — the most comprehensive available. A powertrain warranty will typically be much cheaper, but provide less coverage.
This is a small sample of quotes for a warranty. Shop around and get multiple quotes so you know you're getting the best deal.
Some third-party providers start counting the coverage at the time when you purchase the plan. For example, if you get a 36-month, 185,000-mile plan from olive, you're covered for three years after purchasing the plan, or when your vehicle hits 185,000 total miles. Other providers may start the timer from the original purchase date of the car. In that case, you'll have to subtract the car's current age and mileage (plus any remaining factory warranty) from the length of the plan to determine how long coverage will last.
Is a Kia Optima extended warranty worth it?
Yes, a Kia Optima extended warranty is worth it. In general, an extended auto warranty is worth it if any of the following are true:
- Your vehicle has a bad reputation for reliability.
- The warranty costs less than you expect to spend on repairs.
- A big repair bill could hurt you financially.
- You don’t mind paying for peace of mind.
Kia as a brand has average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Kia 8th out of 29 car brands for overall dependability.
As for the Optima specifically, RepairPal gave it a 4.0 out of 5.
Many ConsumerAffairs reviewers reported issues with their Kia Optimas.
“Got my wife a 2017 optima with 27 test drive miles on it brand new at 75,000 and some change miles,” said a reviewer from New York. “The motor all of a sudden started leaking oil and acting bad. … After coming out of pocket over $600 we got the car returned to us being told it was 100% and we would have no further issues. Less than 72 hours later the motor did the same thing.”
I bought a used Kia Optima a year and a half ago and my engine blew at 102,000.”
Problems with burning oil also seem common based on reviews like this one from Lula in Texas: “Optima - no problems whatsoever until the engine started burning oil!! I have taken the car 4 times for a 1000 test. 5 months later they don’t wanna fix it. Instead they want me to pay 1000 to get a diagnosis.”
Keith reported issues with the engine: “I bought a used Kia Optima a year and a half ago and my engine blew at 102,000. I never received any recalls on the car and because the previous own did not fix the recalls, Kia tells me that they will not stand by their own engines and fix it.”
These stories from real customers mentioning issues with Kia Optima maintenance suggest that an extended warranty is a good idea. The likelihood of needing repairs and the prices we found for Kia Optima extended warranties means you’re likely to come out ahead by purchasing a protection plan.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Slumps as Rate of Deterioration Increases, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Kia Optima Reliability Rating.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
