Kia Rio years to avoid
Every Kia Rio model year on file (2012-2023), ranked worst to best by severity index - the share of owner complaints that report a crash, fire, injury or fatality.
2020
Worst year on file
181.9
Severity index
Unknown Or Other
Most-reported system
2023
Cleanest year on file
Ranked worst to best
| # | Model year | Severity | Complaints | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020 Kia Rio | 181.9 High | 27 | Unknown Or Other |
| 2 | 2015 Kia Rio | 148.0 High | 52 | Engine |
| 3 | 2014 Kia Rio | 111.2 High | 52 | Engine |
| 4 | 2017 Kia Rio | 107.6 High | 31 | Engine |
| 5 | 2013 Kia Rio | 104.7 High | 153 | Engine |
| 6 | 2012 Kia Rio | 103.2 High | 54 | Engine |
| 7 | 2019 Kia Rio | 95.0 High | 21 | Unknown Or Other |
| 8 | 2016 Kia Rio | 89.8 High | 77 | Engine |
| 9 | 2018 Kia Rio | 72.6 Medium | 28 | Engine |
| 10 | 2021 Kia Rio | 60.0 Medium | 15 | Unknown Or Other |
| 11 | 2023 Kia Rio | 54.4 Medium | 12 | Unknown Or Other |
A high rank here means a larger share of this year's complaints described a crash, fire or injury - not that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, and not a reliability or repair-cost rating. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold.
Kia Rio complaints and recalls by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crashes | Fires | Severity | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 54 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 103.2 High | ENGINE |
| 2013 | 153 | 1 | 8 | 18 | 104.7 High | ENGINE |
| 2014 | 52 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 111.2 High | ENGINE |
| 2015 | 52 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 148.0 High | ENGINE |
| 2016 | 77 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 89.8 High | ENGINE |
| 2017 | 31 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 107.6 High | ENGINE |
| 2018 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 72.6 Medium | ENGINE |
| 2019 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 95.0 High | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2020 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 181.9 High | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2021 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 60.0 Medium | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2023 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54.4 Medium | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold; a high-volume seller will attract more filings than a rare trim.