DecodedCarsKia Optima
16 model years from 2005 to 2020, compared on size, efficiency, safety and reliability.
- Model years
- 2005–2020
- Class
- Midsize Cars
- Latest engines
- 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
- Best MPG
- 23–42 combined, by year
- Latest rating
- ★★★★★ (2020)
- Recalls
- 20 campaigns, all years
- Most complaints
- 2013 (1,352)
- Fewest problems
- 2020
- Interest
- 10,508 Wikipedia views / 30 days
The 2020 Optima in brief
The 2020 Kia Optima is a midsize car offered with 4 engines (2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, 2.4L 4-cyl and 2.0L 4-cyl turbo), including a hybrid version and front-wheel drive.
It measures about 191 inches long and 73 inches wide on a 111-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,490 lb (Hybrid 4dr Sedan).
EPA rates its most efficient version at 42 MPG combined (40 city / 45 highway), 52% better than the 2020 midsize car average of 27.6 MPG, for an estimated $1,600 a year in fuel.
In NHTSA crash testing it earned the top 5-star overall rating.
It has 0 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 153 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the engine.
The Kia Optima has 16 model years in our data, from 2005 to 2020.
Its most efficient year was 2020 at 42 MPG combined; across all years the best version ranged from 23 to 42 MPG.
Owners most often report problems with the engine (3,267), unknown or other (843), electrical system (785).
Buying used? 2020 has the fewest problems in our data, and 2015 is the year to avoid.
2013 has the most recalls (10); all years together count 20 campaigns and 6,366 owner complaints.
How the 2005 Optima compares
The 2005 Kia Optima is a midsize car offered with 2 engines (2.4L 4-cyl and 2.7L 6-cyl) and front-wheel drive.
EPA rates its most efficient version at 23 MPG combined (20 city / 28 highway), 12% better than the 2005 midsize car average of 20.6 MPG, for an estimated $2,900 a year in fuel.
About the Kia Optima
The Kia K5, formerly known as the Kia Optima, is a mid-size car manufactured by Kia since 2000 and marketed globally through various nameplates. First generation cars were mostly marketed as the Optima, although the Kia Magentis name was used in Europe and Canada when sales began there in 2002. For the second-generation models, Kia used the Kia Lotze and Kia K5 name for the South Korean market, and the Magentis name globally, except in the United States, Canada, Malaysia and the Middle East, where the Optima name was retained until the 2021 model year. The K5 name is used for all markets since the introduction of the fifth generation in 2019.
From the Wikipedia article "Kia K5", licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
2020 Optima pros & cons
Full 2020 details →What's good
- Excellent fuel economyUp to 42 MPG combined — 52% better than the average 2020 midsize car (27.6 MPG).
- Hybrid version availableOffered as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid as well as gas.
- 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.
- No recalls so far
Watch out for
No weak spots against similar models in the data.
Best and worst years to buy used
2020 Optima
153 owner complaints · 0 recalls · 3 fire reports · 6 crash reports
NHTSA overall: ★★★★★
Year to avoid2015 Optima
1,020 owner complaints · 4 recalls · 76 fire reports · 31 crash reports
Most reported: Engine
NHTSA recalls and complaints for 6 model years since 2015; use it alongside a pre-purchase inspection. How we calculate this →
Optima changes by model year
- 2017
- New plug-in hybrid version
- Engine added: 2.0L 4-cyl
- Best combined MPG up from 37 to 42
- Now crash-tested by NHTSA: 5 stars overall
- 2016
- Engine added: 1.6L 4-cyl turbo
- 2011
- New hybrid version
- Engine added: 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
- Engine dropped: 2.7L 6-cyl
- Best combined MPG up from 25 to 36
- 2006
- Best combined MPG up from 23 to 25
Years without a measurable change are left out.
Show all 16 model years side by side
| Year | Latest engines | Best MPG / range | Length | Weight | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, 2.4L 4-cyl | 42 MPG | 191.3 in | 3,490 lb | ★★★★★ | 0 | 153 |
| 2019 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, 2.4L 4-cyl | 41 MPG | 191.3 in | 3,490 lb | ★★★★★ | 1 | 213 |
| 2018 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, 2.4L 4-cyl | 42 MPG | 191.3 in | 3,490 lb | ★★★★★ | 3 | 244 |
| 2017 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, 2.4L 4-cyl | 42 MPG | 191.3 in | 3,490 lb | ★★★★★ | 4 | 306 |
| 2016 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 37 MPG | 191.3 in | 3,225 lb | Not rated | 5 | 764 |
| 2015 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 37 MPG | 190.6 in | 3,497 lb | Not rated | 4 | 1,020 |
| 2014 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 37 MPG | 190.6 in | 3,561 lb | Not rated | 7 | 580 |
| 2013 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 37 MPG | 190.6 in | 3,384 lb | Not rated | 10 | 1,352 |
| 2012 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 36 MPG | 190.6 in | 3,490 lb | Not rated | 6 | 917 |
| 2011 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 36 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 6 | 544 |
| 2010 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl | 25 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 1 | 41 |
| 2009 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl | 25 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 1 | 55 |
| 2008 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl | 25 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 3 | 60 |
| 2007 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl | 25 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 2 | 63 |
| 2006 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl | 25 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 2 | 31 |
| 2005 | 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl | 23 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 0 | 23 |
Alternatives to the 2020 Optima
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Toyota Corolla | 52 MPG | ★★★★★ | 6 |
| 2020 Honda Accord | 48 MPG | Not rated | 6 |
| 2020 Chevrolet Impala | 22 MPG | ★★★★★ | 0 |
| 2020 Toyota Camry | 52 MPG | ★★★★★ | 3 |
| 2020 Nissan GT-R | 18 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2020 Mazda 3 | 30 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
Most common owner-reported problems
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Kia. How we calculate this →