The Lemon Index2022 Kia Optima.
The 2022 Kia Optima is about average by owner complaints: 100 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 112, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about fuel or ev drive system, and it has 5 recalls. The best Kia Optima year is 2017.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 129 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Kia Optima year. 2022 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 22K to 83K miles on the car (21 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
Recalls 5
- fuel system, gasoline 2025
A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.
- airbags 2023
The side curtain air bags may have been installed incorrectly, causing them not to deploy properly in the event of a crash.
- transmission & drivetrain 2022
The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Show all 5 recalls
- fuel system, gasoline 2021
Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
- lane assist 2021
The Rack-Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS) system lacks the ability to diagnose communication faults.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Kia told dealers about
Kia sent dealers 113 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Technical service bulletin: excessive oil consumption nu/gamma/theta/kappa engines - this…
- Potential low oil pressure due to filter drain plug that was left in filter - attention…
- Technical service bulletin:1.6l t-gdi with mil on dtc p00b7 ecm logic improvement & a/c torque…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia K5 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
In owners' words
Backseat made loud noise and the backseat popped up car started to cut off and stumble as there was no gas in the gas tank leaving me stranded on the side of the road out of state were i donr stay in the way back home to ga
2022 Kia Optima owner · NHTSA complaint 11593181
More owner reports
Fuel consumption jumped then car began jerking shortly after engine failure
NHTSA complaint 11680236
Gas tank expanding causing gas to drip from than tank onto the floor potentially causing a fire hazard.
NHTSA complaint 11684579
Quick answers
Is the 2022 Kia Optima reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew 1.1× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 112; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Optima year by this measure is 2017.
What are the most common 2022 Kia Optima problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are fuel or ev drive system (26%), electrical (21%) and engine (20%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2022 Kia Optima have?
5 safety recalls (latest: fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is the 2022 Kia Optima safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2022 Kia Optima problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 22,000 and 83,000 miles. The middle report was at 57,000 miles, from 21 complaints.
Does the 2022 Kia Optima have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 16% of its owner complaints.
What Kia Optima year is better than the 2022?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works