Used car safety, rank #161 of 181
Kia Optima Safety Rating (2019-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2019-20 Kia Optima, a midsize car, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2019-20 Kia Optima has an IIHS driver death rate of 80 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize cars average of 58.1, which is 38% above the class average. That places it #161 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 14.6/100.
What the Kia Optima death rate means
At 80 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Kia Optima is 38% worse than the midsize cars average of 58.1. The 95% confidence interval is 45 to 115, which overlaps the class average, so some of the gap may be chance.
The other-driver death rate of 134 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Kia Optima. It is higher than the Kia Optima's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used cars
The safest midsize cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Kia Optima highlighted. It ranks 8 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Toyota Camry hybrid at a death rate of 19.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry hybrid | 2018-20 | 19 (0 to 38) | 58.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Fusion hybrid | 2019-20 | 25 (0 to 56) | 50.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Accord hybrid | 2018-20 | 45 (1 to 90) | 30.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Accord | 2018-20 | 46 (34 to 57) | 29.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 2019-20 | 47 (24 to 69) | 29.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Camry | 2018-20 | 48 (38 to 59) | 28.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Fusion | 2019-20 | 67 (30 to 104) | 16.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Kia Optima (this page) | 2019-20 | 80 (45 to 115) | 14.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 2017-20 | 91 (73 to 108) | 13.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for midsize cars: 58.1 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Safety recalls for the Kia Optima
No recalls on record for the 2020 model year.
Kia Optima: Common Questions
Is the Kia Optima a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 80 per million registered vehicle years for the 2019-20 Kia Optima, 38% above the class average (58.1 for midsize cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 14.6 out of 100 and rank #161 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Kia Optima driver death rate?
80 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 45 to 115. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Kia Optima died at a rate of 134 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2019-20 models.
How does the Kia Optima compare with other midsize cars?
The midsize cars class averages 58.1 driver deaths per million; the Kia Optima sits at 80. Among the 9 midsize cars compared above it ranks 8 by safety score; the top of that group is the Toyota Camry hybrid with a death rate of 19.