2002
Kia Optima

Starts at:
$15,749
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Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 4dr Sdn LX Manual
    Starts at
    $14,899
    21 City / 28 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn LX Auto
    Starts at
    $15,749
    20 City / 27 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn SE Manual
    Starts at
    $16,549
    21 City / 28 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn SE Auto
    Starts at
    $17,399
    20 City / 27 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn LX Auto V6
    Starts at
    $17,449
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn SE Auto V6
    Starts at
    $18,849
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

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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

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Consumer reviews

77% of drivers recommend this car
4.4 / 5
Based on 9 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.2
Interior 4.4
Performance 4.1
Value 4.1
Exterior 4.5
Reliability 4.3

Most recent

  • By Eric from California
    Owns this car
    August 24, 2022

    It is the best car I’ve owned bar none!

    Bought my 02 Optima new, have put 236,000 miles on it. Live in Bay Area and most miles not on freeways, Never garaged and paint still nice. Brake shake problem fixed with drilled slotted rotors. Regular maintenance done myself and still runs great. Hard hat hit windshield at 70mph on freeway didn’t even crack. Still has original glass. Power antenna quit working but a week later fixed itself, same with cruise control. Engine or transmission never been apart except timing belt and waterpump replacement. I love this car, bought it for 100,000 mi warranty but never broke down. Been a technician for Ford for 35 plus years and this is superior to what cars they’ve built.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
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  • By Brashboy from Palatka, FL
    Owns this car
    June 2, 2020

    Handsome, roomy, good power/handling

    I'm really tall from the waist up, and this car accommodates me well. Power is pretty good for a v6. Have round-tripped a bunch of times between central FL and either St. Louis or Chicago. Does 75-80 mph all day long. Comfortable, good steering, roomy interior front and back, roomy trunk, good access to everything under the hood, easy to work on. Sunroof, cruise control, good radio and sound, comfortable seats with electric adjustability. 400+ on a tank of gas. There's a lot to like.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • By KeliJo from Muskogee,Oklahoma
    Owns this car
    June 26, 2017

    Ive had my 02 kia optima 5 months

    It had 53300 miles on it. Its the v6es sedan. After the first week the transmission started slipping, the headlights dim and brighten, the radio and cd playervswitch back and forth. It read on diagnostic that i need a speed control sensor. The car has been a nightmare. Theres something wrong with my gas tank it constantly kicks off while you are pumping gas into it
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 2.0
    Value 2.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 2.0
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  • By Diann G from Michigan City, Indiana
    Owns this car
    June 25, 2017

    Loved the Car

    I owned my 2002 Kia Optima for 12 years. I loved the inside of the car and all the nooks and crannies for putting my things, CD's pens, paper, cell phone cords etc. Was very easy to drive and took the bumps and over R/R tracks smoothly. The only reason I sold it was because a few things starting going bad and I didn't want to put more money in a 12 year old car. If I could have bought another one just like it I would have. Only thing I would have changed is for it to have run on Diesel.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
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  • By Luvlee from San Francisco
    Owns this car
    May 10, 2017

    Kia optima

    Great car, needs to be more affordable for families. I'll definitely consider another Kia that's more affordable.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 1.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
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  • By Dezzie from Muskegon, MI
    Owns this car
    March 13, 2017

    My first car

    This is my first car that I had bought, it runs really well and I have little problems. It's an '02 and I bought it used. But, overall I would recommend a KIA to someone. I love this car. I couldn't of bought a better one.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
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  • By poppa slate from Dubtown, ny
    Owns this car
    January 30, 2013

    cant kill it

    I bought this car in 2007 from a Kia dealership with 41K miles, it was a leased car. Price was good and has lots of options, its the V-6 SE with leather, moonroof, auto-manual trans, etc. It got great mileage for a car at that time, have consistantly averaged up to 30 mpg highway and 20+ mpg city. Its got almost 200K miles now and still running good. It seems the engine and tranny cant be killed (knock on wood) but some other parts are cheap and have been replaced, brakes seem to go fast, suspension has been redone all around, been through 4 sets of wheel bearings, the front sub-frame rusted out but Kia had a factory recall and replaced it for free. The rear went out shortly after, no recall & cost $800 to fix. I'm probly gonna keep until something major needs to be fixed & maybe give to family member to see how long it will last. I really didn't think this car would have performed and lasted this long when purchased. Paid $10,000 and had over 6 years so my operating cost was nearly $130 per month before maintenance (i'm an engineering technician). And this little rice burner has saved some serious gas money because i often put 3,000 miles a month on it.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
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  • By Fort Mill Resident from Fort Mill, SC
    Owns this car
    August 13, 2009

    Good car but engine light never stopped flashing

    I bought this car brand new in April of 2002. I liked the features and performance. I still do but early on the engine light constantly went on. I kept bringing it back to the dealer and they always fixed it, no questions asked. As it turned out, I almost rebuilt the car because they almost always changed an important part when the light went on. The engine light has not gone on for about 5 years. But the leather seats are now somewhat uncomfortable and the radio has a mind of its own, turning on when it hits a bump. Overall, it was a good purchase and I have no immediate plans to trade it. Would I buy a used one? Maybe because the Kia seems to be very well built. When you open the trunk from the inside, it does not pop open. It just unlocks because the trunk door is so heavy. In an accident that could come in real handy.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 3.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 2.0
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  • By vee from biloxi, ms
    Owns this car
    March 8, 2007

    a very reliable car

    i purchased my kia in 2002 it had only 3 miles on it. with a routine maintanence i currently have over 265,000 miles on it. i have really enjoyed my kia optima. my optima even lasted thru hurricane katrina.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2002 Kia Optima?

The 2002 Kia Optima is available in 2 trim levels:

  • LX (3 styles)
  • SE (3 styles)

What is the MPG of the 2002 Kia Optima?

The 2002 Kia Optima offers up to 21 MPG in city driving and 28 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 2002 Kia Optima?

The 2002 Kia Optima compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 2002 Kia Optima reliable?

The 2002 Kia Optima has an average reliability rating of 4.3 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2002 Kia Optima owners.

Is the 2002 Kia Optima a good Sedan?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2002 Kia Optima. 77.8% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.4 / 5
Based on 9 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.2
  • Interior: 4.4
  • Performance: 4.1
  • Value: 4.1
  • Exterior: 4.5
  • Reliability: 4.3

Kia Optima history

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