Kia Optima by model year

10,443 owner complaints are on file with NHTSA for the Kia Optima across 20 model years. Choose a year for problems, recalls, fuel economy and crash ratings in one place.

See the best and worst years for the Kia Optima

Complaints by model year

Older model years have had longer to collect complaints, so a taller bar on an older year is not necessarily a worse year. The best and worst years page corrects for this.

View the numbers

Model year	Complaints
2001	231
2002	168
2003	190
2004	306
2005	180
2006	214
2007	218
2008	189
2009	166
2010	99
2011	782
2012	1,264
2013	1,896
2014	801
2015	1,406
2016	1,088
2017	357
2018	337
2019	330
2020	221

All model years

Model year	Complaints	Most reported	Recalls	MPG	Safety
2020	221	Engine (50%)		24 to 41	5 stars
2019	330	Engine (29%)	1	24 to 40	5 stars
2018	337	Engine (43%)	2	25 to 40	5 stars
2017	357	Engine (49%)	3	25 to 40	5 stars
2016	1,088	Engine (41%)	5	25 to 31	5 stars
2015	1,406	Engine (46%)	4	24 to 26	5 stars
2014	801	Engine (38%)	7	24 to 26	5 stars
2013	1,896	Engine (35%)	9	26 to 27	5 stars
2012	1,264	Engine (33%)	5	26 to 27	5 stars
2011	782	Engine (34%)	5	26 to 27	5 stars
2010	99	Drivetrain & axles (24%)	1	23 to 25
2009	166	Drivetrain & axles (18%)	1	23 to 25
2008	189	Air bags (31%)	3	23 to 25
2007	218	Air bags (31%)	2	23 to 25
2006	214	Air bags (22%)	2	21 to 23
2005	180	Latches & locks (37%)		21 to 23
2004	306	Latches & locks (27%)	1	21 to 23
2003	190	Latches & locks (28%)	2	21 to 23
2002	168	Body & structure (20%)	3	18 to 21
2001	231	Body & structure (16%)	3	19 to 21