Kia Optima Fuel Economy (MPG)
What is the real-world gas mileage of a 2020 Kia Optima?
The 2020 Kia Optima gets up to 42 MPG combined (40 city / 45 highway) in EPA testing.
Latest model year (2020):
The Kia Optima gets up to 42 MPG combined (40 city / 45 highway) in the Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L trim.
Kia Optima MPG — All Years
| Year | Trim | Engine | Fuel | City (MPG) | Hwy (MPG) | Combined (MPG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020Config 1 of 6 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 39 | 44 | 41 |
| 2020Config 2 of 6 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 40 | 45 | 42 |
| 2020Config 3 of 6 | Auto (AM7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L | 4 1.6L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 37 | 31 |
| 2020Config 4 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 30 | 24 |
| 2020Config 5 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 35 | 29 |
| 2020Config 6 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 32 | 27 |
| 2019Config 1 of 6 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 39 | 45 | 41 |
| 2019Config 2 of 6 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 38 | 43 | 40 |
| 2019Config 3 of 6 | Auto (AM7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L | 4 1.6L | Regular Gasoline | 27 | 37 | 31 |
| 2019Config 4 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 30 | 24 |
| 2019Config 5 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 35 | 29 |
| 2019Config 6 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 33 | 27 |
| 2018Config 1 of 7 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 38 | 43 | 40 |
| 2018Config 2 of 7 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 39 | 46 | 42 |
| 2018Config 3 of 7 | Auto (AM7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L | 4 1.6L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 37 | 31 |
| 2018Config 4 of 7 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 31 | 25 |
| 2018Config 5 of 7 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 36 | 29 |
| 2018Config 6 of 7 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 23 | 32 | 26 |
| 2018Config 7 of 7 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2017Config 1 of 6 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 39 | 46 | 42 |
| 2017Config 2 of 6 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 38 | 43 | 40 |
| 2017Config 3 of 6 | Auto (AM7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L | 4 1.6L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 37 | 31 |
| 2017Config 4 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 31 | 25 |
| 2017Config 5 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 36 | 29 |
| 2017Config 6 of 6 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2016Config 1 of 7 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 35 | 38 | 37 |
| 2016Config 2 of 7 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 35 | 38 | 36 |
| 2016Config 3 of 7 | Auto (AM7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L | 4 1.6L | Regular Gasoline | 28 | 37 | 31 |
| 2016Config 4 of 7 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 31 | 25 |
| 2016Config 5 of 7 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 31 | 25 |
| 2016Config 6 of 7 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 2016Config 7 of 7 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 36 | 29 |
| 2015Config 1 of 4 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 35 | 38 | 37 |
| 2015Config 2 of 4 | Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 35 | 38 | 36 |
| 2015Config 3 of 4 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L | 4 2.0L | Regular Gasoline | 20 | 30 | 24 |
| 2015Config 4 of 4 | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 4 2.4L | Regular Gasoline | 23 | 33 | 26 |
Data sourced from fueleconomy.gov (U.S. Department of Energy). MPG figures are EPA-tested. Fuel costs are estimates based on average fuel prices and 15,000 miles/year.
Kia Optima data analysis
How Kia Optima combined fuel economy varies
Across 36 configurations recorded for the 2015 through 2020 Kia Optima, combined fuel economy runs from 24 MPG to 42 MPG. The strongest figure belongs to the 2017 Kia Optima (Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L) at 42 MPG, and the weakest to the 2020 car (Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L) at 24 MPG — a spread of 75%. A gap that wide means the model year and configuration you buy matter more than the nameplate does: quoting a single number for the Kia Optima would be misleading.
What changed for 2020
Average combined fuel economy for the 2020 Kia Optima is 32.3 MPG, against 32 MPG for the 2019 car — it rose by 0.3 MPG. That is a real improvement, and it is the kind of change worth paying the newer-year premium for if this figure drives your decision.
How to read this Kia Optima data
This page lists every 2015 through 2020 Kia Optima record we hold for this measurement — 36 rows in total, one per configuration and model year rather than a single headline figure. Figures are published as the source agency records them: we do not round, average or interpolate missing years, and a year that is absent from the table is a year with no published measurement rather than a zero. Where a manufacturer offered several drivetrains or body styles in the same year, each appears on its own row, because those variants rarely share the same numbers.
Configurations behind these Kia Optima numbers
The 2015 through 2020 Kia Optima entries here cover the variants Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Auto (AM7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L and Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L. 2018 is the busiest model year in the record with 7 separate measured configurations, which is why a single quoted combined fuel economy figure for that year is rarely the one that matches the car in front of you. Match the row to the exact drivetrain, body style and engine on the window sticker or VIN before relying on the number, and use the comparison links below to see how those same configurations line up against rival models.
Where these Kia Optima figures come from
Every value on this page is loaded from federal open data — EPA fuel economy submissions, NHTSA vehicle and crash-test records, and manufacturer specification filings — rather than dealer listings or copied editorial content. The Kia Optima record refreshes as the agencies publish, which typically means new model-year rows appear in the autumn and crash-test results follow through the model year as vehicles are tested. Because certification data is filed per configuration, treat any single headline number for this vehicle with caution: the figure that applies to a specific car depends on its engine, drivetrain, body style and model year, all of which are listed separately above. If a number here disagrees with a brochure, the brochure is usually quoting the best available configuration rather than the one being sold.
Official Factory Specs vs. AutoSpecData Expert Benchmarks
The EPA highway loop never holds interstate speed. Here is what the same engine does when you sit on the cruise control.
| Cruise speed | EPA highway spec | AutoSpecData adjusted MPG | Fuel you lose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 mph | 46 MPG | 46 MPG | 0% |
| 65 mph | 46 MPG | 42.9 MPG | 7% |
| 70 mph | 46 MPG | 39.9 MPG | 13% |
| 75 mph | 46 MPG | 37.2 MPG | 19% |
| 80 mph | 46 MPG | 34.7 MPG | 25% |
Our Real-World Speed MPG Adjuster re-scales the Kia Optima EPA highway result with a quadratic drag term (mpg = hwy ÷ (1 + k·(v² − 60²)/60²), k = 0.55 for trucks, SUVs and vans, 0.42 for cars). Wind, roof racks, and a heavy right foot make it worse, never better.
Frequently Asked Questions About Optima MPG
What is the MPG of the Kia Optima?
The Kia Optima gets up to 42 MPG combined (40 city / 45 highway) in the 2020 model year. Fuel economy varies by engine and trim — see the full table above for details.
Which Kia Optima trim has the best fuel economy?
The Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L trim offers the best combined fuel economy at 42 MPG. Smaller engines and front-wheel-drive configurations typically achieve the highest MPG.