2005
Kia Optima

Starts at:
$18,900
Shop options
New 2005 Kia Optima
See ratings
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Shop Cars.com
Browse cars & save your favorites
Dealers near you
Find & contact a dealership near you
no listings

We're not finding any listings in your area.
Change your location or search Cars.com to see more!

Change location

Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 4dr Sdn LX Manual
    Starts at
    $16,195
    23 City / 30 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn LX Auto
    Starts at
    $17,450
    22 City / 30 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn EX Auto
    Starts at
    $18,900
    22 City / 30 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn LX Auto V6
    Starts at
    $18,995
    20 City / 27 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn EX Auto V6
    Starts at
    $20,195
    20 City / 27 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

Photo & video gallery

2005 Kia Optima 2005 Kia Optima

Notable features

Four-cylinder or V-6
Manual or automatic
Standard side-impact airbags
10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty

The good & the bad

The good

Ride comfort
Price
Maneuverability
Stability

The bad

Resale value
Uncertain reliability record
Inconsistent automatic-transmission operation
See all specifications

Safety review

Based on the 2005 Kia Optima base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
4/5
Frontal passenger
4/5
Nhtsa rollover rating
5/5
Side driver
4/5
Side rear passenger
4/5

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
5 years / 60,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years / 100,000 miles
Powertrain
10 years / 100,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
5 years

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
6 years or newer / less than 80,000 miles
Basic
12 months / 12,000 miles
Dealer certification
165-point inspection
See all CPO program details

Compare similar vehicles

Select cars to compare for more detailed info.
  • 2005
    3.8
    Kia Optima
    Starts at
    $16,195
    23 City / 30 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 1994
    4.8
    Toyota Corolla
    Starts at
    $12,098
    -
    MPG
    -
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    -
    Engine
    -
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2001
    3.7
    Kia Optima
    Starts at
    $15,299
    21 City / 28 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2007
    4.6
    Toyota Yaris
    Starts at
    $11,150
    34 City / 40 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2007
    4.2
    Volkswagen Passat
    Starts at
    $23,180
    23 City / 32 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Turbocharged gas I4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2019
    5.0
    Kia Optima Hybrid
    Starts at
    $28,090
    39 City / 45 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    120 month/100,000 miles
    Warranty
    Gas/Electric I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2008
    4.6
    Lincoln MKZ
    Starts at
    $30,980
    18 City / 28 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    -
    Warranty
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2019
    Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid
    Starts at
    $35,390
    29 mi.
    Range
    5
    Seat capacity
    120 month/100,000 miles
    Warranty
    Gas/Electric I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • Compare more options
    Use our comparison tool to add any vehicle of your choice and see a full list of specifications and features side-by-side.
    Try it now

Consumer reviews

87% of drivers recommend this car
3.8 / 5
Based on 16 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.1
Interior 3.8
Performance 3.9
Value 4.1
Exterior 3.8
Reliability 3.9

Most recent

By Alex from Nv,Ut,
Owns this car
May 31, 2020

Didn’t Last Very Long

I bought a 2005 Kia Optima for $750 dollars in January of 2019. When I bought it, the whole car would vibrate really really bad depending on RPM and the transmission shifted really hard from 2nd to 3rd (It was an automatic). Heading into spring, my starter went out, so I wasn’t able to get home from work. I paid $200 for a brand new starter and installed it. It did okay for about another month, and then the alternator belt got chewed up, which made my car break down in the middle of an intersection. That was a fun night! Put a new belt in it, and then the head gasket started getting worse and worse. I was buying 2 gallons of coolant a week and barely keeping up with how fast it was going through the car. It would overheat constantly and I would just have to pray that it didn’t blow up. The AC was nonexistent and I mostly drove it with the heat on, because of the overheating, in the summer and that was not fun. I bought a Mazda 3 July of the same year and I’m much happier with it. Now my Kia just kinda sits in the yard with problems just piling up. I’ll occasionally start it up and mess around in it but that’s about it. The car has 169,000 miles on it as of now, and it’s one step away from getting crushed at the scrapyard.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does not recommend this car
Comfort 4.0
Interior 3.0
Performance 1.0
Value 1.0
Exterior 1.0
Reliability 1.0
0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
Yes No
By Robjinkawosky from Alabama cuntuky
Used to own this car
February 24, 2020

Two words... Sport Shift

This car met all my family. One time when i was that young I used to have all of them, Now when I listen for that sound I have to be ready. Because when you try you can believe.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Off-roading
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 5.0
Interior 3.0
Performance 5.0
Value 4.0
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 4.0
1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
Yes No
See all reviews

Kia dealers near you

See all Kia dealers near you

FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2005 Kia Optima?

The 2005 Kia Optima is available in 2 trim levels:

  • EX (2 styles)
  • LX (3 styles)

What is the MPG of the 2005 Kia Optima?

The 2005 Kia Optima offers up to 23 MPG in city driving and 30 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 2005 Kia Optima?

The 2005 Kia Optima compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 2005 Kia Optima reliable?

The 2005 Kia Optima has an average reliability rating of 3.9 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2005 Kia Optima owners.

Is the 2005 Kia Optima a good Sedan?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2005 Kia Optima. 87.5% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

3.8 / 5
Based on 16 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.1
  • Interior: 3.8
  • Performance: 3.9
  • Value: 4.1
  • Exterior: 3.8
  • Reliability: 3.9

Kia Optima history

Your list was successfully saved.
Your comparisons
 
 
 
 
Save list Compare