Kia Optima 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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    CoveragePriceStaff

    Reviewed March 6, 2026

    My car has had multiple major car malfunctions in the last 4 years that are SOMEHOW NEVER CONNECTED but all end up with my car failing. I’ve been to 3 different dealerships across the country, who all failed to find issues, then misdiagnosed my vehicle, AND CHARGED me anyway. They are so irreparably incompetent, I WARN ANYONE to ever buy a vehicle from this company. They can’t even assure you vehicle to survive the 10 year, 100,000 mile wa rranty CAUSE IT WON'T…. and it sure as shit doesn’t help if your issue (on year 9 with 109k miles) have been persisting through since COVID with THEIR improper work and diagnosis. Warranty coverage means 0 to them until you hassle them. They are unresponsive. Unprofessional. Attached images from a different auto body shop which gave me a correct evaluation and even insisted I check with Kia because they felt they wouldn’t be able to reliably do the work.

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    Customer ServicePunctuality & Speed

    Reviewed Sept. 12, 2025

    I have a 2012 Hybrid Optima. 2 recalls - Called several time for service, stated they would call back. Never did. Needed new brakes. Took car to my mechanic and repaired. Car malfunctioned and mechanic stated it was due to recalls. Car towed to Kia. They had car for 2 days and said they wanted to do diagnostic- NO CALL BACK! When message left with reception No call back from them for a week, no return calls! They did not answer phones in Service Dept. Finally spoke to someone week later. They told me $18,000.+ for another part and $16,000+ for labour = $34,000!!! They were uncompassionate and ridiculous. I will never deal with them again!! They offered no options!! Buyer beware.

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      MaintenanceStaff

      Reviewed Aug. 13, 2025

      Paint Peeling KIA Optima Snow White Pearl Paint. KIA sold us defective vehicles. KIA is who told me the damages to my car is a factory paint defect known to KIA. They took pictures and Told me to submit a claim. I did then KIA closed it. This is not a warranty issue. It is a global wide across United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Thousands of drivers are experiencing this same inherent. It is the manufacturer's responsibility to restore these vehicles back to factory standards. This is a Paint defect that happened at production. Kia told me that I’ll never buy another Kia again or refer anybody to buy one. It’s full of recalls and this paint defect is awful.

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      Customer ServiceSales & MarketingStaff

      Reviewed Aug. 8, 2025

      I have a 2013 Kia Optima. I contacted Kia Corporate office (via telephone) because my car has over 404,496 miles on it with the original engine. I was inquiring about any incentive Kia may have. I know other car companies advertise about durability, and I felt my car was a testament to this. After a couple of days Kia replied back via email. I thought the email said they did; however, when I called I wss told the employee "fat fingered" the word in the email and they did not. I was really amazed because again my car is 12 years old with the original engine and over 400,000 miles. I thought possible they would consider my vehicle for an advertisement campaign or something since they no longer build/sell Optimas. I was disappointed with Kia.

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      CoverageTechSales & MarketingPunctuality & SpeedMaintenanceStaff

      Reviewed July 22, 2025

      I have a 2015 Kia Optima that just threw the P1346 OBD II error code. Went to the dealership and they changed out the knock sensor and said everything was good to go. Two days later it threw the error again and my car went into limp mode. Took it back to the dealer and they ran all the tests. They came back clear, but the error did not go away. They submitted the engine for replacement per the 'warranty' and the class action lawsuit.

      Kia came back and said they could not find 1 maintenance record for an oil change between 2022 and 2023. Somehow this one oil change was the difference between getting approved for the warranty replacement and we are on the hook for replacing it. Will never again buy a Kia and deal with a company that petty to use an oil change as "extreme neglect" to get out of taking care of the crappy engines they knew they were selling to customers. So $8K later, and over a week of back and forth over something that caused no issue for 2 years, we are now WAY over what was expected on total investment of this vehicle. Kia is an absolute SCAM.

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      CoveragePrice

      Reviewed June 11, 2025

      I purchased a 2016 Kia Optima in 2017. The car had 20 miles when I purchased it. I’m the original owner. My car stopped running in 2024 because of the engine. It only has 68,000 miles on the engine and Kia denied fixing it through both the recall settlement process and my extended warranty because they said it wasn’t properly serviced. I had an oil change two weeks prior to the engine failure!! Please, please do not purchase a Kia!! They are stealing money from consumers knowing that this is an issue with the company they purchased engines from. Your engine will cost more than your vehicle is worth.

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      Maintenance

      Reviewed Sept. 26, 2024

      I purchased a K5 2024. I have owned the car for less than a year and have only 10k miles. My car engine light has been on for over 3 months and Kia service keeps giving me run around telling me, "It's nothing. If it keeps happening take it back," like if I am not busy. ADVICE!!!! Do not get maintenance plans because they do not accept them at all Kias. Horrible experience I am having, I regret going with KIA.

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      Customer ServiceResolution

      Reviewed May 9, 2024

      My car has been at my Kia dealership for over 6 months. It needs a 37511-4R202 - Battery Module and SAF that's supposedly they cannot locate. If the car is under warranty and you cannot get the part what are you supposed to do? It should be replaced. The whole vehicle. I believe this falls under the Lemon Law. The car is underneath the warranty. I have repeatedly spoke with management. Escalations Department can answer me if they made a phone call overseas to see if they're going to make or send the parts needed. Way too much to add. Don't do business with Kia.

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      CoverageMaintenanceStaff

      Reviewed April 3, 2024

      My first car was a used 2002 Kia Spectra that I drove for nearly 180,000 miles before driving a used Impala. When the chance came to get a brand new car, I opted for a 2013 Optima and I’ve been driving Kia ever since. My 2019 Optima (last purchase) is everything I could have asked for. It’s such a beautiful car. Super comfortable, spacious, and the technology on it is really awesome— useful and user-friendly. Up until yesterday, I swore by Kia.

      As many are experiencing, my five year old vehicle (with 114,000 miles) is consuming ridiculous amounts of oil. Not half-way between my oil change, I had to replace three quarts, and it just barely gave me a low reading!! I had mentioned the oil light flickering in between oil changes to the dealer and was told that it was normal before a change was due. Had the light not come on so soon this time, I would never have learned that it’s in fact not ok for a car to rip through more than three quarts of full synthetic oil in 3,000 miles.

      Of course, my vehicle is now two oil changes past the warranty period, and neither the dealer or Kia Corp will cover the oil consumption test. Doesn’t matter that I’ve done all my service as I should. A “supervisor” at Kia Corp actually said the test ($699) was regular maintenance and that if the vehicle fails the oil consumption test that it would not warrant a new engine under my vehicle’s lifetime “rod bearing” warranty.

      The only solution offered to me was to drive, adding a quart of oil ($11.49) every 800-1000 miles until the engine eventually seized, stalled, or potentially caught fire, in which case they would provide a new one but (according to Kia Corp) ONLY the rod bearing is covered. I traded in my beloved Kia the same night and will never own a Kia again. It’s really a shame. I loved my car. Unfortunately, Kia is selling beautiful, comfortable, economical vehicles WITH DEFECTIVE ENGINES and they are not doing right by their longtime customers. Unless you’re only looking to drive about 100,000 miles with your car, do your due diligence.

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      CoverageMaintenance

      Reviewed March 27, 2024

      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. The service manager at Kia said that though the engines are still seizing up after the recalls are fixed, it doesn’t matter. Kia still will not fix my vehicle because I did not fix the recalls that I didn’t even know about. Kia will not stand by what they sell!!!!

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      Kia Optima Company Information

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