Kia

Optima

Large Cars · model years 2001 to 2020

Includes Optima, Optima Hybrid, Optima Hybrid EX and 1 more as listed by the EPA.

See all 81 Optima trims All Kia cars

The verdict

Best year: 2020. complaints: 152, below this model's typical 251; recalls: 0, below this model's typical 3.

Worst year: 2011. complaints: 628, about 3.1x this model's typical 201; recalls: 6, about 2x this model's typical 3.

Year by year

Year by year summary for the Kia Optima
Year	Trims	MPG	HP	Fuel cost	Recalls	Complaints	Investigations	TSBs	Top complaints
2001	4Gas	20.5	no data	$3,025	3	143	0	no data	STRUCTURE 16%, SUSPENSION 13%, AIR BAGS 13%
complaints: 143, below this model's typical 201 recalls: 3, in line with this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 7 Score: 67 of 100, where higher is better.
2002	4Gas	19.5	no data	$3,200	3	107	0	no data	STRUCTURE 19%, SUSPENSION 13%, AIR BAGS 12%
complaints: 107, below this model's typical 201 recalls: 3, in line with this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 11 complaints reporting a fire: 4 Score: 62 of 100, where higher is better.
2003	4Gas	21.5	no data	$2,900	2	141	0	no data	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 28%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13%, STRUCTURE 13%
complaints: 141, below this model's typical 201 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 6 complaints reporting a fire: 2 Score: 67 of 100, where higher is better.
2004	4Gas	21.5	no data	$2,900	1	225	0	no data	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 27%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15%, STRUCTURE 14%
complaints: 225, above this model's typical 201 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 8 complaints reporting a fire: 3 Score: 60 of 100, where higher is better.
2005	4Gas	21.5	no data	$2,900	0	144	0	no data	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 37%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16%, AIR BAGS 12%
complaints: 144, below this model's typical 201 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 6 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 73 of 100, where higher is better.
2006	3Gas	22	no data	$2,850	2	155	0	no data	AIR BAGS 22%, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 13%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%
complaints: 155, above this model's typical 150 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 2 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 65 of 100, where higher is better.
2007	3Gas	25	no data	$2,500	2	167	0	no data	AIR BAGS 30%, EXTERIOR LIGHTING 13%, VISIBILITY/WIPER 9%
complaints: 167, above this model's typical 150 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 6 complaints reporting a fire: 5 Score: 59 of 100, where higher is better.
2008	3Gas	25	no data	$2,500	3	144	0	no data	AIR BAGS 31%, ENGINE 10%, POWER TRAIN 10%
complaints: 144, below this model's typical 150 recalls: 3, in line with this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 8 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 22 complaints reporting a fire: 4 Score: 26 of 100, where higher is better.
2009	3Gas	25	no data	$2,500	1	116	0	no data	POWER TRAIN 20%, AIR BAGS 17%, SERVICE BRAKES 10%
complaints: 116, below this model's typical 150 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 5 complaints reporting a fire: 4 Score: 55 of 100, where higher is better.
2010	3Gas	25	175	$2,500	1	75	2	34	POWER TRAIN 24%, AIR BAGS 17%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13%
complaints: 75, below this model's typical 150 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 5 complaints reporting a fire: 2 Score: 75 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 2.4 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2011	4Gas, Hybrid	27	200	$2,300	6	628	8 (1 open)	269	ENGINE 33%, STEERING 12%, EXTERIOR LIGHTING 11%
complaints: 628, about 3.1x this model's typical 201 recalls: 6, about 2x this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 20 complaints reporting a fire: 35 NHTSA advised parking the 2011 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 1.1 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2012	4Gas, Hybrid	27	200	$2,300	6	1,028	9 (1 open)	282	ENGINE 33%, STEERING 14%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10%
complaints: 1028, about 5.1x this model's typical 201 recalls: 6, about 2x this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 36 complaints reporting a fire: 82 NHTSA advised parking the 2012 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 1.2 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2013	5Gas, Hybrid	27	237	$2,300	10	1,440	9 (1 open)	285	ENGINE 32%, STEERING 11%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10%
complaints: 1440, about 5.7x this model's typical 251 recalls: 10, about 3.3x this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 38 complaints reporting a fire: 116 NHTSA advised parking the 2013 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 2.0 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2014	4Gas, Hybrid	31	233	$2,075	7	620	9 (1 open)	338	ENGINE 35%, STEERING 12%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11%
complaints: 620, about 3.1x this model's typical 201 recalls: 7, about 2.3x this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 2 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 24 complaints reporting a fire: 44 NHTSA advised parking the 2014 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 2.0 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2015	4Gas, Hybrid	31	233	$2,075	4	1,021	5 (1 open)	259	ENGINE 44%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10%
complaints: 1021, about 5.1x this model's typical 201 recalls: 4, above this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 23 complaints reporting a fire: 76 NHTSA advised parking the 2015 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2016	5Gas, Hybrid	31	185	$2,000	5	761	4	284	ENGINE 39%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10%
complaints: 761, about 3x this model's typical 251 recalls: 5, about 1.7x this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 21 complaints reporting a fire: 21 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2017	5Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	31	185	$2,000	4	305	4	205	ENGINE 44%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 9%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9%
complaints: 305, above this model's typical 251 recalls: 4, above this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 8 complaints reporting a fire: 12 Score: 42 of 100, where higher is better.
2018	5Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	31	185	$2,000	3	243	4	166	ENGINE 39%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%
complaints: 243, below this model's typical 251 recalls: 3, in line with this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 9 complaints reporting a fire: 10 Score: 55 of 100, where higher is better.
2019	5Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	31	185	$2,000	1	212	3	142	ENGINE 29%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13%, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 11%
complaints: 212, below this model's typical 251 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 16 complaints reporting a fire: 6 Score: 64 of 100, where higher is better.
2020	5Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	31	185	$2,000	0	152	2	110	ENGINE 46%, POWER TRAIN 13%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8%
complaints: 152, below this model's typical 251 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 5 complaints reporting a fire: 3 Score: 76 of 100, where higher is better.

How the numbers moved

Combined MPG, median2001: 20.5 to 2020: 31

Owner complaints2001: 143 to 2020: 152

How we score each year

We compare each year of the Kia Optima to the model's own typical numbers, not to other cars. A year reads solid when its recalls, owner complaints, and federal investigations sit at or below what is typical for this model, mixed when some of those numbers run above typical, and avoid when they run far above it. Deaths, reported fires, and an NHTSA advisory to park outside count against a year no matter what this model's baseline looks like.

A year is scored only when NHTSA has both complaint and recall counts for it. Complaint data often lags for the newest years, so a recent year can read not enough data even while its recall count already shows in the table. When the history is too thin, we say not enough data instead of guessing. Service bulletins are routine maintenance guidance from the manufacturer and do not lower a year's score.

Scores run 0 to 100, higher is better. Recall, complaint, and investigation figures come from NHTSA records. Fuel economy, fuel cost, and horsepower figures come from the EPA, shown as the median across the year's trims.

Information is gathered on a best-effort basis from public sources, may be incomplete or out of date, and is not purchasing or financial advice. Verify with the manufacturer or dealer before buying.