2009 Kia Optima User Reviews

Pros

Tilt, telescopic, cruise, audio controls on steering wheel, roomy, spacious trunk,32 mpg ,

Cons

Noisy on rough roads, dash lights illuminate whenever the key is turned on/leads to minor confusion

Purchased As New

Are you kidding? This is by far the best car I have ever owned. I got on the Kia band wagon in 2001 with a new Rio. Remember those weird green ones? I special ordered it thinking it was yellow. Ooops! I took delivery anyway. It ran so good I bought another one four months later for my daughter. Since then I've owned five Rio's. I average 50K miles a year. Yeah, I pay my fair share of road taxes. Last May was in the market for another Rio when I spotted the '09 Optima. It's looks pulled me in and the test drive sold me. For an additional two grand over the now popular Rio, how could I refuse? My first Rio was five grand. My last was near fifteen. For around seventeen thousand, you get every option on the planet and 10 years worth of warranty if you are the average driver. Mine runs out faster than most yet the Kia's I own still run way beyond the 100K warranty. I still have my daughters '01 with 120K on it and an '03 with 149K on it. An '06 with 125K, a newer '08 Rio, and now this '09 Optima. The Rio's average 35-40 mpg depending on speed. The Optima 32-36 depending on grade of gasoline. The headlights blow everybody away on low beam. Frequently I get the dim signal from others when on low beam. I've racked up about 25K miles thus far. The car turns heads everywhere I go. It's got the 4 cylinder. Plenty of punch with the five speed automatic. In days of old I craved the big blocks for power. Gas prices drove me to the Kia. I never owned a four cylinder that hole shots like the optima. She cruises all day at 65-70 depending on the state I'm passing through. Nobody shows me their tail lights unless I allow them too. Rio's are good for what they do, but the Optima is a breed apart. Worth every dime over the Rio. I'm looking for another already. Deals are everywhere on these overlooked cars. If Rio offered cruise control? Put me down for one. No resale value, but they never stop running anyway. Why trade?