Used 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid Consumer Reviews
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Transmission went out at 60,400 miles!
Tim, 09/09/2015
2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
We've have had this car since new, and didn't have any issues until it was out of manufacturers warranty. While driving approximately 55mph the vehicle went into "limp mode" and told us to "pull over and safely exit the vehicle" (this was displayed on the dash). If I tried to put it in drive it would make a very hard jump, and would not accelerate. Upon contacting Kia I was told that there was no road side assistance because our car was out of warranty. So we loaded the vehicle up on my parents flat bed and hauled it to the dealership it was purchased from in Ocala, Fl (we were in Jax, Fl and insurance wouldn't transport it that far). Thank God for the extended warranty! Because after sitting in the dealership for over two weeks while they were "waiting to hear back from Korea, because we've never seen this problem" the car needed a new transmission and new electric motor. If we wouldn't have had the extended warranty I would have set the damn thing on fire because I can't imagine what the cost of that was (our repair bill did not give a price). On top of the transmission and electronic motor going out, the buttons to change the station on the steering wheel do not work properly, and the steering wheel itself is peeling apart. Front air damn fell off going down the road. According to Kia it was because my wife couldn't park, but I think it was never put on properly. Steering wheel makes a clicking noise if you barely turn it while the vehicle is stopped. I'm sure it will break while we're on the highway. Fit and finish are decent but the car does not live up to its price tag or its estimated fuel economy. Our warranty goes out at 100k so at that time we'll trade it in for $1,500 and put that towards a Honda.
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Optima Hybrid Great Value all Around
ennui5000, 04/23/2012
2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
I chose the KIA Optima Hybrid because these were the hybrids dealers were willing to negotiate lower and KIA offered additional incentives. From what I understood, it was the same system as the Sonata. 2010s KIA seems to be the great deal like their cousins unknown cousins were in the early 2000s. I am learning the car. Mostly, I keep it in cruise control as the EVO best monitors the performance. This works well. If you drive in EVO on your own, their is slight hesitation (why I gave it 4). EVO off and you feel the 200 HP and it moves without hesitation!! Lots of room, quiet, smooth ride, panoramic sunroof has wind shield. Tons of features. Handles well.
2012 Kia Optima for sale near you
3 of 25 listings
- Hybrid SedanMSRP: $3,10029 mi away
- EX SedanMSRP: $9,981254 mi away
- SX SedanMSRP: $9,490422 mi away
See all 25 listings
Kia Hybrid Premium was a great find
sii, 04/30/2012
2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
18 of 20 people found this review helpful
What a find! It's a bettery hybrid than the Camry and had more features for the same price as the Sonata. Lithium Polymer battery provides extra power during hard acceleration. The transition from EV battery mode to engine power was smooth unlike in the Sonata or the reviews. My guess is they tweaked the software. Not as sporty as a smaller car or a Mazda, but much better than other hybrids. Though it's a hybrid, it feels like a normal fully equiped car except for the quietness and good MPG.
Decent but I have concerns
Mike, 12/15/2021
2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I purchased a used 2012 Optima Hybrid late summer of 2013. It had 18k miles on it when purchased. From 2013 through Feb 2018 I had no issue. I only drive about 5k miles a year. In March 2018 I had some sort of electrical issue that affected the radio and rear camera. There was something disconnecting and the radio and rear camera would die and have no power. It would drain the battery and then the car wouldn't start. I had an extended warranty and the warranty covered this issue with only $50 out of pocket. THe dealer told me this would've been a $2500-3000 repair. Fast forward to 2019 and the exact same issue happened. Here I am with a car with only 44k miles on it and I had another $2500-3000 repair. Luckily, the extended warranty was good and I had it repaired again. After repairing, I realized that my warranty was expiring at the end of 2019 and I decided to trade it in for something else. I'm not saying this problem whatever it was would have happened again but I wasn't taking a chance. Each time they repaired it, the repair took close to a week. Luckily I had a rental paid for by the warrant company and wasn't without a vehicle. I liked the ride of the car and comfort but I wouldn't buy it again given the problems I had.
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So far so good...
bykdude, 09/08/2012
2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
Great car and great value. First 1000 miles ok. Only complaint would be the seats. Dude...you might as well be seating on a park bench. Other than that, this vehicle has all the features of any other luxury car. We'll just have to see how it stands up over time.