Kia Optima

Kia Optima

 3.5/5 (1400 reviews)
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About Kia Optima

The Kia Optima is a mid-size sedan with hybrid options. Read more Kia reviews to learn about other models.


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Kia Optima Reviews

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Page 1 Reviews 0 - 10
Rated with 5 stars
Verified Reviewer
Original review: March 13, 2023

In 2008 my husband convinced me that allowing teens to drive my Subaru was not wise. We purchased a new 2009 Kia Optima, 4 door LX, 2.7 Liter, 6 cylinder for the teens to drive. Here I am in 2023 and this car is still the most reliable auto we have. It is also gets surprisingly low gas mileage. Fair warning though, if teenagers drive it the car may not be pretty in 14 years, lol.

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Rated with 1 star
Verified Reviewer
Original review: March 13, 2023

If you own a KIA--get rid of it now. We owned a 2013 KIA Optima and it all started in 2017 when we had our first engine failure in the middle of a busy highway. Our car was in the shop for almost 8 weeks, and we had to fight to have KIA cover this. We have always kept up on routine maintenance with the vehicle, but Sept 2022, our car had NO warning, and the acceleration stopped working mid-highway. We thankfully were able to pull over, but once we stepped out of the vehicle it went up in flames. Again, NO warning on the engine light. It took KIA almost 2 months to send out a fire marshal for inspection, and it was deemed mechanical/engine failure. Here we are March 2023, and KIA is taking no ownership. They sent us over to Class Action Settlement as we qualified for the Theta-Class Engine Settlement, but again the communication is awful on both ends. There is no empathy on either side and at this point I am ready to give up. Please if you own a KIA, get rid of it. Nothing but issues.

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    Rated with 1 star
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Jan. 7, 2023

    I have a 2018 Kia Optima. Last few months every time it rains or I go to car wash the code for knock sensor comes on so instead of fussing with Kia I changed it myself and found out the wires were nicked and broke. I've had this car at 13k now. It has 72k. Put the new one on. No trouble since. Thanks a lot Kia!!?

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    Rated with 1 star
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Dec. 13, 2022

    I bought my Kia optima brand new in 2015. First brand new car I've ever purchased and not only will I never shop with Kia again I will never ever recommend them to anyone. I've had nothing but problems with the car since day one has been a money pit. Every time it goes into service could be something minor they'll have my car for extended periods of time with no communication. But my most recent experience is the one that topped it all off and made me write this review.

    On November 3rd I was driving down the highway with my 5-year-old and the while car lost power and shut down on me. As if that's not scary enough I pull over and under the hood is on fire!! I get it towed to the Kia dealership because I'm still paying on this car and they call that day, ask what happened and told me they'd get back to me by the next day. 2 days go by and I hear nothing so I call back and they read over the notes in the case and said it was sent to the consumer national affairs because of the fire had to be further investigated.

    Also tells me my motor is seized and it's a known issue with the manufacturer they go thru for the motors so there's some extended lifetime warranty on some motor parts so they were trying to get that covered. Ok cool. In the meantime, I find out there is a recall on the car for fire-related problems with brake fluid leaking or something. I ask for a rental and he said he has to speak to a service manager and will call me back. I wait a week and call again at this point I'm calling a couple times a week because I'm getting nowhere. They can tell me absolutely nothing and they finally get sick of me and give me the number to the cna people.

    I've since been calling them for almost 3 weeks now and same story. They can tell me anything, can't give me a phone number, nothing, said that my case was assigned to a case manager and she'll have to reach out. After calling multiple times they claim that she did try to reach out and had the wrong phone number for me so she called the dealership twice to get the right number and couldn't get thru to them. So I give these people my correct number (which they've called me back on multiple times prior) and they supposedly send an email to the case manager supervisor. I was promised a call back the weds before Thanksgiving and nothing.

    Call back that following Monday and they now say there's a note in there she's to call me Dec 8th. This is now A MONTH they've had my car with no clue what's going on and no rental. I wait all day by the phone the 8th and nothing. Call twice and get hung up on both times. Call back ok the 9th and rep I spoke to is now saying my case manager is saying she called and left me a voice mail on the 5th. I went back thru my call logs and voice-mail and she did not! So now it's Dec 13th and I'm still waiting on a call with no clue what they're going to tell me.

    I've lost my job over this and I have to walk my 5-year-old 3 blocks up the road in the middle of winter to stand and wait on the bus in the freezing cold because they won't even give me a rental car on a KIA DEFECT. I will never ever do business with Kia again or EVER recommend them to anybody. They claim their customer service is top tier and I have yet to see it.

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    Rated with 1 star
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Oct. 20, 2022

    If I could give a zero I would. I purchased a certified vehicle Kia Optima from them and it has been a money pit ever since. They alleged that everything was good with the car. Knowing this make and model had issues with the engine. I went through two oil consumption test. They identified the engine was bad. Refused to replace it unless the engine blows out. In under a 1000 miles oil has to be put in the engine and you can see it blowing out the tailpipe. The oil is not only blowing out the tailpipe it is blowing over the engine causing additional damage to the following: The Cadillac converter, it's miss firing and unable to go above 40 miles per hour.

    I replaced two O2 sensors. Two coils and spark plugs. Due to the misfires. I have to be inconvenienced for two weeks because it can't be looked at until then. The service department representative feels I'm not allowed to be upset. Despite the run-around I have experienced regarding these issues. This is my only transportation to work. Never missed a car payment and get my regular scheduled maintenance. I feel betrayed and disrespected by customer service when trying to get these matters resolved. Work hard every day as a single mom. I wonder would they treat a man like this? Strongly discouraged a purchase of a used vehicle from this organization.

    2 people found this review helpful
    Rated with 1 star
    Verified Reviewer Verified Buyer
    Original review: Aug. 10, 2022

    I smelled gas in the cabin of the car, drove car to nearest shop, had the fuel line replaced, said I could have caught fire!!! Called consumer affairs was told had a recall on fuel line with no resolution! So had to pay 381.27 to fix fuel line so I would NOT blow up when driving the car! Weeks later I get a resolution to fox the fuel line at Kia, made appointment and they had to put on another fuel line to replace the fuel line I paid for two weeks earlier. and I can’t get an answer as to reimbursement of the money I had to pay out!!!!

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    Rated with 1 star
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Aug. 2, 2022

    CAUTION!! CAUTION!! CAUTION!! We leased a new Kia Optima in 2015 and at the end of the lease, purchased the vehicle. This is our daughter's car, it looks brand new, never had a problem mechanically... until we did. In Feb '22 we had to have the car towed to Kia after the car was making an odd noise. We didn't know what it was so didn't want to drive it and towed it to the nearest Kia. They immediately tell us the car needs a new engine. They had pulled a carfax on the car and didn't see all maintenance records so denied our warranty and told us the cost was between $8,000 - $10,000.00 to replace the engine. We told them we have the oil changed and just need to locate them. I was told the car should have 11 oil changes for the mileage on the car.

    After locating all paperwork, mileage records, I emailed them to the address provided to me. Waited several weeks to get an email saying I sent it to the wrong place. Round and round we go. We are now on the 7th month messing with Kia and asking them to stand by their warranty. We are UNDER the mileage and UNDER the year. Powertrain warranty is still in effect. We sent paperwork to the dealership we had the car towed to, the ones that said we need the engine and the ones that denied us due to incomplete maintenance records... Waited several weeks only to be told I need TWENTY FOUR oil change records. My owner's book says oil change every 5,000- 7,500, online says every 7,500 and that's how we did it and with our mileage... every 7,500 miles calculates out to what I was originally told which was ELEVEN oil change receipts.

    I was also told there was a recall on the car. A KSDS sensor which is a direct issue with the problem we had with the car. It's a "knocking sensor," mind you, Kia performed the recall on my car that was TOWED to their lot with a no good engine???? The dealership collects money by performing the recall so they got their money for sure. When I asked them about it they told me the recall has to be fixed in order for Kia to honor the warranty which is obviously just a comment to pacify me because they have made NO attempt to honor even a phone call back or respond to an email much less the warranty on my car.

    We have NEVER missed a payment. The payment has always been directed withdrawn, even under the lease and Kia did the oil change.. They NEVER did it at 3,750 which is what they are telling me is the required mileage! A simple google search for a 2015 Kia Optima says different. We are done forever with Kia. We have been 7 months with out her car, making the payment, paying the insurance, renting another car so she can get to school and work... WE ARE DONE!!!!

    They have no advice other than we have to have 24 receipts. If not, call consumer affairs! To be clear... crystal clear, KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS IS THE MOST RUDE, HATEFUL, UNCARING, UNHAPPY PEOPLE I'VE EVERRR DEALT WITH. To the point I told the dealership If my only option is to deal with consumer affairs, I will hire an attorney. I WILL NOT deal with someone that is disrespectful to a customer that spent thousands of dollars with them. DO. NOT. TRUST. KIA - They are "known" for their warranties and standing by them, that's why we went with them... My oh my have things apparently changed.

    4 people found this review helpful
    Rated with 5 stars
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: July 22, 2022

    I went with friend to pay her car note. After having neck surgery, it was suggested I give up the stick shift life so I had to stop driving my sports BMW. I had no intentions of buying a Kia. Just went with friend to pay her car note. Also I'm above Kia's. I drive bmw and Mercedes. While waiting for my friend., a salesman got hold of me to test drive an Optima. Long story short, I decided to buy and keep temporarily until I got better and looked for a new automatic bmw. That was 8 years ago. I love my Kia optima. It has never stopped on me and has never been in shop other than for service and recalls. Wish I could afford the stinger! I would definitely buy!

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    Rated with 1 star
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: July 11, 2022

    I have a 2013 Kia Optima and had a recall issue with my car! I've done everything to keep my car in great shape and keep up with routine maintenance! Now that my car had a recall issue taking it to Kia was not the best idea! Kia has had my car for over a month and haven't done anything, not even communicating! Trying to get someone on the phone has been a hassle to even find out what's going on! I have been told recently that there has been a claim put in place for my vehicle to possibly be cover under warranty! But Kia has not made this a pleasant experience and has completely dropped the ball! I hope they are capable of redeeming themselves and and gaining the trust of their customers!

    2 people found this review helpful
    Rated with 1 star
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: June 23, 2022

    I have owned 3 Kia vehicles and we were in the process of giving my 2015 Kia Optima to my soon to be 16 year old daughter. Unfortunately, the engine that was always well maintained and always received regular maintenance, blew at only 100,159 miles. Kia refused to stand by the 100K powertrain warranty because they said it was 159 miles over the 100K. Furthermore, there was some recall letter I never received that they claim would have covered me over the 100K. Absolutely awful experience that they wouldn't cover a long-time customer due to being over by 159 miles. I will NEVER EVER do business with Kia again. The dealer even pulled my Carfax and agreed it was well maintained that thought it was ridiculous that they refused to cover the repair.

    If you want a reliable vehicle with longevity, DO NOT PURCHASE A KIA product. Look to Hyundai, Toyota, Chevy etc. and do business with a company that builds a quality vehicle and stands by the quality of their product. My claim number was ** with the Kia Consumer Affairs Dept. and they refused to do anything but claim they're sorry and understand my frustration, but refuse to cover any of the cost of their poorly built product they sold me.

    2 people found this review helpful
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    Kia Optima Company Information

    Company Name:
    Kia Optima
    Website:
    www.kia.com