Used 2012 Kia Optima Consumer Reviews
Used Optima for sale
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.
Kia Optima 2012 Excitement gone
nccarowner, 09/09/2012
2012 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
4 of 8 people found this review helpful
I bought the Optima EX after looking around for months. My excitement of owning the car is down now. I do not get the advertised mpg even if I coast & go just under the speed limit. The dealers have given me the same rehearsed response about MPG. My 2000 accord could hold the road better & get better gas mileage. I only get 28-29 on the highway at 65 mph. The onramp I have to wait to accelerate compared to my 12yr old honda accord. I have to go a min of 5mph slower or there is huge oversteer. The paint on the car is easily chipped off. I get compliments on the looks but I'm stuck in the car. Charger has a better ride but seats aren't as nice & it got 32mpg when I tested it for 2 days
Nice car but......
sassy1866, 07/15/2013
2012 Kia Optima EX Turbo 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
So far I really like this car. Handles great, no lack of speed and enjoy the interior. A couple of negatives are gas mileage, wind noise and the passenger seat feels like you're sitting on the floor.
2012 Kia Optima for sale near you
3 of 14 listings
- LX SedanMSRP: $6,490197 mi away
- EX SedanMSRP: $7,000159 mi away
- Hybrid SedanMSRP: $7,995199 mi away
See all 14 listings
Regret?
sdbolts, 10/19/2012
2012 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought this car in March of 2012 with high expectations. In the beginning, I didn't notice how bad the gas mileage actually was, because I thought it was just getting acclimated with my driving. However, after a couple months, I could only muster between 23-25mpg city, and 27-29mpg highway. Also, the steering is rather lacking, it doesn't feel tight or grip the road as well as thought it would. The acceleration is weak, period. Also, the "eco" mode plays a large role in fuel economy, larger than I expected. Without the eco mode, the car handles well, more power, and a much better feel; just how I expected with about 20% worse fuel economy.
Good car so far
Chris, 05/19/2016
2012 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
Car now has 52k on it, bought 3+ years ago with 20k from a chevy dealer. Wheel alignment at 49k just before I got new Dunlaps. A very low cost to own car. Seats are somewhat low. Mpg high 20s to 35 at highway speeds. Mpg go down after 65mph. The dealer always trys to sell me a cabin and air filter for $75. Read the manual and do it yourself and save.
- Safety
- Technology
- Interior
- Reliability
- Value
Blown Engine
J Supanich, 10/14/2015
2012 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
3 of 6 people found this review helpful
Engine blew at 47,000. Like others have posted, my engine blew driving 70 mph on the highway. I bought the car used with 36,000 miles. At 42,000 it needed the fuel pump replaced (under warranty). When the engine blew, it took a long time for Kia Motors to approve the work. They will try to find reasons to not cover the work. I finally got my car back 6 weeks later. Another issue I have is it is consistently pulling to the left. I have had it looked at 3 times already and it's still not fixed. I do really like the some of the features of the Optima though. The Navigation and Climate Controls are on point. And it has a nice sporty feel to the car, but at this point I'm looking to trade it in ASAP before something else goes wrong.
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort