Reliable Auto DB

2018 Kia Optima reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Kia Optima has 232 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 14 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Optima years here — under the median of the other years, which is 22. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Latch and Hybrid propulsion.

2012 Kia Optima
Photo by Throwawayacc222, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC0
Complaints

232

Per year

14

Recalls

2

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (131 of 232), then Electrical system (33) and Powertrain (18). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 10 that report a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Optima has 255 complaints, 10 per year, and the 2019 has 208 complaints, 14 per year. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Kia Optima. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, trunk lid, latch 2023-08-24 · NHTSA campaign 23V594000
Summary Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Remedy Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.
Recall hybrid propulsion 2018-03-08 · NHTSA campaign 18V161000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Optima hybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.
Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the VPD switch and install two newly designed Battery Management Systems (BMS) that contain Overvoltage Protection Devices (OPDs), free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC162.

Complaints by component (232 total)

Engine
131
Electrical system
33
Powertrain
18
Service brakes
17
Engine and engine cooling
14
Exterior lighting
14
Fuel and propulsion system
13
Steering
12
Speed control
10
Air bags
9
Structure
7
Seat belts
5
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
Lane departure
3
Fire-related
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Suspension
1
Tires
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Wheels
1
Show 13 more Show less
Crash-flagged

10

Fire-flagged

10

Injury reports

7

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

62018172019202020172021322022432023352024442025182026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle jerked abnormally. The failure persisted while driving, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-08
  • "The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate and failed to exceed 52 MPH. The vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the engine…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-20
  • "See attached document for complaint."
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-07-22
  • "I was run off the road by a drunk driver I hit a tree at 35MPH MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID MY SEAT BELT LOCK!!!! I NOW HAVE MULTIPLE INJURIES I HAVE BROKEN BONES ALL THROUGHOUT MY FACE!!!!! A SEVERE…"
    Air bags, Seat belts · filed 2026-07-19
  • "I’ve had my 2018 kia optima for round about two years.I only got this car because they refused to replace my previous engine on my 2015 Kia optima,even though I had a warranty but that’s another story(Kia on the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-09

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Kia Optima 4 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars
2018 Kia Optima Hybrid 4 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars
2018 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid 4 DR FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Optima 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 24 34 28 MPG $2300
Optima 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 22 31 25 MPG $2600
Optima 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (7-speed) Front-wheel drive 28 37 31 MPG $2100
Optima FE 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 25 36 29 MPG $2250
Optima hybrid 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 39 46 42 MPG $1550
Optima Plug-in hybrid 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 38 43 40 MPG / 610 mi range $1600
Optima S 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 23 32 26 MPG $2500

Specs and fitment

4th generation (JF), 2012–2020
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 (2.4L and 2.0L turbo per manual) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 215/55R17 to 245/45R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 18V161000. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Optima hybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently. If the VPD activates while the vehicle is being operated in Electric Vehicle (EV) mode, there may be a loss of power, increasing the risk of a crash. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the VPD switch and install two newly designed Battery Management Systems (BMS) that contain Overvoltage Protection Devices (OPDs), free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC162.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Kia Optima Next year 2019 Kia Optima See every Kia Optima model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Kia Optima reliable?

The 2018 Kia Optima has 232 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 14 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Optima years here — under the median of the other years, which is 22. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Latch and Hybrid propulsion.

What are common problems with a 2018 Kia Optima?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (131 of 232), then Electrical system (33) and Powertrain (18). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 10 that report a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Kia Optima more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Optima has 255 complaints, 10 per year, and the 2019 has 208 complaints, 14 per year. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2019.

Has the 2018 Kia Optima been recalled?

The 2018 Kia Optima has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Kia Optima?

Owners have filed 232 complaints about the 2018 Kia Optima with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Kia Optima get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Kia Optima is 31.6 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Optima take?

5W-20 or 0W-20 (2.4L and 2.0L turbo per manual)

What does NHTSA recall 18V-161 cover on the Kia Optima?

NHTSA campaign 18V161000.

What generation is the 2013 Kia Optima?

4th generation (JF) (2012-2020).