Best family car overall 2009 Honda Accord *Est. $20905
Best budget family car 2009 Hyundai Sonata *Est. $18700
"Fun to drive" family sedan 2009 Mazda6 *Est. $18550
Large family car 2009 Toyota Avalon *Est. $27845

See All Family Cars

2009 Kia Optima

*Est. $17,495 to $22,145

Reviewed April 2009

Budget-priced
Decent safety scores
Improved reliability
Responsive handling
Roomy interior
Long standard feature list
Good fuel economy
Long warranty

Less refined than costlier rivals
Below average resale value
Generic styling

Our Analysis

When experts take time to review the all-but-forgotten Kia Optima, they discover that it's a great bargain. Roomy, fuel-efficient and loaded with features at a low price, testers say it lacks only a good dose of refinement to rise to the level of more expensive, critically-acclaimed family sedans like the Honda Accord (*est. $20,905 to $28,955). The Optima "amazed us with its value," writes Ron Kiino at Motor Trend. He recites the long list of features that come standard on the mid-level Kia Optima EX (*est. $20,690), a trim level that also impresses testers at Edmunds.com with amenities like automatic climate control, leather seats and heated mirrors.

"In fact," Edmunds.com says, "a fully loaded EX V6 with leather, heated seats, premium audio and sunroof doesn't crack $24,000, which is about five grand less than similarly equipped rivals such as the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima [*est. $19,900 to $29,380] and Toyota Camry [*est. $19,395 to $29,045]." The Kia Optima's high-quality interior beats what you'll find in "the gradually slipping Toyota Camry," Edmunds.com says. The Optima is just as fuel efficient as its pricier rivals, and we found no complaints from reviewers regarding interior room or comfort.

Although Kia Optimas from just a few years ago do poorly in J.D. Power and Associates' dependability survey, experts say Kia's quality has improved and the 2009 Optima promises to be more reliable. Kia backs the Optima with a better basic warranty than most: five years/60,000 miles, with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Kia is owned by Hyundai, and the Hyundai Sonata (*est. $18,700 to $26,550) carries the same warranty. The Sonata and Optima share the same architecture under the skin but experts say the Sonata's better performance and overall refinement make it the better value.

"The Kia didn't have the same feeling of value and quality as the Hyundai, and I'd find it hard to recommend paying more money for a lesser car that comes from the same parent company," says Allyson Harwood of Motor Trend, after testing the Optima and Sonata head-to-head. The entry-level Kia Optima LX (*est. $17,495) comes with a 175-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-4 engine that testers say is an average performer for its class. Its 25 mpg fuel economy rating in mixed driving (22 city/32 highway) with either the five-speed manual or automatic transmission places it in the top tier of family sedans.

"It offers crisp response and decent power, and is so good that, on balance, there seems little justification for either the additional expense or the greater fuel consumption of the V6," Kelley Blue Book says of the four-cylinder Optima. A 194-horsepower, 2.7-liter V-6 is optional on the Optima EX (*est. $20,690) and SX (*est. $21,140). It's paired with the five-speed automatic exclusively and delivers 23 mpg in mixed driving (20 city/28 highway), according to EPA estimates.

Several top sources had not yet tested the late-breaking 2009 Kia Optima when we checked. We did find direct comparison tests between the Optima and other family sedans at Consumer Reports and Motor Trend, while Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book also compare the Optima with the leading family sedans. The National Traffic Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are valuable sources of crash-test data for most cars on the market, including the Optima. We found fuel-economy data at the Environmental Protection Agency. Besides Consumer Reports, J.D. Power and Associates is one of the few sources that surveys owners to find out how reliable cars are over time.

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Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

Consumer Reports is a particularly valuable resource for buyers considering the Kia Optima. In addition to the usual evaluations of ride, comfort, etc., Consumer Reports also collects data on aspects of the Kia Optima that budget-conscious buyers will find especially important, such as reliability and fuel economy.

Review: Kia Optima, Editors of ConsumerReports.org

2. Motor Trend Details/Subscribe

The Kia Optima places sixth in this head-to-head test of 10 family sedans. Like other critics, experts here say there's nothing wrong with the Optima that a little extra refinement wouldn't cure.

Review: The Familial and Frugal: Four-Cylinder Midsize Sedan Comparison Test, Editors of Motor Trend

3. Edmunds.com

Although the Kia Optima doesn't rise to the level of a top recommended sedan at Edmunds.com, experts here say it has a lot to offer buyers on a tight budget. It compares mostly favorably with more expensive sedans, including the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion.

Review: 2009 Kia Optima Review, Editors of Edmunds.com

4. Kelley Blue Book

Kelley Blue Book is yet another source that doesn't include the Kia Optima on its recommended shopping list, but editors find little to dislike about it. They do say, however, that the Optima loses its value quickly.

Review: 2009 Kia Optima Review, Editors of Kelley Blue Book

5. SaferCars.gov

The Kia Optima earns very good scores in government safety tests, with perfect scores in front and side crashes and a rollover-potential rating of four out of five.

Review: 5-Star Safety Ratings, Editors of SaferCar.gov

6. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The Kia Optima doesn't rise to the level of a Top Safety Pick, thanks to a side crash rating that is only "acceptable."

Review: Midsize Moderately Priced Cars, Editors of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

7. FuelEconomy.gov

The EPA estimates fuel economy for both the four-cylinder and V-6 engine Kia Optimas. Results are posted here alongside dozens of other midsize sedans, making comparisons easy.

Review: 2009 Midsize Cars, Editors of FuelEconomy.gov

8. J.D. Power and Associates

The Kia Optima is one of the least dependable midsize cars in this owner survey. However, ratings are based on 2009 surveys of owners who bought their cars in 2006, and other sources say Kia's quality has improved in the past few years.

Review: 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study -- Midsize Car, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates