2020 Kia Optima
Showing the 2020 Optima Phev EX. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 2.0 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
- Fuel economy
- 24–42 mpgcombined; city 21–40, highway 30–45; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 101 MPGe on electricity
- Five years of fuel
- $7,730–$13,530U.S. average; Ohio $6,910–$12,090 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026. Plug-in hybrid versions: $8,250, EPA's own estimate for plug-in hybrids: its national gasoline and electricity prices and the share of miles it expects on electricity; not priced for any state
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- 5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 153filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Trims
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2020 Optima. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 153 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Optima. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 103 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Power train | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Unknown or other | 17 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9 more parts
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other/i am not sure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes, air | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
Every Optima year side by side
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2020 Optima. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 121 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 Optima, the latest on Sep 11, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (45), engine (29), engine and engine cooling (27), air bags (9), fuel system (8).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
| Investigation | Part | Opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes | Electrical system | Jan 27, 2023 | Closed Aug 7, 2023 Petition withdrawn NHTSA's record and documents |
| Defect petition DP22003 Loss of Motive Power · covers 3 makes | Engine | Sep 12, 2022 | Closed Dec 12, 2023 Petition denied NHTSA's record and documents |
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2020 Optima.
Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5
Used ones for sale
See used 2020 Kia Optimas for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: large cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City / hwy / comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optima Front-Wheel Drive | 1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo | Automatic (AM7) | Regular Gasoline | 27 / 37 / 31 |
| Optima Front-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (S6) | Regular Gasoline | 24 / 32 / 27 |
| Optima Front-Wheel Drive | 2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo | Automatic (S6) | Regular Gasoline | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| Optima FE Front-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (S6) | Regular Gasoline | 25 / 35 / 29 |
| Optima Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive | 2.0 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (AM6) | Regular Gasoline | 40 / 45 / 42 |
| Optima Plug-in Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive | 2.0 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (AM6) | Regular Gasoline or Electricity 28 miles on electricity, 630 miles in all | 39 / 44 / 41 on gasoline 101 MPGe on electricity |
Sources and dates
- U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
- NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data