Used 2020 Kia Optima Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 Optima, so we've included reviews for other years of the Optima since its last redesign.
A great car.
Greg R, 02/22/2019
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, 12/01/2018
2019 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, 06/09/2019
updated 12/20/2021
2019 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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Great car
Dee, 02/29/2020
2020 Kia Optima S 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
25 of 27 people found this review helpful
I owned a 2008 Kia Spectra for 12yrs. Never had any major problems out of it. So I thought I would stick to another Kia I purchased the 2020 Kia Optima. So far I really love it. Maybe because it’s new to me but with the 10yr/100.000 warranty you can’t beat it.
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Lovely Car
LondonLad, 09/24/2020
updated 08/09/2022
2019 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
17 of 18 people found this review helpful
Handsome to look at, great bodywork and cabin quality, nice, intuitive ergonomics and an easy to use touchscreen system. This car is comfortable, smooth and nice to drive. It's loaded with useful, non-annoying tech that's easy to use. The only complaints I have is that I had to buy a spare tire and jack, and the car plays an irritating audio logo every time you start and stop it, like a 1980s video game: Congratulations for getting in and starting your car! And at the end of the journey, "Congratulations! You arrived at your destination without dying!" Seriously, I'm being picky. It's a great car. 20 years ago, KIA was a joke. But now? I'm not laughing. I'm a fan. Update: 24th March 2021. 16,000 miles later, no mechanical issues, no maintenance other than regular oil and air/cabin filter changes. The filters I do myself, super easy thanks to some thoughtful design by the boffins at Kia. An issue with the instrument cluster has developed, albeit a minor one. Despite setting the illumination to manual control, in daylight the display will not dim, but the touchscreen does. Also very occasionally, a warning pops up saying that the forward camera is blocked, when it's not. The warning disappears within a few minutes. Sometimes it'll chide me for not having my hands on the wheel, when I do. Having done some searching, this seems to be a software issue, Kia has a patch for it, but my local dealer is useless and clueless, dimmer than Joe Biden, as if that were possible. Or they just can't be bothered. I may try disconnecting the battery overnight, effectively rebooting the ECU. In the meantime, I put some black electrical tape over the light sensor on the dash, and now I can manually set the brightness and it doesn't flash up to full brightness in a creditable attempt to burn out my retinas as dawn breaks on my commute to work. Update: Feb 4th 2021: Up to 53k miles, no mechanical issues. Coolant changed at 35k miles. I carbon clean the upper engine with Seafoam Upper Engine Cleaner every 10k miles or so. I'm a happy driver. Update, August 2022. Now at 63k miles. Coolant and transmission fluid changed at 60k miles, 4 new Goodyear tires replacing the original Nexen factory fitted ones. Still driving flawlessly, no issues. The Goodyears run much quieter than the Nexen and provide much better traction in the wet, but have increased fuel consumption by 4-5mpg
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