KIA · KIA OPTIMA · Cars
KIA OPTIMA Common
As of 2026 Q2, 10,807 KIA OPTIMAs remain registered in the UK — still a familiar sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 11,887 in 2020 Q3 — only 91% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 1,080 cars. They're disappearing at roughly 220 a year (2.0% of what's left), a pace that would halve the survivors by around 2060 if it held — though in practice the last, most-cherished examples tend to linger far longer.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Common — still a familiar sight, with 10,807 on the road.
Rarer than 16% of the 2,315 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
📉 Rate of decline
Disappearing at about 220 a year (2.0% of survivors). At that pace roughly 9,750 would remain in 5 years, and half the current fleet is gone by around ~2060.
About the OPTIMA
The Kia K5 (Korean: 기아 K5), formerly known as the Kia Optima (Korean: 기아 옵티마), is a mid-size car manufactured by Kia since 2000 and marketed globally through various nameplates. First generation cars were mostly marketed as the Optima, although the Kia Magentis name was used in Europe and Canada when sales began there in 2002. For the second-generation models, Kia used the Kia Lotze and Kia K5 name for the South Korean market, and the Magentis name globally, except in the United States, Canada, Malaysia and the Middle East, where the Optima name was retained until the 2021 model year. The K5 name...
KIA OPTIMA — questions & answers
How many KIA OPTIMA are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q2, 10,807 KIA OPTIMA were still registered in the UK — 10,366 licensed and on the road, plus 441 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the KIA OPTIMA rare?
The KIA OPTIMA is common, with 10,807 still on the road, making it rarer than 16% of the 2,315 UK car models we track.
Is the KIA OPTIMA increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of KIA OPTIMA on UK roads fell by 342 (3.1%). At the current rate of decline, roughly 9,750 would remain in 5 years.
What fuel do most KIA OPTIMA use?
Most KIA OPTIMA run on diesel — about 93% of those still registered, with the rest split across plug-in hybrid, petrol.
When did the KIA OPTIMA peak?
The KIA OPTIMA peaked at 11,887 registered in 2020 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.