Used 2015 Kia Optima Sedan Consumer Reviews

Great car

2015 Optima bought used, never in shop for a repair in 2 years. Fun to drive, very satisfied.

Don't waste your money!

I would rather give no stars but that's not an option. I bought my 2015 Kia Optima brand new, as in I put the first five miles on this car test driving it. I thought I got a great deal but boy was I wrong. This car is made so very cheap. My passengers side mirror fell off recently, as in the glue came off which caused the mirror to fall and crack. When I brought this to Kia's attention, I was advised that I was outside of the defect warranty by 10 months and it would cost me $500+ out of pocket to repair...for a mirror!!! I complained to consumer affairs because I personally feel like something like this should never happen, which led me nowhere because they wouldn't budge. If something is simple as mirror glue can't last 5 years, what else in this cheaply made car is going to break?! I bought this car because I have two young children and the safety ratings were great but I feel like that is all a lie and I no longer feel safe driving this car. Needless to say I will never buy another Kia and I look forward to trading this piece of crap in as soon as I can and buying something more reliable.

Still love my Optima after 6 years of ownership.

Just do the regular maintenance as suggested by the manufacturer and it won't give you any problems. I bought my Optima brand new off the lot back in September of 15'. I love it now as much as I loved it then. Plenty of comfort. Drives nice. Adequate speed and power. Looks pretty and easy to maintain. I've had three recalls and they all turned out to be unnecessary. You really can't find a better deal out there if you just want a sporty looking sedan with plenty of room and everything you need in as commuter car.

KIA stands for Kill in Action

I purchased a used 2015 Kia Optima with 58k miles. Within 3 weeks at 58.5k the car randomly began to go in to what I now know is called “limp mode” my car wouldn’t accelerate past 40 mph. All this is going on while I’m in the heat of traffic, luckily I’m an experienced driver and was able to get out of harms way because anyone else made have been in a serious accident. I shut my car off checked all the fluids and restarted it, it went about 2 miles and began to decelerate all the way to 0 mph and then shut off on me. Everything electronic worked fine but not a sound from the engine no clicks no buzz no nothing. I had it towed to the dealer where I made the purchase and they tell me mind you after 2 days of no contact that I need a new motor. Mind you I’m furious this is my first major financial purchase as a young person and I was trying to get myself a reliable nice car to get to work in and here this car is blown engine at 58.5k miles. My Honda before this went 200 k and was going strong but was totaled by some bozo. This is an embarrassment to modern engineering honestly. Most ppl by cars and expect at least 150-250 k but according to the dealer gm their expectation is anywhere after 40k but of course they don’t tell you that during the purchase. Luckily for me I was able to obtain a life time warranty on this engine due to the fact I recently purchased it. I feel awful for ppl who may experience this later and be out of warranty smh this company makes trash do not DO NOT BUY KIA. Nice car but engine made of paper spit balls and glue

89k miles and it’s a beauty!

So I bought this car over two months ago with 88k miles. Compared to my old 2011 Forte, it has a smooth driving feel and luxurious interior. The engine does whine when accelerating, but with a high mileage car that is expected. All the features work as intended and it looks almost brand new. It’s not 2006 anymore, Kia has come a long way.

broken piece of ____.

engine craped out with medal pieces in oil pan, was running fine and just went in to limp mode.

Great looking, horrible quality, worst performance

To start off i wanna say that i really did want to love this car, i hadnt had a kia befor but was rather enthusiastic to get this vehicle. It looks great, the exterior the lights daul exhaust ect.. Problem 1.THIS CAR IS SLOOOOW, forget the exterior profile, stance, whatever. This cars take off, acceleration, both are slow.. even with the manual mode. 2. This cars quality is extremly low. Since i got this car a year ago i have have more problems then i ever have befor ever with any other leased vehicle. My car has gone as far as to have water (after rain) get stuck inside the compartment behind the glove box and leak into my passanger seat.. and flood the floor and carpet. MY WINDOWS FREEZE AND LOCK CONSTANLY . And kia dealrship says there doors are ment to do that? The antenna has also fell off.. 3. Kia dealership is hard to deal with ahen it comes to these issues.. Many issues are blown off and said to just be "a kia thing" The wear on this car for one year is bad. I had my wheels rotated and saw the rust under the brakes, j have never seen a car get that rusted befor in such a small amount of time.. 1 yr.. i guess you get what you pay for but like this wasnt all to cheap either.. .. i really wanted to like this car.. i would definetly not recomend it, the braking system locks up and the car skids.. this happened to me just after getting it, i understand i am a fast driver, never crashed.. but i hit the brakes one day and it skid, not for to long.. but definet clear skid.. it was honestly kind of emberessing.. .. I wouldnt recommend

Junk car!

Kia (and Hyundai) are trying to rival the Japanese with this optima. But they are not even close in terms of reliability and quality. This Optima may look good on the outside, but the looks are deceiving! Purchased a new 2015 Optima from Mr Fucilo Kia. It had 5,000 miles on it. What an absolute junk car! the dash is cheap and made of plastics that vibrates. Seats are uncomfortable. The transmission is very weak, it seeks gears like if it slipping and it only has 5,000 miles on it. With the AC on the car feel lifeless there is no power. The reason I call it a junk car is because the engine blew on me in the middle of the highway, I had a sudden loss of power while i was in the middle lane, the electronics failed which caused the steering to be unresponsive and could not change direction. Now it needs a new engine, only after 5000 miles! what a joke! Definitely going back to Honda or Toyota, they are an established brand that has been around for decades. They know how to make cars! How long have Kia and Hyundai been on the roads with this GDi engine? maybe 5 years?

Wish I had kept my 2013 Optima

I purchased a 2015 Kia Optima and traded in my 2013 Kia Optima. I was somewhat rushed into this sale so I feel sort of cheated out of my decision. I realize I signed the contract but the finance manager was so rude and when I was not in agreement he would get mad and make faces and pace around like crazy. I felt like the internet sales group and finance manager were just interested in making their cut on the deal. They didn't even let me look around at other vehicles. They just drove one up to the front of the dealership and said this one is perfect for you. My old Kia was good and I only had like 12,000 miles on it. It was practically brand new still. I don't like the passenger seat that does not go up or down. You sit way too low like a low rider ugh! That is one thing I did not notice when I looked at the car. Another thing the only difference in the car I had and the new one is the buttons on the steering wheel and they are awkward. Other than that and the unprofessional people at the dealership I like the car. Now that I have driven the new Kia. I have found that the passenger seat sits way too low. There is no lever to adjust the height on that seat. You are basically stuck with it. Not really many changes to this new Kia to my 2013 besides the passenger seat being too low and a few extra buttons on the steering wheel. The dealership did not even try to call me or write me to apologize for their finance manager's dealings nor nothing. Like I said they are just in it for what they can make out of each deal and not customer satisfaction.

Optima is optimal.

Optima

Love this car would highly recommend.

So Close... so, so close...

First, let me say that I bought the 2015 Kia Optima to replace a 2014 Ford Fusion that was an absolute POS. After spending a solid year fighting with FoMoCo about transmission and interior issues, I traded the Fusion at a severe loss because I just couldnt trust the car. For Edmunds to prefer the Fusion over others is mind boggling. The Optima is almost a great car, but it is beyond me how you can screw up something like stereo features on a 2015 car. Ride is good - not great. Interior is roomy and comfy. Performance is much better than the Fusion... But the stereo and steering wheel controls are just goofy - bad layout and bad function. Update after owning the car for about 18 months: The lack of tech for a car at this price point is disturbing, and what tech it has is poorly designed at best. The radio works, but is nothing special and ipod controls are pathetic. The handling gets squirrelly at speeds over 75. High winds blow the car like it has a sail on the roof. Gas mileage drops off significantly at speeds over 60 and arent great in city driving. That said, the seats are good. The addition of a rear heated seat is nice. Front cooled seats are nice but barely function. Rear airflow is poor and you have to close off at least 2 front vents for the rear vents to have any airflow. Kia warranty is a NIGHTMARE to deal with and if you cant show maintenance receipts they will void the warranty. The requirement to have an oil change every 6 months - even for moderately low mileage - is archaic and wasteful. Dont get me wrong... its a good car. With some minor tweaks and Kia adopting the same corporate attitude as their sister company (hyundai) it could be great.

Catchy title :-)

the car is very uncomfortable- head rest is a pure nightmare.. wish I never would have bought this cheaply made car. Looked good impressed with body style- not impressed with anything else about it. Sorry I 'm stuck with it now. Didn't drive it much during the winter until last weekend and still not thrilled.. but nothing I can do about it now. Do like exterior appearance but very uncomfortable seats and unable to position for comfort. Not happy

FANTASTIC CAR. IAM BYING IT WHEN MY LEASE IS OVER

Just a wonderful car. i have 2 of them an EX and AX. pretty car. no trouble in 3 years and 30,000 miles

Style over Substance 2015 SX

Opposite of a Toyota - loved it on the test drive; like it less the longer I've owned it. Lots of features that show Kia was more interested in quantity over quality. Sun roof and Moon roof - but the moon roof does not open; and when I just want to draw back the felt to get the light - the roof rattles. General intermittent rattling of the body. Electronics are all glitchy. Blue tooth voice recognition malfunctions and stalls, does not recognize the name, or for no reason says 'updating contact list'. Remote engine start often turns off after a minute for no reason. When I had a flat no warning signal the tire was low. Once we'd put on the spare and started it comically then the car started beeping and warning low tire pressure. Other issues: AC mediocre and saps power. Wind shield wipers squeek. Fog lights provide no light. Terrible gas mileage (average 19.5 mpg). Mediocre handling - understeers and too much play in the wheel at times. Somewhat tinny speakers on the fancy 'Infinity' system - inferior to my Altima's Bose. Acceleration inconsistent - turbo does not work as well on hot days; and car does not rev consistently. It's rated 270 Hp at 6000 rpms - but the car does not want to go more than 3500-4000 rpms. It will upshift and if pushed you can tell the engine is stressed. Decent power but practically feels more like a 220 HP engine. The 269 HP Lexus ES I tested built power steadily through revving the engine and was a much more consistent, refined engine Brakes well - major reason I got it over the Lexus.Nice key fob w good range for panic alarm. Decent overall acceleration. High maintenance - 2 recalls for software and antilock brake issues. High profile tires need more frequent replacement and are 200 a tire. Needs new spark plugs at 50,000 and transmission fluid every 30,000. Also w GDI and a turbo carbon cleaning and regular synthetic oil changes are required. Engine still has poorer predicted reliability due to carbon build up and putting more pressure on the engine - and Kias mediocre pistons . Other poor attention to details - passenger seat is too low; roof line affects head room in the back seats; not enough trunk space for a mid size. Other build issues: door hinges are terrible. At 50000 front hinge is warn - On the slightest incline front door will not stay open. Fog lights which give no light Overall while the mix of decent power; good breaking; a very modern looking car; having blind spot and lots of amenities at an excellent price sold me on the car - the inconsistent steering, electronics, and mediocre build quality and gas mileage keep me from recommending this car. I am keeping it for now only because car prices have soared...

My Cool Ride

Smoth and simple. It's great on fuel

JUNK!!!!

I bought a 2015 Kia optima with 60,000 miles on it. At 102,000 motor blew. Yes it has oil and all changes were on time. Bought another motor put in and today 10/1/22 rod knocking with 80,000. Yes it is full on oil also. Paint is peeling everywhere kia literally said it was natural causes and sorry about your luck on the motors. DO NOT BUY KIA

GREAT CAR

Great car. Bought another Kia just an SUV.

Meat

I like everything about it. Haven't had any problems yet

Absolutely and amazing vehicle

The 2015 Kia Optima it was an amazing vehicle good gas mileage reliable vehicle very stylish and drives very good maneuverability is good

BEWARE!! KIA WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES!

I usually don’t leave reviews on anything. If I could leave zero stars for Kia in general I would. I have a 2015 Kia optima. My car has 59,000 miles on it. It has been very well taken care of. All of a sudden the engine goes bad out of the blue. When checking in to what was going on, we found out there had been some recalls on our car that we knew nothing about, one being the engine. We never received any recall information on my car. Kia refuses to honor the recall, because they said they sent recall notices and that we did not take care of the recalls. We did NOT receive any recall information, because who in their right mind would not take care of a recall on their car if they received it. Kia will not stand behind their vehicles. They refused to even talk to us about it and did not care that we did not receive any recall notices. Now it is going to cost 5,000.00 to get a new engine for an 8 year old car that has 59,000 miles. DO NOT BUY A KIA. This is one of the worst experiences we’ve ever had with a vehicle. The car has been good up until this point, but beware that if you have problems, KIA will not take care of them, even though they are suppose to. I am very disappointed in KIA, and will never own another vehicle made by Kia.

seized engine at 7 almost 8 years old.

i've have my 2015 kia optima EX for a little over 7 almost 8 years now, ive had no problems with it up until late december of last year. ive kept up with all maintenance on it, and the engine fully seized on me! besides all that, the overall comfort was a 10/10, if i had to buy this car again, have them do a full diagnostics test before you buy it.... forgot to mention, this thing eats and i mean EATS gas up! it also burns oil so quickly, i had gone every 3-4 months or every 5000 miles before id get another one, and it changed to 1-2 times every 2 months, which is ridiculous. these optimas need a new engine. if youre looking into buying this car, PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH WHAT YOU LOOK AT!!!!

More bang for your buck

Bought our 2015 Kia Optima SXL turbo for scooting around town and for better gas mileage. Much better than my Ford Raptor 6.2L or our 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Altitude lifted with huge offroad tires. The Kia has been solid thru and thru... averaging 2500 miles a year on it. We put 1000 miles a year on our other two vehicles. No issues whatsoever on the Kia and it has 42k miles to date.

Beautiful and Reliable

Original buyer gets 7 year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty...This one was made in America......

Good value for the money spent

glad I bought the car. Would do it all over again.

Awesome

Optima okay could be better for the price