2020 Kia Optima review
The Optima was Kia’s stylish four-door sedan until 2021, when it was renamed the K5. Prior to its change in identity, the Optima earned praise for its extensive standard equipment list, upscale interior, and intuitive infotainment system with Apple CarPlay®/Android Auto™. Seating is comfortable, although the sloped roof infringes on rear-seat headroom. The 2020 Optima was available with a range of powertrains, and while the base engine felt underpowered, the available turbocharged 2.0-liter engine added more excitement to the drive. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants were available, and we list those separately.
Explore the evolution of the Kia Optima
Get our expert take on used Kia Optima models, or view year-by-year changes.
Fourth generation Kia Optima
When the Kia Optima came into its fourth generation in 2016, the midsize sedan featured slightly revised styling that improved enough to give it a more upscale look. The updated model was wider, longer, and taller than its predecessor, translating to a roomier cabin. In 2018, the Optima got standard Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay®, and by 2019, most advanced driver-assist features were standard, including adaptive cruise control and lane centering. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Optima its highest rating of Top Safety Pick+ for every year of this generation.
Three engines were offered at launch: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a 1.6-liter turbo, and the range-topping 2.0-liter turbo that put out 245 horsepower. Unlike many of its competitors, the Optima skipped the continuously variable transmission for a more traditional automatic. Front-wheel drive was standard on all Optimas. Kia also offered a hybrid and plug-in hybrid variant, which we cover separately.
Model highlights
Three engine options
Standard Apple CarPlay®/Android Auto™ (added in 2018)
Extensive advanced driver-assist systems (standard in 2019)
Expansive trunk space
Discontinued in 2020; replaced the next year by the K5
Changes by year
Latest generation from 2016 - 2020
2020 Kia Optima
2019 Kia Optima
2018 Kia Optima
Highlights
Updated infotainment system with larger screen
Standard Apple CarPlay®/Android Auto™
Learn more
2017 Kia Optima
2016 Kia Optima
Reliability
RepairPal gave the Kia Optima an overall reliability rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Excellent. This rating ranks Kia Optima 8th out of 28 among Midsize Cars.
RepairPal reports that the average total annual cost for repairs and maintenance on a Kia Optima is $373, compared to an average of $430 for Midsize Cars and $591 for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
According to RepairPal, Kia Optima owners bring their vehicles into a repair shop for unscheduled repairs an average of 0.9 times per year, compared to an average of 0.9 times for Midsize Cars and 1.3 times for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
RepairPal reported that the probability of a repair being a severe or major issue is 9% for the Kia Optima, compared to an average of 12% for Midsize Cars and 14% for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
Perry Stern has been writing about cars for almost 30 years and has been an enthusiast for much longer than that. Contributing to multiple automotive publications, Perry drives almost every new car on the market, ranging from base-level Kias to exotic high-performance Lamborghinis. But his favorite is still the 2006 Mazda Miata parked in his garage.
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