Used 2012 Kia Optima Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Good car so far
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
Nice car but......
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.
- LX SedanMSRP: $7,999980 mi away
Regret?
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.
6-months and counting...
The build quality, I rated a 3. Here's why: the body material is quite flimsy. Very light actually compared to previous cars I owned (Honda, Lexus, Toyota, Nissan). As I wash my car, I can feel how easily the hood can collapse under your hands, the rear fenders are plastic like and feels like I can bend it all the way to the back. However, it does have a 5-star crash safety rating. Go figure.... The comfort, I will never give a 5-rating because I haven't found a seat that I like. Overall, this car has excellent acceleration, very sporty looking, head turner, excellent warranty, high tech features and a lot of them for such a low price.
Blown Engine
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