- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 5
- on record
- MPG
- 31
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2016 Kia Optima
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 5
- Owner complaints
- 748
- Complaints citing a crash
- 26
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
5 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
5 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 18V907000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Consequence
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
- 17V007000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Kia Motors America (Kia) has recalled one 2016 Optima vehicle. In this vehicle, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
Consequence
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
The affected vehicle was remedied on January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC143.
- 16V705000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 13, 2015, to April 23, 2016 and equipped with a 2.4l engine. The right front axle driveshaft may crack and fail.
Consequence
If the driveshaft cracks and separates from the vehicle, it will not be able to move forward. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied upon exiting the vehicle, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario can increase the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC139.
- 16V231000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016. In these vehicles, a chemical enhancer required for the for the second stage deployment of the driver's frontal air bag was not loaded, resulting in the second stage not deploying in necessitating crashes.
Consequence
If the second stage air bag does not deploy it increases the risk of injury or death.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC131.
- 23V594000high
Latches/locks/linkages · trunk lid · latch
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
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."
Consequence
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2016 Kia Optima.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 9.8%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2016 Kia Optima 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 6 comparable 2016 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 9.8% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2016 Kia Optima, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
28
City
37
Hwy
31
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,000
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 286 g/mi
How this compares
At 31 MPG combined, the 2016 Kia Optima ranks 1st of 8 large cars EPA rated for 2016 — 8.5 MPG better than the 22.5 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,000, $725 less than the $2,725 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $10,000, a $3,625 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 286 grams per mile — about 4.3 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
748 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 748
- Total
- 26
- Crashes
- 19
- Fires
- 21
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE460
- OTHER79
- ELECTRICAL46
- STRUCTURE30
- LIGHTING30
Serious Concerns
748 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 21 reports involve injuries. 26 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 Kia Optima, newest first.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation EA19001
Electrical overstress
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP21003
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP21003
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation EA19001
Electrical overstress
- Recall
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Recall
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
- Recall
If the driveshaft cracks and separates from the vehicle, it will not be able to move forward. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied upon exiting the vehicle, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario can increase the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the second stage air bag does not deploy it increases the risk of injury or death.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Large Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 1.6L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (AM7)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
28
City
37
Hwy
31
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,000
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Compare with
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation EA19001
Electrical overstress
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP21003
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power


