2008 Kia Optima: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

5 builds left the factory as a 2008 Optima, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 2 main configurations sell for $2,395–$8,995 today.

  • 2 main configurations
  • 5,629 vehicles built
  • 30 for sale right now
  • $2,395–$8,995 typical price range

Which Optima is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your Optima

What actually differs

MG · FWD KNAGE123-8 MG · FWD KNAGE124-8
Engine 2.4L 4-cyl 2.7L 6-cyl
Power 162 hp 185 hp
Typical price today $5,000 $3,499
For sale right now 26 4
Vehicles built 4,781 845
Same on every 2008 Optima
  • Drivetrain Front-wheel drive
  • Transmission Automatic
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sedan
  • Seats 5
  • Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

38 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
MG · FWD
$5,000
$2,323 $4,059 $5,794 $7,530 $9,265
Price trend

Median holding steady over the last 12 months.

2008 Optima price history →
Will it hold value?

A Optima typically keeps about 80% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $3,991 today.

Optima depreciation by year →
Cost to run

21/31 mpg city/highway. Roughly $1,860/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2008 Optima

Safety, in plain English

What KNAGE123-8 means

KNA GE123 · 8
KNA
the World Manufacturer Identifier Kia registered — assembled in South Korea
GE123
together encode the Optima line — Sedan, 2.4L 4cyl, Front-wheel drive — as Kia filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
8
in position 10 — model year 2008
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
3 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific Optima?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

2008 Kia Optima prices →