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2015
Kia Optima

Starts at:
$21,840
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New 2015 Kia Optima
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Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
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Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 4dr Sdn LX
    Starts at
    $21,840
    23 City / 34 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn EX
    Starts at
    $24,340
    23 City / 34 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn SX
    Starts at
    $25,790
    23 City / 34 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn SX Turbo
    Starts at
    $27,700
    20 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn SXL Turbo
    Starts at
    $35,500
    20 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

Photo & video gallery

2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Optima

Notable features

Five-seat midsize sedan
Choice of two gas engines
Hybrid version available
Automatic transmission standard

The good & the bad

The good

Sharp styling
Richly appointed cabin
Roomy trunk

The bad

Backseat headroom
Folding backseat leaves small opening

Available cars near you

Safety review

Based on the 2015 Kia Optima base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Overall rating
5/5
Combined side rating front seat
3/5
Combined side rating rear seat
5/5
Frontal barrier crash rating driver
5/5
Frontal barrier crash rating passenger
5/5
Overall frontal barrier crash rating
5/5
Overall side crash rating
5/5
Rollover rating
5/5
Side barrier rating
5/5
Side barrier rating driver
3/5
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat
5/5
Side pole rating driver front seat
5/5
9.6%
Risk of rollover
Side barrier rating driver
3/5
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat
5/5
Side pole rating driver front seat
5/5
9.6%
Risk of rollover

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
5 years / 60,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years / 100,000 miles
Powertrain
10 years / 100,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
5 years / 60,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
6 years or newer / less than 80,000 miles
Basic
12 months / 12,000 miles
Dealer certification
165-point inspection

Compare similar vehicles

Select cars to compare for more detailed info.
  • 2015
    4.6
    Kia Optima
    Starts at
    $21,840
    23 City / 34 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2018
    4.8
    Hyundai SONATA
    Starts at
    $22,050
    25 City / 36 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2014
    4.4
    Hyundai ELANTRA
    Starts at
    $17,200
    27 City / 37 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2013
    4.5
    Hyundai Elantra GT
    Starts at
    $18,545
    26 City / 37 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2018
    5.0
    Kia Optima Hybrid
    Starts at
    $25,995
    39 City / 46 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    120 month/100,000 miles
    Warranty
    Gas/Electric I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2016
    4.6
    Kia Optima
    Starts at
    $22,140
    24 City / 35 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • Compare more options
    Use our comparison tool to add any vehicle of your choice and see a full list of specifications and features side-by-side.
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Consumer reviews

4.6 / 5
Based on 268 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.6
Interior 4.5
Performance 4.6
Value 4.5
Exterior 4.7
Reliability 4.6

Most recent

I own a 2015 Kia Optima my horror story began on 07/17/24

I own a 2015 Kia Optima my horror story began on 07/17/24 when I had the HECU fuse recall repaired the dealership I purchased my car from. Within 2 days of that being completed the engine started making a knocking sound that kept getting louder and louder after driving it. Called the dealership to tell them about the noise they said oh that sounds like the Knocking Sensor has gone bad so I brought it to them 07/29/24. The service advisor said oh we will have to keep your vehicle 2-3weeks as we have to order a brand new engine since we don't have one in the shop (Lies)per further investigation new engine=new parts on your old engine. So instead of 2-3 weeks my car was repaired in 3 days, but sitting without any updates provided to me. I was finally called on 08/08/24 by the service advisor to say my car was ready from following up on an email I sent on 08/06/24 requesting an update on getting a loaner vehicle. Went to the dealership 08/08/24 again during the check out process was told they put in a brand new engine on the car. Went out to my car they parked in the parking lot cranked it up and it's still making a noise the engine is shaking, the high pressure fuel pump is making a rattling noise. Drove the car back over to the service department area I asked the service advisor to come to my car to inspect the noise coming from the car. He opened the hood to say he heard and saw it shaking he proceeded to get the lead mechanic he came out looked at it to say oh your car is fine it's supposed to sound like that. My engine has never had a shaking issue or rattled until these repairs people would think a car owner should know their vehicle very well to determine when it doesn't sound right. I haven't had any issues prior to the HECU fuse repair now my car is going down the drain 😞. Upon contacting Kia Consumer Affairs to let them know the issue I was having they said take it back as no the car should not be doing that. In the process of taking it back to the dealership my car was stalling/puttering had to push the pedal all the way to the floor just to get some speed. The speedometer was reading 60mph but felt like it was only going 40mph as of today no one from the dealership has reached out to say anything about my car. Iwas told by Kia Consumer Affairs representative that the Kia service department said they're not fixing the engine shaking problem nor repairing due to the high pressure fuel pump as its not covered any longer under the recall. I'm confused as to how that is because per information found online states the fuel pump can cause issues if it was misaligned, damaged or improperly put back during the repairing of the engine. This should not fall on the customer to pay for as the customer didn't cause the issue. Its a Shame how dealerships in multiple States are treating customers who are in possession of Dangerous and Poorly built vehicles they are stuck with. I will NEVER again purchase a Kia or recommend anyone I know to buy one either!
  • Does not recommend this car
Comfort 1.0
Interior 2.0
Performance 1.0
Value 1.0
Exterior 2.0
Reliability 1.0
3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
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BEWARE!! Kia will not stand behind their vehicles!

I usually don’t leave reviews on anything. If I could leave zero stars for Kia in general I would. I have a 2015 Kia optima. My car has 59,000 miles on it. It has been very well taken care of. All of a sudden the engine goes bad out of the blue. When checking in to what was going on, we found out there had been some recalls on our car that we knew nothing about, one being the engine. We never received any recall information on my car. Kia refuses to honor the recall, because they said they sent recall notices and that we did not take care of the recalls. We did NOT receive any recall information, because who in their right mind would not take care of a recall on their car if they received it. Kia will not stand behind their vehicles. They refused to even talk to us about it and did not care that we did not receive any recall notices. Now it is going to cost 5,000.00 to get a new engine for an 8 year old car that has 59,000 miles. DO NOT BUY A KIA. This is one of the worst experiences we’ve ever had with a vehicle. The car has been good up until this point, but beware that if you have problems, KIA will not take care of them, even though they are suppose to. I am very disappointed in KIA, and will never own another vehicle made by Kia.
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does not recommend this car
Comfort 4.0
Interior 4.0
Performance 1.0
Value 1.0
Exterior 4.0
Reliability 1.0
17 people out of 20 found this review helpful. Did you?
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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2015 Kia Optima?

The 2015 Kia Optima is available in 5 trim levels:

  • EX (1 style)
  • LX (1 style)
  • SX (1 style)
  • SX Turbo (1 style)
  • SXL Turbo (1 style)

What is the MPG of the 2015 Kia Optima?

The 2015 Kia Optima offers up to 23 MPG in city driving and 34 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 2015 Kia Optima?

The 2015 Kia Optima compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 2015 Kia Optima reliable?

The 2015 Kia Optima has an average reliability rating of 4.6 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2015 Kia Optima owners.

Is the 2015 Kia Optima a good Sedan?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2015 Kia Optima. 93.3% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.6 / 5
Based on 268 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.6
  • Interior: 4.5
  • Performance: 4.6
  • Value: 4.5
  • Exterior: 4.7
  • Reliability: 4.6

Kia Optima history

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