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2017 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
23 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Engine problems dominate (48% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#37 of 487Among the 2017 models with a matured record, the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid ranks #37, scoring higher than 91% of them. See the 2017 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
3 open NHTSA defect investigations on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2017 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Engine (11)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Engine
48%11 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment…”
Electrical system
35%8 complaints · typically near 3k mi · 1 in the last 2 years
“This pre-owned vehicle lost power at an intersection with my wife and child in the vehicle. Both of them were fearful and in tears. Several indicator lights suggested …”
Transmission & drivetrain
9%2 complaints
“While driving the car on the highway, when I try accelerating, the car suddenly acts as if it's in neutral and the engine roars without engaging a higher or lower gear…”
Fuel system
9%2 complaints
“KIA WON'T SERVICE THE ELECTRICAL LOSS RECALL”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 1 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 23 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 3 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Kia before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 3k miles). Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2017 Kia OPTIMA PLUG-IN HYBRID beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2017? See how every Optima Plug-in Hybrid model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.