KIA RIO Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,292 owner complaints and 11 safety recalls on file for the KIA RIO, across 24 model years (2000–2023). The 2001 model year has the most complaints (223). The most reported problem area overall is air bags.
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KIA RIO years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical RIO year: 2001, 2002, 2013, 2016. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2001 RIO: 223 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2013 RIO: 153 complaints, 1 recall
- 2002 RIO: 128 complaints, 1 recall
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2000 RIO: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2022 RIO: 11 complaints, 1 recall
- 2023 RIO: 12 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common KIA RIO problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 272 | 21 | 115 |
| Engine problems | 237 | 22 | 4 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 158 | 15 | 4 |
| Electrical System problems | 152 | 22 | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 126 | 18 | 12 |
| Power Train | 91 | 20 | 6 |
| Seat Belts | 62 | 18 | 22 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 56 | 10 | 3 |
| Steering | 55 | 21 | 10 |
| Suspension | 53 | 14 | 4 |
| Structure | 51 | 19 | 10 |
| Wheels | 47 | 12 | 5 |
| Service Brakes | 45 | 17 | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 40 | 17 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 36 | 14 | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 32 | 12 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 29 | 11 | 1 |
| Equipment | 21 | 8 | 1 |
| Visibility | 19 | 9 | 0 |
| Tires | 17 | 7 | 2 |
| Seats | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
KIA RIO problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
All KIA RIO model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 RIO | 12 | 0 | — | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 RIO | 11 | 1 | — | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 RIO | 15 | 2 | — | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 RIO | 27 | 1 | — | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 RIO | 22 | 1 | — | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 RIO | 28 | 1 | — | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 RIO | 31 | 2 | 4★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 RIO | 77 | 2 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2015 RIO | 52 | 1 | 4★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2014 RIO | 52 | 1 | 4★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2013 RIO | 153 | 1 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 RIO | 54 | 1 | 4★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2011 RIO | 24 | 0 | — | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 RIO | 26 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 RIO | 39 | 0 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2008 RIO | 46 | 1 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 RIO | 46 | 1 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2006 RIO | 74 | 1 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2005 RIO | 37 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2004 RIO | 38 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2003 RIO | 74 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 2002 RIO | 128 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 RIO | 223 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 RIO | 3 | 0 | — | Air Bags |
More from KIA: all KIA models · KIA VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which KIA RIO years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2001 (223), 2002 (128), 2013 (153), 2016 (77) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical RIO year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the KIA RIO?
Air Bags, with 272 complaints across 21 model years.
How many recalls does the KIA RIO have?
11 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.