Skip to content

Free public service · Official NHTSA & EPA data

2016 Kia Optima

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
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

5 recalls
748 complaints
31 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 5 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 26 complaints reporting a crash
Review the 748 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.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.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

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.

    Remedy

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 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.

    Remedy

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 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.

    Remedy

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 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.

    Remedy

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 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.

    Remedy

    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.

    Full campaign record

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.

NHTSA crash tests

2016 Kia Optima Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2016 Kia Optima Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2016 Kia Optima Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

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

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)460
miscellaneous issues79
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)46

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 Kia Optima, newest first.

  1. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation EA19001

    Electrical overstress

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP22003

    Loss of Motive Power

  3. Recall

    Recall 23V594000

    A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

  4. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP21003

    Throttle control system vulnerabilities

  5. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP22003

    Loss of Motive Power

  6. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP21003

    Throttle control system vulnerabilities

  7. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA19001

    Electrical overstress

  8. Recall

    Recall 18V907000

    A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

  9. Recall

    Recall 17V007000

    In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.

  10. Recall

    Recall 16V705000

    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.

  11. Recall

    Recall 16V231000

    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

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation EA19001

    Electrical overstress

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP22003

    Loss of Motive Power

  3. Recall

    Recall 23V594000

    A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

  4. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP21003

    Throttle control system vulnerabilities

  5. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP22003

    Loss of Motive Power