Worst years for a KIA RIO
Owners have filed 1,816 complaints about the KIA RIO with NHTSA across model years 2000 to 2023. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.
Every KIA RIO year, graded
The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.
| Year | Grade | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Median miles | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | A | 20 | 0 | 0 | — | Other & Unspecified |
| 2022 | C | 15 | 3 | 0 | — | Other & Unspecified |
| 2021 | B | 23 | 3 | 0 | — | Other & Unspecified |
| 2020 | D | 37 | 5 | 9 | 560 | Other & Unspecified |
| 2019 | C | 29 | 5 | 2 | 8,000 | Other & Unspecified |
| 2018 | D | 42 | 5 | 4 | 17,570 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2017 | D | 37 | 4 | 7 | 28,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2016 | F | 110 | 9 | 15 | 45,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2015 | D | 69 | 8 | 16 | 58,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2014 | D | 75 | 14 | 12 | 32,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2013 | F | 218 | 13 | 33 | 64,130 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2012 | D | 75 | 5 | 12 | 59,500 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2011 | C | 32 | 5 | 0 | 62,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2010 | C | 38 | 14 | 0 | 80,000 | Airbags |
| 2009 | D | 54 | 7 | 0 | 34,500 | Airbags |
| 2008 | D | 57 | 12 | 0 | 49,248 | Airbags |
| 2007 | D | 64 | 14 | 1 | 54,036 | Airbags |
| 2006 | D | 89 | 18 | 0 | 64,500 | Airbags |
| 2005 | C | 46 | 6 | 4 | 51,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2004 | D | 53 | 5 | 2 | 53,015 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2003 | D | 103 | 8 | 2 | 16,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2002 | F | 171 | 34 | 7 | 36,750 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2001 | F | 355 | 32 | 23 | 46,645 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2000 | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
What breaks on a KIA RIO
Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.
Exactly what failed on a KIA RIO
The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.
Complaints filed over time
Every complaint about every KIA RIO, by the month it reached NHTSA.
KIA RIO problems by state
Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.
Compare the KIA RIO
Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.