Used 2012 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) Consumer Reviews
Used Optima for sale
Love Love Love
uwololli, Rocky Mount, MO, 12/08/2012
Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I've had this car (used) for nearly 3 months and I'm having a love affair! I drive almost 70 miles round trip a day and I average 36-38 hwy mpg (32 mpg overall). Anyone who says they get lower milage needs to press their "Eco" button and set their cruise control. My neighbor bought an Accord about the same time and while he gets a few more mpg, no one turns their head when he pulls into the parking lot at work. Speaking of work, we get 4 adults into my Optima when we go to lunch and no one complains about room (also can't be said for his Accord).
Blown Motor with just 105,000 miles on it.
David, Ashburn, VA, 07/20/2015
Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2012 Optima LX brand new. Kept up with oil changes and used it almost exclusively for commuting on the highway. Without warning the motor started knocking and squealing on the freeway and then died. Had it towed to KIA who said that the engine needs replacement. Since I am 5,000 miles beyond the 100,000 mile warranty they will not cover anything and gave me a quote of about $7,000 to replace the motor. Although I absolutely loved this car, this is unacceptable. It appears that I am not the only person who has experienced blown engines with the Kia Optima. Now I have a car that is only half way paid for and I have to come up with 7k to fix it. I will never buy a Kia again.
Disappointed
swkia, Indio, CA, 10/28/2012
Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Poor gas mileage especially in the city. Under 16 mpg avg(mostly city) Never been gentler on a car(BORING) can't get it get anywhere near rated mileage. Dealer no help. Sirrus radio sounds awful when using Sirrus. I leased this vehicle expecting to save on fuel consumption. This low mileage is hitting hard at $4 a gallon. When researching I saw the low mileage warnings and bought into break in in period malarkey. Not true, got worse. If it weren't for the poor gas mileage. I would give it high ratings. I like most everything else.
GOOD CAR AND MPG
cde5151, Baldwin City, KS, 01/14/2013
Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Had the optima 1 month, have put on a 1000 miles, has total of 21432 miles now. comfort fairly good, I am 6'2. I think the car looks great. Can fit 4 adults, 5 would be a tight fit. A lot of talk about poor mpg. I drive 40 miles a day. 30 miles on hwy and 10 a day in the city(Lawrence, Ks.)I average 32 mpg so far. So no complaints here,,,...
A good buy with a few flaws
upacrk1, Chicago Heights, IL, 03/14/2013
updated 03/16/2018
Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought a new 2012 Kia Optima LX in Snow White Pearl back in May 2012. Originally I had an issue with the driver's seat not being very comfortable. (I didn't notice this in the short test drive.) In the 9 months I've owned it, my butt seems to have gotten used to it. The acceleration is great! So good that if the roads are slick, I have to put it in ECO mode so the tires don't slip. This may also says something about the OEM Nexen tires. I haven't been driving much so far- only 4700 miles. (Try to walk/bike as much as I can). MPG per tank is 22-27 with an avg 24.5 . As expected, mileage is lower in the cold winter months. No long trips yet - can't wait to see what I'll get then! Update - almost four years out (16500 miles), the car still looks great! While they might work for most owners, the light beige colored seats are a little too light for my liking. I should have gotten the darker gray/black. Passenger seat is built a little too low and does not adjust up/down. Seat risers are available online. 2016 models now have up/down adjustment. Road noise is noticeable; could use more insulation. Driver's leg room is good and seems to be getting worse on newer similar sized cars. Heater/AC work great! Sport shift feature is fun. Music generally comes from a USB stick. Voice command software/hardware is finicky. Dash layout is good; controls very functional. Although it's been decades since I've had a flat, I was uncomfortable with the no spare/compressed air can-sealer setup. I purchased a new OEM spare tire kit online for $181. The default no spare setup leaves a lot of wasted space in the spare wheel well. Easy access to this space would have been a sensible thing to design. The sensitive electronic steering takes some getting used to and requires more attention at highway speeds. Update 2 - I finally got in a short road trip in (220 miles) and got 35 MPG! Wow! And the electronic steering issue - that's now been fixed with a software update. It's much better now. And just one last comment - a rattle that was driving me nuts (and sounded like it was coming from behind the glove box) turned out to a pair of sunglasses in the overhead eyeglass holder. The Nexen tires still leave something to be desired. Update 3 - Now September 2017 with 25K miles. I have replaced the original Nexen tires with General Altimax RT43 tires. The ride is much nicer. Dry grip is greatly improved. Waiting for some good rain and (down the road) snow to see how they work. Based on a lot of research, I expect the Generals will do well. It really pained me to replace the OEM tires so soon! :-( Engine has been replaced due to failing recall SC174. Based on not too many miles, it appears the mileage may have improved a bit after the engine replacement. Update 4 - Now March 2018 with 26700 miles. Shortly after the engine was replaced, the right front wheel bearing and axle needed to be replaced (maybe because the driveshaft nut was tightened too much during the engine swap; our area was experiencing a mechanics' strike at the time but repair work was still being done) when the suspension was found to be way too loose. Battery replaced. Finally went to a full synthetic oil change. Engine is a little quieter now. General tires have proven to be good in snow/rain.
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