Kia Optima Real World MPG

mickeyrom

My 2.4 Optima has never gotten as high as 15MPG in town,of course these trips are so short that it never completely warms up.Where it shines is on the highway.Never less than 30MPG and as high as 36.

caaz

I wonder if the same High end spark plugs are the same size and number i need for my 4 cyl. Sonata?......id love to crank it up and improve my MPG...just like he did with his Optima

csandste

Getting better although I think it's artificially high just like the last one was low @ 15. This is the best ever given the mix of driving, summer gas and heavy use of A/C.

mickeyrom

Just came back from a trip to Cedar Point.First fill up,almost all highway...35.1MPG

Second fill up,maybe 20% city,28.8...I have no complaints.

csandste

22.5 all around town, almost no interstate driving. Getting better.

mickeyrom

Must have been downhill CS,even CR says in town average real world is 15.Maybe your car is charmed.

caaz

Is urs a v6 or I4 that got 35.1 ? #2 what speed were you going to get that....#3 were you using cruise control?

thx

mickeyrom

Caz...my Optima has a 2.4 engine.I do use cruise, and drive posted speeds.Mostly 65 MPH,but a lot of 70,through Indiana, and a Little 55 MPH on our way to I80.
35 is not my best.One tank in May I managed 36.1.
Oh yes,that is with AC on.

cmhj2000

06.5 Optima I4 W/Auto.

Running from the north side of Philly to No. Carolina holding the speed limit got us about 37 MPG average on this round trip.

Suburban driving averages mid 20s.

Not a lead foot but will run the speedlimit + a bit.

Be picky on your maintenance. It'll pay off.

csandste

Pretty good considering St. Louis low emission gas and 100 degree temps.

mickeyrom

That is the answer cmh,lighten up on the gas pedal.Unfortunately,that has not helped me in town.Hwy is satisfactory,but city is only 14 or so.What is your secret?Maybe my trips are just too short resulting in a cold engine.

cmhj2000

Basically I'm not out to set any speed records. I'll let anyone beat me to the next red light. I get there when I get there. If it's not fast enough they can pass me.

City driving is soooooo subjective and can vary a vast amount. Here I don't get into much stop and go but traffic does bottle neck a lot during certain time periods.

Length or trip? Sure that also makes a big difference. My normal daily trip is about 13 miles one way, average speed 35-40 MPH.

mickeyrom

That explains it.Our city driving rarely exceeds 2 miles at a time and never faster than 35 MPH.I have never hit the 37 MPG yet,but just for fun,I'll post my more recent MP Gs.All have at least a little city driving. :shades:
36.1 -- 29.2 -- 28.8
33.9 -- 33.7
20.8 -- 30.6
35.1 -- 29.7

csandste

Tank full including 100 mile road trip: 22.5 mpg
100 mile road trip (coming back): 30.3 mpg (running about 70)

Not great for a four automatic, slightly worse than my v-6 malibu maxx, hopefully things will continue to improve after the car is totally broken in. (Only 5000 miles in 9 months).

mickeyrom

Sounds like a head-wind.30 MPG isn't all that bad at 70 MPH.I believe the new EPA has the Kia rated at 31 or 32 on the highway.

mickeyrom

I finally hit 40 MPG just this week.To be accurate it was 40.7.....just had to share that...Typically I get around 34 on straight hwy driving,so maybe I had a tail wind.Whatever...I'll take it

analyzerlx

I get 25.5 MPG in mountain driving. So far that's not bad- I made a trip a while ago to the coast (Asheville to Wilmington, NC) and got approx 32 MPG all hwy and sustained 65 MPH with the cruise on. I thought that was pretty good considering that the car was originally rated at 20/27 or was it 19/27? either way it was pretty good. The new EPA figures are 18/26. I don't think I've ever had less than 22 MPG! My odometer is now at 61450 and it drives almost as good as it did when new. I'm completely satisfied with the car.

cmhj2000

Last July we made a trip from north of Philly to central No. Carolina. Our overall mileage on our 06.5 I4 W/Auto was 39, with about 1/2 of the driving on the Interstate.

These cars will do pretty good on the fuel budget if driven with some common sense and in good weather.

mickeyrom

That is pretty amazing..I've actually topped 40MPG on one fill up and 36 on another,but never as high as 39 for a whole trip.I drive the speed limit,so it's not me.Anyway,I'm quite satisfied with my highway fuel consumption.I pretty much can depend on 33-34 for any trip.Thats good enough.

cmhj2000

I too was surprised when I ran the fuel slips/mileage. In fact I even went so far as to verify the odometer against a known distance.

FWIW we did a second trip about 2 weeks ago and averaged 37. The only difference was the temperaters were about 25 degrees cooler this time, which would account for a bit more fuel useage plus there were 2 extra passengers and about 75# more luggage. The July trip temps were in the mid 90s.

I have our tires a bit over inflated, 38 front 32 rear. Did also run a small amount of moly substance in the oil during its' break-in and first 2 oil changes, which I've used over the years and has shown a small improvement.

I'm using Amsoil's 5W-20 XL oil, which I'll soon swap out for Amsoil's 0W-20 oil.

Other than that it's pure stock.

mickeyrom

I run my tires at 35...that was at the suggestion of a local tire dealer.Anyway,congrats on your excellent MPG.Is yours an auto?

cmhj2000

Yes

cmhj2000

Ole fat fingers here had a typo. Our most recent trip with the extra luggage and 2 passengers averaged 35 MPG. not 37. Still happy either way.

csandste

mixed, mostly local driving. The Optima, like my old Elantra, has an engine that slowly breaks in. Less than 6000 miles in eleven months. I put about 22,000 on my Malibu Maxx in the same time period.

mickeyrom

CMH...I know this is a belated question,but why do you run 32-38 instead the same all aound.

PS Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

cmhj2000

Because there's more weight on the front tires.

I've been staggering my tire pressure for 30+ years. Wherever the weight is the most, that's where the pressure is the highest.

Basically I try to have the "squat" in all 4 tires about the same. Have found this gives me very even tire wear.

mickeyrom

I have owned many cars over the decades.From a 1950 Ford to my new KIA Optima.This is the first car that I have ever owned that has earned the admiration of strangers.Two people have told me how "beautiful" my black Optima was.It was a new experience,and kinda pleasant to hear.After all they were complimenting not only KIA but my taste as well. (just kidding)

iluvmysephia1

Kia body designs rock! They really do...I took a look at the new world order Kia Optima but decided to go with the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS. The Lancer's body style has me mesmerized it's so cool.

But Kia outdoes Honda, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota in body designing. The Optima's design lines are clean and smart. Kia's and Hyundai's aren't "perfect" cars, crossovers and SUV's but they are right up there with the Japanese rigs in quality, reliability and better body designs.

You made a great choice. Drive your Optima proudly, man. Oh, yeah. The Kia Optima is priced so affordably as well, adding to it's great package overall.

mickeyrom

"new world order".....what does that mean? Is KIA taking over the world? :confuse:

iluvmysephia1

you and I are just two of the people that know this....the answer is yes.

csandste

Previous fill up mostly city driving was 20. I suspect that topping problems made the later reading about a mpg too high and the earlier one one too low. Still only 6600 miles after more than a year. Lowest mileage ever recorded on one of my cars, I should ask for an insurance discount.

mickeyrom

Here is an odd MPG story for you CS...Going to PA last month my fill up on highway driving was under 27MPG,then my next one coming back was over 38...of course I did spend an hour going 3 miles in the traffic jam created by the toll booths in I80 in Indiana. That's what we get for leaving on a Saturday before the Christmas holiday...but still a 10 MPG difference?????? :confuse:

bargugl

I have had my new 2008 for a few weeks now. Here is what I have so far:

Tank 1 - 22.33MPG - 65% Town/35% Highway
Tank 2 - 24.39MPG - 65% Town/35% Highway

I suspect that I did not get a full fill after tank 2, so that number may be a little high. If I am right in my estimate, its probably too high by 1 MPG. I will update after the next tank and will know for sure. So far, I am satisfied with the mileage. I previously had a Dodge Caravan that was EPA rated 17/24 by the 2008 standard. I generally got about 19 on the same driving route as these two tanks. It generally got around 16-17 in in town mileage. The first two tanks on the Optima seeem to indicate I am getting pretty close to the rated 21 City for the Optima. We'll see what happens when I have an all city tank. Given that its brand new, its still breaking in and that also might be part of the difference between tank 1 & 2. If my car holds true to the mileage increasing as it breaks in, I will be quite happy. I would be very satisfied if I can average over 24 on the 35/65 drive and over 21 all city. I can't wait to see what it will do on all highway driving. The Caravan usually did 23 and sometimes 24. I hope I can get over 30 on the Optima.

mickeyrom

If it is really 65% city..you're doing pretty well.

bargugl

Yes it is really 65% city. To be fair, it is more of a small town/suburban environment and I have worked out routes through town where I go through residential roads and avoid a lot of stoplights in exchange for some four-way stops. (I find the routes I use are generally quicker than the beaten path, except in those rare times where traffic is very light and you hit all the lights green.) Looking at the charts of the EPA city test, the routes I take seem to approximate the same type of drive as what is simulated which is probably why I generally get pretty close to the 2008 standard city ratings on vehicles I have had in the past.

mickeyrom

The problem I have is that here in Kewanee my Optima never goes more than 2 miles at a time so it never gets quite warmed up. Accordingly the gas consumption is horrible. I do however get excellent mileage on the highway. As much as 40.7 MPG and never less than 27 and that is only on extremely windy and cold conditions.
PS I too take the side roads to avoid the lights.My average is no more than 14-15

bargugl

Mileage update:

Tank 1 - 22.33MPG - 65% Town/35% Highway
Tank 2 - 24.39MPG - 65% Town/35% Highway
Tank 3 - 19.7MPG - 100% Town

I estimate that there was about a 3/4 gallon underfill after tank 2, so if I adjust those numbers accordingly, its about 23.3 for tank 2 and 20.7 for tank 3, which is about what I expected. It will be interesting to see if the mileage goes up as it break in more and as the weather warms up. I would estimate that my average one-way in town trip is about 4 miles. I do keep the car in an attached garage. It is not really heated, but it never drops below 40 degrees F (at the coldest) so I never worry about long warm-ups and idling and having to defrost windows, etc.

pedrog

I have a 2006.5 V6, auto. My driving is about 50% city/highway roughly about 300 miles / week. I'm lucky if I get 21 MPG, often I get 17-18. The only time I got 1/2 decent MPG (about 26) was on a long trip. I think something is wrong....

mickeyrom

For mixed driving,(50% cty) that isnt all that bad. I have an Optima I4 and get less than 15 MPG in town,but does well on straight highway. You probably would get 30 or more if it was just hwy driving.

pedrog

I don't drive aggressively (RPMs rarely go above 2500, on purpose), I would expect that mixed city/hwy driving would yield MPG above the city rating. I was driving a Dodge Neon (4 cyl, 3 spd auto) before on the same routes and was getting about 24-26 average. This is a V6 but also 5 spd and most of the driving is on the 5th gear. I'm seriously considering downsizing....

mickeyrom

How do you mean downsizing...like a KIA Rio? May I suggest the Hyundai Elantra? Great mileage and quite roomy.

broonsby

I know your pain. I recently rented a 4 cyl. auto Optima w/ 5k miles. It got 20 mpg with mostly highway miles and 1/3 the time with the AC on. That's pitiful. I should have seen mid 20's in the flattest state (Florida). I wanted to see what the real world said about the mileage. Now I see I wasn't the only one to see poor MPG. I recently bought a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer (2 liter, auto) and am averaging 32 mpg (mostly highway). Talked to another owner of a Lancer who hasn't seen less than 25 mpg which is consistent with EPA standards. My wife and I think it's a nicer, albeit slightly smaller car than the Optima. Just my 2 cents. The Saturn Astra is also one heck of a deal right now and a really fun car to drive, just a little too much money for my budget (we haggled a great deal on the Mitsubishi).

mickeyrom

Speaking of my 2006.5 KIA Optime with the I4 engine and automatic,The only time I get less than 33MPG on the highwy was when there is a terrific head wind.Then I got just under 25MPG.My only complaint is the gas I use in the city.That is not too good,but I attribute that to the fact that those locar trips are so short that the car never gets a chance to warm up.

farmer7

We just purchased an 2008 optima and think the ride is a little harsh with lots of noise in the cabin going over the tar strips on rough interstate roads. we had the body undercoated thinking it might help but much difference. and comments?

mickeyrom

The Optima is a fairly hard riding car,but not any more than my friends Jag. If you have 17 " wheels then it would even be harder.I fill my tires with 35 Lbs of air and it helps the mileage but makes the ride even harder.I'm used to it now and just accept the reality that it's a KIA Optima,not a Mercedes. It's not a luxury car.On good roads I like the ride just fine.

iluvmysephia1

do you have the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS? Or the DS or GL? All are good cars. I bought a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS in Rally Red and automatic CVT tranny, Sun and Sound Package(650-watt Rockford Fosgate 9-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo and sunroof) but the lower-cost models would be a good deal and would be a good, solid car. I have the P205/45R18 Dunlop Sport Performance radials and the 10-spoke alloy wheels. With the wrap-around bodykit the car is an absolute knockout!

I do like the Kia Optima a lot, too, hence my interest in coming to this thread on Edmunds.

broonsby

I do you have the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS? Or the DS or GL?
I have the 2008 ES (red) w/ 2L I4, CVT, Sun & Sound package, 5 spoke alloys. Stereo is easily one of the best factory installs on the market period. And I'm picky about my stereos. The low profile tires aren't such a great suggestion in Maine with our bad winters. Potholes abound & more than once I've seen low profile tires peeled right off the rims. And as for the trim kit, unfortunately that's a place for road salt to collect and rust out the fenders. Further south and I would have done it in a heartbeat. That said, the car is still a looker. Get lots of interested looks.

I do like the Kia Optima a lot, too, hence my interest in coming to this thread on Edmunds.
I'm not saying bad things about the KIA. I think they have made huge strides in quality improvement. It is cavernous inside and the seats are good. The controls except the steering wheel stereo and cruise switches are intuitive. I just think the Mitsubishi represents a better value despite the smaller size.

iluvmysephia1

primo. Mitsubishi enrolls in the Paris-Dakar races with their Outlander's and Lancer's and wins them, then rolls whatever they learned from those racing experieinces in to the production of their new automobiles. I am totally smitten by my '08 Lancer GTS.

What color is your Lancer, broonsby? I put this new Lancer bodystyle right there with the '65 Ford Mustang as my favorite car bodystyles in automotive history.

mickeyrom

No offense, but isn't there a site dedicated to Mitsubishis? As an aside,when I was stationed in Nagoya Japan back in the 50s,my base (Ozone coumpound) was accross the street from a huge Mitsu. factory complex.I guess that is where they built Zeros.

broonsby

No offense taken. As I've said in my previous posts, I just didn't like the gas mileage (20mpg is unimpressive) and was nit-picking about the controls. The mileage could easily have been affected by abuse the car has taken earlier since it was a rental.

And as I would like to point out, KIA is Killed-In-Action - Korean style. We are at least not at war with Japan anymore (not militarily at least). Yes, I know it is made in South Korea, a country we don't have an issue, but we spilled a lot of blood there for a stalemate.