2003 Kia Optima SE review from North America
"A lot of bang for the buck!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nothing has gone wrong with the car so far. There was a recall on the air conditioning compressor, but the part was replace free of charge before it ever went out.
The exhaust did smell like rotten eggs for about 4000 miles, but the smell is gone now.
General comments?
Drove it from where I live in Washington state to Reno, Nevada just after we bought and had no problems at all. Performed very well, and was a very comfortable ride. Also, we had the air conditioning on most of the time with no problems. Gets pretty good gas mileage too, about 25 MPG on the highway.
Recommended reviews
  | Great car... that is if you don't ever plan on trading it in on another!!! |
| If an Accord or Camry is a 10, An Optima is at least an 8. Regardless of price |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 10/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 275 miles |
| Most recent distance | 7100 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Prelude |
| Date of Entry | 4th November, 2003 |