Kia Optima
Reliability, running costs, and MOT data across 10 years from 20,776 real MOT tests.
Avg Pass Rate
83%
Total Tests
20,776
Best Year
2020 (91%)
Years Covered
10
How reliable is the Kia Optima?
Kia Optima by Year
Checking a specific Kia Optima?
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About the Kia Optima
The Kia Optima has been tested 20,776 times in 2024 MOT data across 10 model years (2011 to 2020), with an average pass rate of 83%. That's slightly above the national average of 82%. Available as hybrid and diesel.
Best and Worst Years
The 2020 model is the most reliable with a 91% pass rate from 241 tests. The 2012 model has the lowest at 74%. With a 17 point spread, choosing the right year makes a big difference to reliability.
Reliability Trend
Newer KIA OPTIMAs show better MOT pass rates than older ones, with an average improvement of 10 percentage points.
Mileage Across Years
The oldest model in our data (2011) averages 105,766 miles, while the newest (2020) averages 57,554 miles. Older models have covered serious mileage, so suspension and drivetrain wear are worth checking.
Click any year in the table above to see detailed running costs, individual reliability data, and comparisons with similar cars.