2020 Kia Optima Review

Price Estimate: $12,456 - $26,590

The 2020 Kia Optima is a comfortable and stylish midsize sedan that's more generously equipped than most. It does most things well, with nicely shaped seats, a pleasant ride and an intuitive infotainment system. In its top SX trim, the Optima is also quite fun to drive, but that power and fun come at the cost of fuel economy.

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Kia Optima model years

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2020 Kia Optima Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

Standard forward collision mitigation system now includes pedestrian detection
Slight changes to standard features across the trim lineup
LX's Premium and SX's Limited packages are no longer available
Part of the fourth Optima generation introduced in 2016

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.10 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

$131/mo

$159/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Excellent

#8 out of 28 among Midsize Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Kia Optima from 2008-2022.}

$373/yr

vs. $415/yr
for Average Midsize Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.85x/yr

vs. 0.87x/yr
for Average Midsize Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

9.4%

vs. 10.2%
for Average Midsize Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Kia Optima Owner Reviews

4.4

52 reviews

5(65%)

4(23%)

3(4%)

2(2%)

1(6%)

See all 52 reviews Write a vehicle review

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Oh how they have come so far...

Cliff, 12/03/2019

2020 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

My previous car was a Mazda CX-5 my lease ended and I was looking for a vehicle that was not as harsh on the road as the Mazda and still had the space. I knew that I was not going to get another Mazda because of the ride quality and the I also wanted to get my payments down. So i started my research and saw that the optima had more than exceptional ride quality. I was hesitant to go from …

Very pleased

AnneL, 01/19/2020

2020 Kia Optima SE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

I have had my Kia Optima FE(Thanks to an earlier post letting me know that means Fuel Efficient - no one at the dealer knew that) for 6 months now and am quite happy with it. I was driving a 2005 Highlander and was not sure if I would like a sedan, but the quieter and smoother ride have won me over. Apple Car Play is great. I like all the safety features it has. Around town I get …

Optimal comfort

Sarah Graham, 02/02/2019

2019 Kia Optima S 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

I have owned 2 kia's previously (Optima and Sorento EX), and my daughter has owned 2, (Sportage and Optima). I can say that my recent purchase of the 2019 Kia Optima S is the best by far. A luxury car with an affordable price. It has all the latest tech upgrades and the smoothest ride ever. I got every option I have always wanted in a car for an excellent price....I coudn't be more …

Way better than Camry

Ronald O, 06/09/2019

2019 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

This was such a good option. The car practically drives itself on the highway. It’s modern and turns heads. The headlights could be better and I plan on replacing the bulb with LED headlight. The seats are comfy and the car has a nice acceleration. We chose this over the Camry and wouldn’t go back. This is way better and it has better reviews than even a Honda CRV!

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 Kia Optima, so we've included reviews for other years of the Optima since its last redesign.

See all 52 reviews of the Kia Optima

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2020 Optima Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$23,390
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	29 MPG
Cost to Drive	$131/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Optima models:

LED Headlights with Automatic Leveling: Swivels the headlights to provide illumination around a corner while turning and adjusts the tilt to account for passenger weight.
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist: Automatically applies the brakes if advanced safety systems detect an imminent front collision.
Rear Cross Collision Warning: Sounds an alert if a vehicle is passing or about to pass behind you as you back up.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover9.8%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2020 Kia Optima Review

2020 Kia Optima Review

What's new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.10 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.}

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Kia Optima Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Oh how they have come so far...

Very pleased

Optimal comfort

Way better than Camry

2020 Optima Highlights

Safety

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2020 Kia Optima Review

2020 Kia Optima Review

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.10 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Kia Optima Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Oh how they have come so far...

Very pleased

Optimal comfort

Way better than Camry

2020 Optima Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2020 Kia Optima info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Kia

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Kia Optima LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.10 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.}