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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2019 Kia Optima is associated with 205 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 51 reports (25% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 6 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.6l 4-cyl, 2.4l 4-cyl, 2l 4-cyl, 2L 4-Cyl hybrid, and 2L 4-Cyl plug-in hybrid configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 24 to 41 MPG combined. Plug-in hybrid variants are rated up to 103 MPGe (40 MPG on gasoline) with up to 29 miles of electric driving range.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 205 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 1 official campaign
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (51 / 25%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 20 crash / 6 fire / 11 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 24–41 MPG across 6 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2019 Kia Optima?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Optima 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 27 MPG 37 MPG 31 MPG — $2,000 / yr
Optima FE 2.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 25 MPG 35 MPG 29 MPG — $2,100 / yr
Optima 2.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 24 MPG 33 MPG 27 MPG — $2,300 / yr
Optima 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 21 MPG 30 MPG 24 MPG — $2,550 / yr
Optima Hybrid Hybrid 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM6) 39 MPG 45 MPG 41 MPG — $1,500 / yr
Optima Plug-in Hybrid Plug-in Hybrid 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM6) 103 MPGe (38 MPG) 104 MPGe (43 MPG) 103 MPGe (40 MPG) 29 mi EV (610 mi total) $1,550 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
Electric Range & Charging: The 2019 Kia Optima provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 29 miles on a single battery charge.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2019 Kia Optima?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR FWD 9.8%
Hybrid 4 DR FWD 9.8%
Plug-in Hybrid 4 DR FWD —
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2019 Kia Optima models.
View complete 2019 Kia Optima crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2019 Kia Optima?

Summary of 205 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
205
Crash Reports
20
Fire Reports
6
Complaints w/ Injury
11
Total Injuries
16

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 51 complaints
Air Bags 10 complaints (7 crashes)
Forward Collision Avoidance 10 complaints (5 crashes)
Structure & Body 9 complaints
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 6 complaints (2 crashes)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2019 Kia Optima problems & component breakdown (65 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2019 Kia Optima?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #19V539000 Active Recall
Affected Component: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Optima vehicles equipped with Gamma 1.6L Turbo-GDI or Theta II 2.0L Turbo-GDI engines. A software error in the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) system may cause the braking assist function to not engage when a stationary vehicle is detected.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the FCA software, free of charge. The recall began August 27, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC179.
View all 2019 Kia Optima recalls & campaign history (1 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2019 Kia Optima

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2019 Kia Optima

How many safety recalls does the 2019 Kia Optima have?

The 2019 Kia Optima is associated with 1 official NHTSA safety recall campaign in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 1 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2019 Kia Optima?

NHTSA records list 205 consumer defect complaints for the 2019 Kia Optima. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 51 filings (25% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2019 Kia Optima defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2019 Kia Optima?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2019 Kia Optima earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2019 Kia Optima get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2019 Kia Optima range from 24 to 41 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.