2002 Kia Optima LX from North America

Summary:

We are buying another KIa based on 3 years of owning the Optima

Faults:

Weather stripping around windshield became loose.

CD/radio shows error message and turns on/off by itself. (not very often, once every few months)

Passenger window stuck down.

Driver power window stopped working. Small plastic part that prevents cable from coming off the wind up wheel broke and cable became lodged/stuck.

Engine light comes on once and a while and then goes off after a week.

Everything with the exception of the radio/CD problem and engine light problem was taken care of under warranty. Both problems would have been fixed, but service could not find a problem.

General Comments:

This is an update from almost 3 years ago. The old review was entitled "If a the Accord is a 10, then the Kia is at least an 8"

We have had no major problems in our 3 years of ownership and are likely going to buy a Kia sorento next.

Out friends just bought a new Accord and my wife and I agreed that we like the interior of the Optima better. Quality is VG. Color matching on doors and dash etc is not good, but it does not bother us. Seats were a little hard for me in the begining, but I have grown used to them and I now consider them to be a 7 out of a 10.

Engine is as smooth and quite as the day we bought it. It's been super reliable and the 5/60,000 warranty to the 2nd owner has been great, it is no longer under warranty, but all warranty work was done hassle free.

When you put things down in print. it appears that more things went wrong with the car then actually did. Overall we have had very few and very minor issues, all taken care of under warranty.

The biggest complaint we have is the quality of the sheet metal. It is very thin and will ding and dent easier than some other vehicles.

We are looking for a new car and considered the brand new Optima, but neither of us are crazy about the style so we are considering the Kia Soneta.

We are bargain hunters for sure. Honda and Toyota are the best cars out there, but after 3 years of owning a Kia, we believe we can get awfully close to the performance of the Japanese cars for thousands less.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th October, 2006

2002 Kia Optima SE V6 2.7L V6 from North America

Summary:

The car would be great, if quality parts were used!

Faults:

Four new tires, front-end alignment was needed when I first purchased the car.

The check engine light comes on repeatedly.

The CD player stopped working temporarily.

The power door locks do not lock unless I keep triggering them.

Windshield seal broke resulting in water destroying the A/C system.

Cracks appeared on front bumper and the paint is starting to fade.

General Comments:

This car has a lot of great features, except they don't work. All the components are cheap which results in continual costly repair jobs down the road. It is comfortable, offers a smooth ride, and has fairly decent curb appeal, but that is about it. It has made me more miserable than anything else.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 11th July, 2006

2002 Kia Optima LX from North America

Summary:

Wonderful, until it decided to act up

Faults:

My headlights constantly flicker and go out whenever they want to.

The car wants to shut off if you run the air conditioning and radio/CD at the same time.

The power window malfunctioned. It went down and wouldn't come back up.

General Comments:

If it is possible, I am looking for help.

I really like my car, but I don't like it stalling and acting up.

Dealer says there is nothing wrong with it because they haven't seen it. The car has its problems most days, but not every single time I drive it.

It only has 45,000 miles on it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 15th September, 2005