2016 Kia Optima LX 2.4 I4

Summary:

Avoid the base trim if you can't avoid the car

Faults:

I had no problems, as this was a loaner I had while my personal vehicle was in for body work.

General Comments:

It looks nice, but it's slow, lacks features most cars in its class have, and some controls just seemed counter intuitive to me, even after having driven everything from Japanese and European (and even other Korean!) imports to American cars of all sorts owned by family, as rentals, etc. Normally after a day with a car, I have a pretty good feel for the controls. Not this one, for some reason.

Sport mode didn't do a whole lot. It still felt slow. It handled reasonably well, the seats were average, and felt like they'd be at home in something even cheaper. Interior features were hit or miss, with big misses going to the stereo for its lack of features found on base trim levels of even some lesser cars.

Overall, if I were to get one, I'd only do it in a higher trim level with a better engine and a better options package. It's not a bad looking car, but it was absolutely disappointing to drive. And why did a Ford dealer have a Kia as a loaner, anyway? Not that I'd buy it, but let people drive what you sell so they want to buy from you. Is the Kia Optima better than previous Kias? Yes. Could you get something else of the same year and class that's better? It's almost hard not to. So do the easy thing and just get something that isn't the Optima LX. If it has to be one of these, treat yourself to a higher trim level that might feel less like you stepped back a decade from when this thing was built.

Wait, I need to say something nice. It'll probably get you where you're going, and you'll be happy it did.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 14th March, 2020

23rd Feb 2024, 17:43

Both the 2.4 and the 2.0T are prone to engine seizing from the 85k to 135k miles mark. Especially on cars that do mostly short drives. The engine is diluting the oil at each cold start; if doing short trips, be sure to replace the oil no longer than 4000 miles or 6 months - don't let the oil sit over 6 months, it degrades too much from being mixed with gasoline. Use 5W-30 in the 2.4 and 5W-40 in the 2.0T.

2016 Kia Optima turbo

Summary:

A major disappointment

Faults:

After buying a brand new top of the line Optima, loaded with the top trim package, I get home to discover there is no Home Link. I was told that it is a $500 add-on. My previous Optima, with a lower trim package, had a Home Link and I assumed this one would.

I live in the Northern US and have snow tires mounted on wheels. I also have Kia tire sensors on the wheels for convenience and cost savings. The issue is that the computer will only recognize one set of tire sensors, even though both are Kia sensors. I therefore have to spend at least an hour or more and $50 twice a year to have the computer reprogrammed. Currently they cannot even figure out how to get the other sensors to work. It is extremely disappointing and frustrating to think that Kia does not understand the US market and customer, and will not implement a simple software fix.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 29th November, 2016

30th Nov 2016, 15:47

Appreciate your frustration, but it's a relatively small problem. I would have liked a more in depth review with comments about how the car drives and so on. I've heard Kia have come a long way and are much better cars now; let us know how the car (mechanically, not just software issues) holds up long term.

19th Sep 2017, 21:32

I don't own this model, I own the Sportage. Kia cars are comfortable cars, which offer a nice supple ride and soak up bumps; it's nicely dampened. The only thing Kia lacks is a real sports performance car that will put a smile on peoples' faces. I am not saying Kia cars are boring; it's just not enough feedback at the steering wheel. But they are about to answer this with the Kia Stinger.

14th Mar 2020, 21:48

The tire pressure sensor woes you mention are common to all vehicles that have them. As in, they have to be programmed. They go by signal, since they are wireless. Without programming, and the right sensors, you'd be getting readings from whatever else was in range. They can have dead batteries, aftermarket sensors can also just be non-functional out of the box. A decent tire shop can sort it out for you, and some may even do so for nothing.