Kia Years to Avoid by Model
Kia years to avoid: the 2013 Optima (1,371 complaints), 2016 Sorento (1,236 complaints), 2015 Soul (897 complaints) and 2014 Forte (437 complaints) lead the list. All 7 Kia models we track have at least one avoid-rated year; the cleanest records include the 2009 Sorento and 2010 Optima. Based on 26,115 NHTSA owner complaints, rated model year by model year.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, recall campaigns & service bulletins · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
Kia years to avoid, model by model
| Model | Years to avoid | Best years | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Sorento | 2011201220132014201520162017 | 20092020 | 8,562 (2008–2025) |
| Kia Optima | 201120122013201420152016 | 20092010 | 6,347 (2008–2025) |
| Kia Sportage | 201220132017201820202023 | 2010 | 2,706 (2008–2025) |
| Kia Soul | 2012201320142015201620202021 | 2019 | 5,442 (2010–2025) |
| Kia Forte | 2012201420152017 | 20202022 | 2,391 (2008–2025) |
| Kia Rio | 2013201420152016 | 20102011 | 667 (2008–2025) |
| Kia Telluride | 202020212022 | 20242025 | 0 (2020–2027) |
Verdicts are each model’s own, rated against that model’s history (see the methodology); counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
The worst year for each Kia model
2013 Kia Optima: 1,371 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 · Full Optima breakdown →
2016 Kia Sorento: 1,236 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 · Full Sorento breakdown →
2015 Kia Soul: 897 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021 · Full Soul breakdown →
2014 Kia Forte: 437 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017 · Full Forte breakdown →
2023 Kia Sportage: 182 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023 · Full Sportage breakdown →
2013 Kia Rio: 153 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 · Full Rio breakdown →
2020 Kia Telluride: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2020, 2021 and 2022 · Full Telluride breakdown →
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Frequently asked questions
What Kia years should you avoid?
By model: Sorento 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; Optima 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016; Sportage 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023; Soul 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021; Forte 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017; Rio 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016; Telluride 2020, 2021 and 2022. Each verdict matches that model's own years-to-avoid page, built from NHTSA owner-complaint and recall records.
What are the best Kia years to buy?
The cleanest federal records by model: Sorento 2009 and 2020; Optima 2009 and 2010; Sportage 2010; Soul 2019; Forte 2020 and 2022; Rio 2010 and 2011; Telluride 2024 and 2025.
Which Kia model has the most years to avoid?
The Kia Sorento, with 7 avoid-rated model years (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) across 18 years on record (2008–2025).
How are Kia years to avoid rated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity, converted to a rate per year on the road, compared with the rest of that model's own history and adjusted for recalls. Models not yet scored that way are ranked by combined NHTSA complaint and manufacturer service-bulletin volume. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
Where does the Kia data come from?
Federal records: 26,115 NHTSA owner complaints across 7 Kia models, plus NHTSA recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.