Used 2019 Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) Consumer Reviews
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A great car.
Greg R, Port Orange, FL, 02/22/2019
Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
44 of 46 people found this review helpful
I have owned the ex 12,15,17,19. (non premium) The 12-15 was great overall cars, the 17 was comfortable but it was slow the 19 is a combination of a luxury and a sports feeling car. When I tested the car at the dealer I was amazed by the technology that it had. lane assist, blind spot and detection while in reverse. As far as comfort I am a big guy and I first tested the the S model. This model did not feel comfortable to me but the ex did. compared to the 2017 I was taken away and excited by the speed. Yes I can pass cars now without shifting in low and while comfort level mode (eco) After the test drive I wanted the car so bad I gave up my 2017 with 48K on it and took out a high interest loan to get this car I was so excited by it. A week later I Still love the car, but as a consumer I was un aware I was getting a DCT Transmission. This Transmission is not as smooth as a conventional transmission and this transmission have had previous complaints with other manufactures. However; while some vehicles had bad luck with them other manufactures have had good luck as time went on. What got me aware of this was the occasional jerk or shake at low speeds. According to my research this is normal. This is a Dual Clutch Transmission that acts like a manual but has the convenience of a automatic. My Feelings are mixed on it, but it's supposed to give me better gas millage since it's 7 speed and more power along with the turbo. And yes I love the power in the car. I guess for me the ex model is the best it's got the smaller 17 inch wheels for a more comfortable ride the 18's no doubt are better for performance but i like a softer road feel. The inside of the car looks and tech is awesome! . As far as the DCT that will take time for me to figure out how I feel. on one hand I love that I get to 40 to 50 mph in no time but on the other I'm giving up a small amount of comfort of a old fashion transmission Again it's not a major thing but something I have to learn about more and get used to. I would definitely recommend the car just be aware of the Transmission difference.
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Best looking car on the road
John Marley, Mount Prospect, IL, 12/01/2018
Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
36 of 38 people found this review helpful
Best Value for money. Safety features like Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot monitoring, front collision warning and automatic braking - all standard in the EX model. I recommend getting the EX model as lot of comfort and safety features are standard. Except for Panoramic roof and navigation ( which are options ), the EX has everything you need. Among the negatives - Interior color choices are limited. Black or Grey( only with some exteriors ). Dealers adding ridiculous amount of unwanted add ons, which can increase the price up. If you can find a dealer who can sell without unnecessary junk, you should be able to score an EX model for invoice minus holdback ( $800 ) minus rebate ( $2500 ) all close to $24000 aproximately
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Highly Recommended
Marshall, Henderson, NV, 06/09/2019
updated 12/20/2021
Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
25 of 27 people found this review helpful
I have owned this car for over three years now. There were two issues that required repair under warranty. One issue was a transmission problem. The timing was fortunate since we were flying out of town for a week. I dropped the car off at the dealer and received a call while out of town that the car was ready. We picked the car up on the way home from the airport. The other problem involved the head unit, which has the navigation, radio and phone operations. The UVO, the voice command and remote operations, was not functioning. Again, we were going tobe out of town and the repair was completed when we returned. Other than these two issues, I have been very pleased with the car and the dealer. The acceleration is ample and the gas economy is better than I expected. I have actually made trips where the gas mileage has exceeded 40 miles per gallon for the trip.
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Unmatched Value
Greg, Newport News, VA, 06/02/2019
Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
I would like to start my review off by saying that I have never owned a mid-size sedan before, and most vehicles I have owned in the past have been old used cars, or low trim new economy sedans. I do have four years experience working on cars though, so I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly first hand. I mention this because of the simple fact that this vehicle, based on it's pricing, made it possible for me to start driving a near top level trim of what I believe is one of the sharpest looking cars on the road under $30,000. The ride is so smooth, and I really love the sound dampening windows on the EX trim. It makes a huge difference on highway driving and really allows you to enjoy the radio. It's not as "engaging" as some of its counterparts but I'm not the type of driver that drag races people to the next stop sign/light. With that said I have given it some throttle and did feel it had a decent punch, thanks to the turbo. I love Android Auto because I can turn an 8" display into a nav system with Google maps, I can listen to and browse (to a degree) Spotify or iHeartRadio, and best of all I don't have to struggle to tell my system to call Mom, and it respond with "Did you mean to call Work?" This is made possible by the Google Assistant which is ages better at voice recognition than standard Bluetooth systems, and also has years of my own personal voice history stored. Speaking of the radio, I'm not an audiophile but I am pretty picky when I comes to sound. The base system is about average for a non-premium, but I do hear rattling in the door panel even without the bass cranked to 11. I live in Upstate NY and so the heated seats will be a welcome luxury for me, I've even used them on a couple of cooler spring nights and found they heat up fast. Overall, as most reviewers have stated, the cabin is just really well composed and easy to use, something a lot of vehicles fail to do. Overall I am very happy with this vehicle. I've received a lot of compliments on the look. And knowing the vehicles I've driven in the past a lot of people have been surprised I could afford it.
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Former Mercedes E350 Owner
Satisfied with Kia, Brooklyn, NY, 05/15/2020
Kia Optima EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
After the lease on my 2016 MB E350 was up, I decided to finance something much more economical, but as close to the same ride and creature comfort as possible. Well, after driving my 2019 Kia Optima EX 1.6T for a few days I really didn’t miss the Benz. The ride, quietness, refinement, and seat comfort weren’t much of a downgrade from the E-Class. Seriously. And it has SO many more standard features, at more than half the price. And more room. The one con I have is the Dual Clutch Trans. I hate it. I understand its theory, but it’s too much like a manual, with the lurches. And it’s downright awful in stop and go traffic. Otherwise, it’s a great car.
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