You don't want to be caught asleep at the switch in the midsize sedan segment. With the recent arrivals of the Honda Accord, Mazda 6 and Toyota Camry, Kia wanted to make sure the 2019 Kia Optima stayed fresh both in looks and in the minds of sedan buyers. Updates for this year include styling revisions, along with additional safety and entertainment features.

You Might Need to Squint

You'd have to park the 2018 and 2019 Kia Optimas side by side to spot the specific differences, but the styling refinements enhance Kia's design language. Every trim level gets its own subtle tweaks to freshen it up. The LX has a new wheel design, Kia Stinger-esque LED daytime running lights and a matte gray grille. The S receives projector-beam foglights, LED taillights, dual exhaust, gloss black exterior trim and 18-inch alloy wheels. The EX gets new 17-inch wheels, and the SX sees new 18-inch wheels and LED foglights.

On the inside, the changes are fewer but still important. The S gets push-button start, power front windows with one-touch operation, and a key fob that opens the trunk, too. The EX gets new leather seats with seat heaters, optional ambient multicolor interior lighting and a heated steering wheel. SX buyers can option red and black or bronze and black leather seats with the SXL package.

Some Things Haven't Changed

Kia left the Optima's range of engines and transmissions well enough alone. The LX and S trims get motivation from a 2.4-liter four-cylinder producing 185 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque and a six-speed automatic. The EX uses a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 178 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque and comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The SX comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 245 hp and a stout 265 lb-ft of torque that's hooked up to a six-speed automatic. All Optimas are front-wheel-drive.

Our seat time in the 2019 Kia Optima was spent in the SX, and we're pleased to report the way it goes down the road hasn't changed at all. The turbo engine gets you around town and up to highway speeds on such a broad wave of torque that you seldom feel the need to wring the motor anywhere near its 6,500-rpm redline. Gear changes aren't quite as crisp as those from a dual-clutch transmission, but in exchange you get an easy and smooth driving experience in slow-moving traffic. Should you want to hustle the Optima down a stretch of your favorite road, calling up Sport mode gives you sharper throttle response and makes the transmission hold onto gears a bit longer. Of course you've got paddle shifters if you want to change gears yourself.

The steering, ride and brakes haven't been tinkered with much either, and the Optima retains good body composure in day-to-day driving situations and remains as user-friendly as ever. Our only real beef comes from the low-profile tires, but we always have a love-hate relationship with those. In exchange for a slightly better turn-in response, the ride tends to suffer more than it should on broken pavement. To its credit, the Optima's suspension makes the best of it, but we'd like to see a bit more sidewall on this top trim level.

It's Not All Looks

Kia has also updated its safety and entertainment technology, and made sure to sprinkle it throughout the lineup. All Optimas get a driver attention warning system added to Kia's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. That suite of features includes blind-spot warning, reverse park distance warning, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning and mitigation, lane change assist, lane keeping assist and lane departure warning. Smart cruise control with stop-and-go functionality is standard on the EX and SX trims.

All Optimas feature an 8-inch touchscreen display, but Kia has restructured the Uvo entertainment system into three tiers. The first, Uvo Play, comes on the base LX and brings phone integration by way of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Midgrade S and EX models come with Uvo Link, which adds a 4G LTE hotspot to the previous system. Lastly, a version of Uvo Link with navigation is optional on the SX.

The Slightly Unknown

Pricing and fuel economy for the 2019 Kia Optima haven't been revealed yet, but you can expect them to be similar to last year's models, with the LX starting in the upper $22,000s to the SX breaking through the $30,000 barrier. Fuel economy is currently 29 mpg combined (25 city/36 highway) for the 2.4-liter, 31 mpg combined (28 city/37 highway) for the 1.6-liter, and 25 mpg combined (22 city/31 highway) for the 2.0-liter. Shoppers can expect to see the refreshed Optima on sale near the end of June, with pricing information being released close to that date.

More about the 2019 Kia Optima

2019 Kia Optima Overview

The 2019 Kia Optima is offered in the following submodels: Optima Sedan. Available styles include LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A), SX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A), S 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A), and EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM).

What do people think of the 2019 Kia Optima?

Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2019 Kia Optima and all its trim types. 0 Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2019 Optima.

Edmunds Expert Reviews

Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2019 Kia Optima and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2019 Optima featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.

Our Review Process

This review was written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.

We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.

What's a good price for a New 2019 Kia Optima?

2019 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)

The 2019 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $27,720. The average price paid for a new 2019 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) is trending $3,007 below the manufacturer’s MSRP.

Edmunds members save an average of $3,007 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is$24,713.

The average savings for the 2019 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) is10.8% below the MSRP.

Available Inventory:

We are showing 29 2019 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) vehicle(s) available in the in the Ashburnarea.

2019 Kia Optima S 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

The 2019 Kia Optima S 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $25,950. The average price paid for a new 2019 Kia Optima S 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) is trending $3,000 below the manufacturer’s MSRP.

Edmunds members save an average of $3,000 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is$22,950.

The average savings for the 2019 Kia Optima S 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) is11.6% below the MSRP.

Available Inventory:

We are showing 46 2019 Kia Optima S 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) vehicle(s) available in the in the Ashburnarea.

2019 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

The 2019 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $23,820. The average price paid for a new 2019 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) is trending $3,982 below the manufacturer’s MSRP.

Edmunds members save an average of $3,982 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is$19,838.

The average savings for the 2019 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) is16.7% below the MSRP.

Available Inventory:

We are showing 26 2019 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) vehicle(s) available in the in the Ashburnarea.

2019 Kia Optima SX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

The 2019 Kia Optima SX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) can be purchased for less than the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (aka MSRP) of $32,875. The average price paid for a new 2019 Kia Optima SX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) is trending $4,350 below the manufacturer’s MSRP.

Edmunds members save an average of $4,350 by getting upfront special offers. The estimated special offer price in your area is$28,525.

The average savings for the 2019 Kia Optima SX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) is13.2% below the MSRP.

Available Inventory:

We are showing 8 2019 Kia Optima SX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) vehicle(s) available in the in the Ashburnarea.

Which 2019 Kia Optimas are available in my area?

Shop Edmunds' car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million vehicles to find a cheap new, used, or certified pre-owned (CPO) 2019 Kia Optima for sale near. There are currently 358 new 2019 Optimas listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as $23,915 and mileage as low as 0 miles. Simply research the type of car you're interested in and then select a car from our massive database to find cheap vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the 2019 Kia Optima. Then select Edmunds special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to $4,568 on a used or CPO 2019 Optima available from a dealership near you.

Can't find a new 2019 Kia Optimas you want in your area? Consider a broader search.

Find a new Kia Optima for sale - 4 great deals out of 15 listings starting at $25,260.

Find a new Kia for sale - 10 great deals out of 23 listings starting at $8,965.

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Why trust Edmunds?

Edmunds has deep data on over 6 million new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles, including rich, trim-level features and specs information like: MSRP, average price paid, warranty information (basic, drivetrain, and maintenance), features (upholstery, bluetooth, navigation, heated seating, cooled seating, cruise control, parking assistance, keyless ignition, satellite radio, folding rears seats ,run flat tires, wheel type, tire size, wheel tire, sunroof, etc.), vehicle specifications (engine cylinder count, drivetrain, engine power, engine torque, engine displacement, transmission), fuel economy (city, highway, combined, fuel capacity, range), vehicle dimensions (length, width, seating capacity, cargo space), car safety, true cost to own. Edmunds also provides tools to allow shopper to compare vehicles to similar models of their choosing by warranty, interior features, exterior features, specifications, fuel economy, vehicle dimensions, consumer rating, edmunds rating, and color.

Should I lease or buy a 2019 Kia Optima?

Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.

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