Skip to main content

Used 2009 Kia Optima Consumer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
51 reviews
1...

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

Price history graph example

Trending topics in reviews

Pros
Cons
4.5 out of 5 stars

Transmission

dholder35, 04/27/2013
2009 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
18 of 21 people found this review helpful

KIA needs to make a better transmission. This is the second Kia Optima I have owned and the transmission always seems to go out. The service department will always say you need a transmission flush, but then after the warranty runs out the transmission will quit working and I have to pay for the transmission to be replaced. When I apply my brakes the transmission will down shift hard.

Report Abuse

5 out of 5 stars

4th kia

LONG TIME KIA FAN!, 08/24/2009
2009 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Had for 6 months and have put 4,000 miles on it. Had a 2006 sportage and saw the optima and had to have it. I am blown away at the attention it gets. People are always telling me they love its looks and the red color is sharp. I just smile when I pull up beside a accord or Camry and think to myself I saved thousands and have an equal car. The optima feels smooth and plenty of power from the I-4 it only has a few less horse power than the v-6, save a few bucks and buy the I-4. The trunk really holds a lot and the car is comfortable on long trips. The gas mileage is as advertised which many cars do not match up. So we are very pleased. We do recommend kia to everyone we know.

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Good Choice

1st Time Kia Owner, 07/27/2010
2009 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Traded in a gas hogging Ford Windstar. It served us well for 8 yrs. but it started to have electrical problems at 90K miles. I told the wife that I was going to buy her an import this time because everybody knows they are more reliable, last longer, and you generally get a fair trade in value. I took a long time shopping on the internet and this Kia Optima was by far the best value for the money. As others have stated the standard equip. is very generous. But that was not the main reason I purchased this vehicle. It was safety. Here's a quote from the carconnection.com: " When it comes to crash-test ratings, you won't find many better than that of the Kia Optima's. 10/10 crash test."

Report Abuse

4.38 out of 5 stars

Second car, Love it!

carmansam22, 09/25/2011
2009 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Great Car! Bought it Oct. 11, 2010. Haven't had any problems with the car. It's the first 5 speed I've owned and I love it. It's pretty quick and fast, I can downshift to third and pass cars with no problem. I once had a loaded car (at least 800ibs extra weight), driving up steep hills and still got 25MPG. I feel I got a lot for what I paid, just a little over 12,000.

Report Abuse

2.38 out of 5 stars

First and last import

tielbor, 09/13/2013
2009 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful

We were looking for a decent, mid-sized car and settled on the Optima. We purchased the car used(two years old), with 40,000 miles on it. The car served us well for the first year and a half with only a few small issues. As soon as the warranty expired at 60,000 miles, the transmission failed. Two weeks after replacing the transmission($2700), the air bag sensor in the passenger seat failed ($1500). After the sensor, a host of electrical problems surfaced. Since the car cost us more in repairs in than it was worth over a year, we sold it and won't touch another KIA.

Report Abuse
1...
Items per page:
5