2018 Kia Optima: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

23 builds left the factory as a 2018 Optima, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 8 main configurations sell for $6,100–$18,898 today.

  • 8 main configurations
  • 38,353 vehicles built
  • 480 for sale right now
  • $6,100–$18,898 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

LX · FWD 5XXGT4L3-J LX SX · FWD LX · FWD 5XXGT4L1-J
Engine 2.4L 4-cyl — 2L 4-cyl 1.6L 4-cyl
Power 185 hp — 245 hp 178 hp
Typical price today $10,995 $9,995 $12,996 $13,080
For sale right now 373 42 30 10
Vehicles built 31,673 2,481 1,226 604
Same on every 2018 Optima
  • Drivetrain Front-wheel drive
  • Transmission Automatic
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sedan
  • Seats 5
  • Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

659 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
LX · FWD
$10,995
LX
$9,995
SX · FWD
$12,996
$5,917 $9,304 $12,691 $16,078 $19,465
Price trend

Median down $1,504 over the last 12 months.

2018 Optima price history →
Will it hold value?

A Optima typically keeps about 64% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $7,008 today.

Optima depreciation by year →
Cost to run

28/37 mpg city/highway. Roughly $1,500/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2018 Optima

Safety, in plain English

NHTSA overall crash rating

★★★★★ 5 / 5

2 recalls on file for this model year — check any specific VIN before you buy.

Driver assistance — varies by configuration
  • ✓ Watches your blind spot
Decoded from NHTSA build records.

What 5XXGT4L3-J means

5XX GT4L3 · J
5XX
the World Manufacturer Identifier Kia registered — assembled in the United States
GT4L3
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
J
in position 10 — model year 2018
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
Real VINs from this run 5XXGT4L3 6JG197971 5XXGT4L3 4JG237271 5XXGT4L3 6JG230564
15 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.

2018 Kia Optima prices →