Used 2013 Kia Optima Sedan Consumer Reviews

Love my baby STILL!

Overall this has been a fantastic car! I absolutely love it and the look of it. I had three minor problems but nothing too pricey and they covered one of them. First off my handle fell off about a year into having the far. They put it back on free of change. I don’t blame them or the car, stuff happens, no big deal. The other two issues I believe were due to the fact that I had to park my car outside in the sun for a few years and it never got shade. The rear view mirror fell off and the door tape started bubbling. Again it’s still a fantastic car and probably my fault. Love this car and I’ve had it for almost 8 years!

I would buy another Optima !!

I have 165k and never an issue - 30 to 35 mpg consistently. Runs great. Runs smooth. I change the oil every 5k with Mobil 1 and change the air and cabin filter every 15k. Other than that, I have changed the brakes once, and the tires several times. No complaints - I would buy another in a heartbeat

Better than expected...

This car delivers. Everything that it says it does...it does. The power is quick, responsive and really makes the car fun to drive. It handles with the precision of a European counterpart. I have been impressed with the features that are offered inside the cabin as well. I would have never pictured myself in a Korean car as I have been a Japanese owner all of my life. The quality and fit of the car have really sealed the deal for me. I am not sure if I could recommend a car more highly. Kia has been excellent with all the maintenance and follow up. It has been better than expected.

Nice Car

We bought the SXL. It looks great and drives nice. It does have a few blind spot you need to get use to. We've had the car for 3 months now and are fuel mileage for street and highway has been about 21-22 mpg. We haven't taken it on a road trip yet. The only thing I didn't like about the SXL is you can only get white or black interior. In the northwest I really don't like black interior so we went with white. It would have been nice if you could get tan or a grey interior in the SXL. We have had some problems with the nav. system not working. Have had to turn car off and restart it to get it to work.

Very Poor Gas Mileage

I have had my 2013 Kia Optima for 6 months have over 15,000 mile on it do mostly highway driving have yet to get better that 26 mpg. Most of the time averaging low 20's. Although it is a beautiful car I would not buy it again. I would go with a car with more proven gas mileage. I Was getting 45+ with my VW Jetta TDI, Will probably go back to them next time.

2013 Kia Optima EX - Purchased with 16k miles

Excellent value and good fuel economy. Acceleration is strong for a 4 cyl vehicle. Handles good, although power steering at times feels weak. We got our care for $16,500 on Dec 2015 with 16k miles. Purple/redish color with tan leather seats.

Does everything they say it will +

I bought it thinking I would get less than shown on mileage. WRONG !!! After 1000 miles getting, Interstate driving cruising, 70 mph on flat ground, a steady 36.7-.8 mpg. Yesterday a 53 mile return trip driving Interstate Hwy with rolling hills, State Hwy with steep hills, 6 miles of rural blacktop road with high hills and and winding curves, stopping in small town to buy dinner, stopping at 4 stoplights . Average 34.7 mpg, average speed 49 mph for total trip . General driving trip to town driving 26 miles through steep hills on winding road and town driving, average 29.3 mpg. For anyone getting terrible mileage with this engine, try Star Tron add to clean water/crbn from fuel, etc.

Love my KIA from first drive

This is the 1st car that I have ever bought New. It only had 13 miles on it and now 5 years later it has 97,000 and not a single problem. Very fun car to drive and love the look. The back seats are tight and not much head room, but i'm never back there. :)

Never again.

Bought used in 2015. 18 months later, the engine seized up while driving. Kia replaced with a refurbished engine. One year later, the refurbished engine seized up while driving. Kia replaced again with another refurbished engine. Too many recalls on this vehicle to count. Replaced headlight bulbs at least a half dozen times since purchase. No words for how disappointed I am in this car.

If I could go back in time.

The last five years have been very rough for me, my marriage end after 25 years ,I lost my job of 20 years and I had to sell my home that I absolutely loved. Then I purchased a 2013 Kia Optima and wow I couldn't believe things could get worse. Before 40,000 miles the starter died ,not long after that the head light control stick shorted out and also the main panel for automatic windows stopped working and to top it off 6 months later I couldn't get the key out of the ignition which cost me more money. I cant wait to get rid of this car, the electronics are complete garbage, this car is having to many issues for its age. I would never tell anyone to purchase this vehicle, and its cheap manufacturing .

You don't get a jack or spare tire!!!

I just bought a new Kia on Saturday and looking in the truck, there was no spare tire or jack. Dealer did not tell me at sale that no jack or spared came with the car. I found out by looking in the trunk yesterday. I call Kia and they confirm that car does not come with jack or spare. Just a puny tire pump and sealant kit. That is crap. If I had know it didn't come with one, I would either have negotiated or paid the approximate $250.00 for it. Anyway, has to take time out to go back to dealer for it, some 1-1/2 hours wasted. I guess Kia doesn't care that customers may find out the hard way. This situation made what appeared to be a good experience a lousy one.

Steering and Milage are Horrible

First I must start with, the car looks beautiful. Remington Red is a real show stopper. Seats are super comfortable and interior spacious. Needs more storage compartments. Gas wise, horrible. I'm averaging 23 mpg, and Eco changes nothing but the way it drives. Moving on to steering. Refuses to stay on center while driving. Pulls to the left, then when straightened out, goes to the right. Back and forth, but always over steers to the left when on a center plane surface. Very exhausting when driving on the straight run highways off highway, almost caused a few accidents veering into the opposite lane while taking my eyes off the road for a split second to turn AC on or equivalent. Bad!

major disappointment

While it is a very good looking car, with a reasonable ride and handling. The gas mileage is a major disappointment. I would not have even considered the car if I knew its true gas mileage. My previous car had EPA numbers of 19/24/30 and I normally got about 28 mpg. The optima has EPA numbers of 24/28/34 and I get about 25-26 mpg. So with a car with 4mpg better EPA numbers I am getting 2mpg worse gas mileage??? I have had the car into 2 different dealers, both of which say the car is running to spec. The other major disappointment is the UVO sound system. It is fine as long as you use only the radio or CD, but the USB connection is very buggy. When connecting the USB to either a thum

Buyer Beware

The KIA optima is pretty on the outside, but the quality will leave you stranded on the side of the road. I had a brake warning light issue since I bought the car and KIA tried 7 times to fix it. They finally replaced the entire front wiring harness. Two weeks later the car won't start sometimes (it may or may not start). KIA has been unable to repair the problem ( 2 and 1/2 weeks of diagnosing). They are giving me my broken car back to drive until they get an expert flown in (time unknown) to look at the car. They are also trying to blame the problem on an auto accident that was sheet metal only damage and to the trunk. Avoiding their warranty claims (In My Opinion). Run Away from this car.

Not For Tall People (2013) model

Car has plenty of leg room but when seat all the way back the door post blocks your view. Passenger seat is way too low and cannot be adjusted up? ( PS Noticed that Kia finally offers a 10 way adjustable passenger seat for 2016 ) No lock on glove box? Poor visability over hood. Road noise excessive, will be changing tires with less than 15,000 K on odometer. Bluetooth will not stay connected? Car does look good though, get complements on a daily basis (Metal Bronze) color. Car has lots of features that are not found on higher priced sedans. Heated rear seats and power folding mirrors are two of them. Wish there was a power outlet that was powered when car is turned off, and wish there was one in the rear or in the trunk like VW. Car is extremely low in the front, looks great but have to be very careful when parking near curb or concrete stops. Dealership is not a well managed place. Employees look like used car dealers from Detroit. When going to the dealer I usually see the entire staff sitting around eating. The place looks and smells like a Deli. They are not very professional and if you are there for any reason (other than giving them a blank check) or a lease for a NEW car, they are completely disinterested. Just changed OEM tires and purchased top rated Pirelli P7, road noise and ride did not improve. Must be the cheap suspension components that are causing the noise. Noticed that the color of the dash material does not match the color of the rest of the interior? Guess they saved money by not matching color. Car has developed noises in rear of cabin and rattles in dash. Good car for the amount paid. Had since Sept.2012. My advice, spend the extra money and get a higher quality vehicle. The Optima styling hasn’t changed since 2011 and is a little dated now. There is really no reason to buy a new Optima since it still looks the same, except for the usual slight change to front fascia and tail lights. Performance is lack luster. Can’t understand why Kia didn’t produce an Optima coupe with more horsepower? Panoramic Sun Roof is nice feature, but sun blocking screen is on a roller that cannot be stopped halfway to give partial shade. Car did not come with a Spare Tire only an inflator kit, had to buy my own Spare and Jack. Bluetooth still won’t keep my i phone connected, I must have reconnected 2000 times by now,very annoying. Cant wait to get rid of this car. Due to economy I’m stuck with this car. Ride getting worse over rough road and bumps. Almost lost my dentures over one bump. Always spilling coffee. Small rattles developed, no other major problems. Garage kept 67,000 K. Finally got rid of it.

For its class

Great car for the money

Kia doesnt like to Honor their warranty

Kia will go out of their way to not honor the warranty. The engines carbon up very fast . ( 53k miles and it needs a valve job) This is an obvious design flaw. I think I should have stuck with domestic. Definitely not Direct injection. My Jeep has run for 256k miles and has never had a major service, Just 2 clutches. 53k miles on a new car , that fost 6000 dollars more , is not acceptable!

Great Value, Reliable, and Comfortable but...

Wish the interior was quieter and gas mileage better. Since first bought new 8/12 I have never obtained more than 23 in the city and 30 on the highway (only with non-ethanol fuel and non-stop PDX to Seattle - otherwise 2 gallons less). My usual combined mileage including one 40 round trip highway trip a week is 24 with ethanol fuel. I have only driven about 73,000 miles since work from home and nothing has broken or needed repair other than a squeaky door which started last summer so the dealer greases hinge every 6 months when there for an oil change. Weston Kia has been great to work with and offers bargain oil changes! Besides oil and air filter changes I needed new front brake pads at about 50,000 miles and new tires about 35,000 as the OEM set rode great/smooth but wore out fast. Only other complaint is the hood paint - one rock chip has now rusted out the size of a nickel and would cost at least $500 to fix plus a few lost days so it is what it is. Ironically the doors look new as I installed matching color strips when bought. First car I have ever owned more than 5 years and usually only go 4 - but can't justify selling as it's styling is so similar outside to new ones.

The best or nothing

This car it something else. Has a lot a recall but it beautiful and fast

Underrated gem

I'm the original owner of a 2013 Optima SX fully loaded. The only problem I ever had with it is the side mirrors randomly fell off, and they cost $700 a piece to fix due to the entire housing needing to be replaced, thay really irked me, but whatever, that was the worst of it. Honestly, all I've ever done besides just bringing it in for misc minor recalls, was change the oil. It's 2022, it's been paid off long ago, and I have 0 reason to get another car. If I were to complain about 1 thing, is that the breaks suck and could have used bigger disks/calipers. When you break sometimes it feels like the car is struggling to slow itself. Don't get me wrong if you want it to stop in a hurry, it will stop in a hurry, but normal breaking feels "lazy", like you're putting too much effort to get it to break, and sometimes you'll engage the abs. So yeah, beating a dead horse the breaks could be better. Other than that, I'll probably get the entire body stripped, and restored to factory, and giver her a new paint job, which will probably cost the entirety of the present value of the vehicle, but it's been so good to me, if it goes another 55k miles, it's worth it. Ill update this if anything starts going bad, but after 9 years of ownership, and only 50k miles... I susoent this thing will to another 50k and another 9 years easy. For contex I clear well over $120k in salary/annually, I could easily move into the Mercs/teslas of 2022, yet I stand by my Kia. Good vehicle.

Economically Cool

Handles great very economical on gas and parts & service. But most of all the Kia/Hyundai car company stands by their vehicles & their word 100%.,in my opinion

5000 miles in 15 days, love it!

Picked up my 2011 Optima SX with 20k miles on it on April 29. Today (May 16) I have 24,500 miles. MPG has not been below 32 for any of my trips, and has been as high as 35 even though I average 70-75 MPH (always use cruise, never use ECO button). Quiet, comfortable, stylish. Cooled seats are terrific. Nice radio. Roomy, even for a 6'2" guy like me.

OVER RATED

Be prepared to buy a car and not like it once you have driven it for a while. Most new car owners look forward to taken it for a spin , not here. The ride is noisy and stiff and the electric steering is rough and stiff. Not worth it , the reviews saying it was a good car are bogus. You should rent one for the weekend before buying it , I wish I would have. Sold it a year ago after getting a notice from Kia saying they may have left metal shavings in the cylinder during the manufacturing process , was told to listen for knocking noises coming from the engine. Traded it in on a Ford Fusion , nicer ride , quieter and averaging 45 MPG on the highway. Happy with the Fusion 2 years later , best move I've made. Kia makes garbage.

KIA OPTIMA SXL Never buy it

Please don't buy kia optima sxl engine turbo the car looks great but the engine are so annoying I was driving my optima 80mils a hour coming from work while suddenly the engine make some noise and I don't see any warning signs in dashboard before or even after it stopped and shut down ,break up the engine and that was as easy as 123 so my advice to all of you who buy it don't ever spend your money and time on something not worth it. It's kia optima sxl

Optima EX shortcomings

Car was delivered with a half tank of fuel and empty winshield washer fluid tank. The passenger seat is extremely low, my wife feels like she is sitting on the floor and there is no adjustment up or down? Dealer was not very friendly or helpful. The sales managers personal car was a new Ferrari and he had it parked right in front where all Kia customers had to walk by. Did not look good for KIA.

I love my SXL

Issues to watch out for;

Very good looking car but after 1200 miles I am now on my 6th tank of gas, mpg is about 13-15 in the city and 18-20 on the road. Dealer says wait until after 3500 miles for an improvement. Huge blind spots by rear quarters and both windshield pilars by the sideview mirrors, careful on turns with people crossing!! Wonders/drifts all over the road and constantly correcting for it, makes for a tiring drive. Kia knows about this but... Can not get comfortable in the seats. Very disappointed and lost a day from work due to a flat tire with no spare. Make sure you get the tire insurance policy, you need it. Very hard ride, not a road trip car!! Recommend renting one before you buy it!!!

Awesome Car!

Good in every way.

Good car but 35 mpg highway is a joke

I bought the car in September this year, a 2013 EX with the Premium Package. First I was going for the Hybrid but during the test drive the car felt "heavy". I drive a Ford Focus Hybrid occasionally between offices and the Optima Hybrid just felt like a bigger and heavier car in comparison. For the money I spent, the car offers features unmatched in this class and for this price. The problem however is the gas mileage. I drive about 90% highway to work with cruise control set as often as possible and at speeds of 50 - 55 mph. And after over 6,000 miles I still do not get anywhere near the 35 mpg highway. Usually I do get below 30 mpg. If you want a fuel efficient car, look somewhere else!

Refined Luxury with a sporty overtone

Coming out of a 2007 Mazda CX7 GT, I was leaning hard towards a 2014 Mazda6. In my due diligence, I looked at the 2013 Optima which really caught my eye with its beauty. After test driving the SXL w/turbo there was no comparison. With 3k in incentives it was comparable to the Mazda, yet blew it away in creature comforts and luxury. I've had the car for about a week and have no regrets. Having had BMW's, Infinity's and a corvette I can honestly say this car is the nicest I ever owned. Performance is nothing less than amazing with the smoothest power-band I've ever experienced, especially considering the turbo. Comfort and value are second to none. Fun factor remains to be seen as I adjust.

Recalled and worst dealership

My car was recalled for machining error during the manufacturing, that can cause premature bearing wear, could cause the engine to seize ,and increase the risk of a crash. They don't want to fix it until the engine goes out or it starts knocking. It also doesnt let me know when the foot brake is on now, so I could drive with it on, and the seat belt doesnt let you know when you don't have it on. They don't care about their customersand their safety.Avoid kia worst dealership ever.

Kia Optima

Just bought a 2013 Kia Optima - Absolutely love it!! The salesperson at Young Kia was very knowledgable and was not pushy at all.

STEERING PROBLEMS

Purchased this car used - have had two weeks and am having steering problems. The car refuses to travel in a straight line - the nose of the car wanders back and forth requiring constant steering corrections. Just did research on the web and discovered that this is a COMMON PROBLEM with Optima's from the 2011 - 2014 range. Contacted the dealership and they can't get me a service appointment until a week from now. I am so disappointed - this is my third Kia and I feel like I've bought myself a headache UPDATE TO ORIGINAL REVIEW - Three weeks after purchase, we had an accident with this car (which had nothing to do with the steering problems) - I have raised my overall review of the car, as it performed well in the crash and kept my family from being seriously injured

I no longer own this car.

We have enjoyed driving this car both in the city and on the highway. It gets up to speed quickly and handles well. The seats are multi adjustable, heated and cooled, and very comfortable. The only problem we have had is with the GPSas it tends to change destination from the one entered.The service we have had from the two Kia dealers we have taken the car to have been very good. We no longer own the car. WE NO LONGER OWN THIS CAR!!!

Harris' batmobile

Make sure about the Title, and whether there is any carry over warranty.

2013 KX - worth a serious thought

The inside is roomy, and comfortable. The car warms up quickly. I have yet to take it on longer then a 1 hour drive, but my commute is 30 minutes and I am quite impressed in how comfortable it is. Dealer was excellent. Is a car I love to drive. My gas mileage is good for the size, just under 26 mpg combined. I have to wonder how people are driving that complain about low gas mileage. It is NOT a hybrid, small economy car. It is a mid sized vehicle, comfortably seats 5 and has lots of room. The "no spare tire" complaint to me-well the sealant and pump i like better then being out in the cold and rain changing a tire to a donut..been there, down that. I think this is a better setup.

2013 sxl lIMITED

WOW, what a head turning model. the SXL Limited edition. Red caliper brakes, 18 inch chrome wheels LED running lights. All the options in the SX model and more.

2012 EX Optima - Amazing Value

Now a proud owner for 1 year. Overall average mpg 24.0+. Great ride and I am amazed by the acceleration of this hot 4 cylinder! Interior finish is excellent and the leather is tops. I am still wondering how this KIA is so well priced that anyone would buy a Toyota! Thus far no mechanical or build problems at all. Cons: Only one! The steering wheel is a bit to "slick" to grip.

Farewell To My 2013 Kia Optima SX

I bought my vehicle CPO at 25K miles in 2014. Loved the car since the specs were better than the Honda Accord. Handling on the highway was great. However, I had to purchase a spare tire kit separate from the final negotiation price. As I approached the 109K mile mark, my panoramic sunroof became inoperable at a wide open position (except the shade) and I had to have the engine replaced (fortunately under warranty). The sunroof, however is NOT covered and will cost me > $6K for the dealer to remove the entire sunroof + lining and repair it. I declined the service work and have decided to get rid of the vehicle since I had 1 more payment on the car and I had spent ~$3K on maintenance, tires, brakes, and battery services within a year. No need to spend ~$500 for a technician to at minimum, ATTEMPT to close the sunroof. I never had engine and sunroof issues on my Honda 6 cylinder coupe. Before purchasing an Optima, consider that you must purchase your own spare tire kit as indicated in other reviews. Also, the engine troubles that other consumers have experienced after the 60K mile mark is concerning. Now, the sunroof...I'll just accept the loss and take ownership of a new vehicle without any additional car trouble. Just be warned. At least I was able to drive the car preowned and reach >100K miles before severing ties with it.

Kia optima 2013

The car is good but my car get in the street only 19 miles for a gallon of gas,and 28 in the freeway,

Air compressor 2013 Optima

Kia optima 2013 compressor went out after just a yr and a half. Under warranty, so they took care of it. BUT....IT WAS A REFURBISHED PART with a 12 Month warranty . It Just went out again after 18 months and of course it's out of warranty! My issue here is...the car is 3 and a half yrs old and has gone through 2 compressors! Does anyone else see my concern? Because Kia does Not! I have bought 2 brand new Cars from them...there will NOT be a third!

Has anyone's 2013 kia optima caught on fire

Woke up this morning went outside around 8:50am and seen alot smoke and noticed my daughter's 2013 kia optima was on fire there was smoke and flames coming out of her hood has this happened to any one

2013 Kia Optima

This car is not for long use. My Kia Optima is a 2013. I bought it used in 2017. It is now December 2020 and I have had my 1st problem that is major. I was exiting the freeway then the oil light came on and the car went dead. I had to turn my car off then turn it back on. I pulled over and check my oil and it was bone 🦴 dry. I had just had an oil change 1 week from this incident. So I bought some oil and poured it in my car. That night while driving on the road my oil light came back on and it died. I pulled over for 10 minutes and let it rest and drove it home.

Bad Engine Problems

I bought this car, 3 days later engine went out on me. The car only had 77k. Kia won’t honor theirs t train warranty on it. This was my first and last Kia.