Last updated: 2026-10-10
Most Reliable Kia Models — Ranked in 2026
We ranked every Kia model and year in our database by reliability score. The average Kia scores 73/100 across all models and years. The 2025 Kia Carnival is the most reliable Kia with a score of 88/100.
Kia Reliability Rankings
| # | Vehicle | Best Year | Score | Rating | Recalls | Complaints / 10k | Maint. Rating | Est. Repair Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2025 Kia Carnival | 2025 | 88/100 | Excellent | 0 | 1.6 | 4 | |
| 2 | 2021 Kia Sedona | 2021 | 88/100 | Excellent | 0 | — | 4 | $495/yr |
| 3 | 2024 Kia Soul | 2024 | 86/100 | Excellent | 0 | 4.4 | 4.5 | $437/yr |
| 4 | 2025 Kia Soul | 2025 | 85/100 | Excellent | 0 | 1.8 | 4.5 | $437/yr |
| 5 | 2026 Kia K5 | 2026 | 83/100 | Excellent | 1 | — | 4 | |
| 6 | 2020 Kia Sedona | 2020 | 83/100 | Excellent | 1 | — | 4 | $495/yr |
| 7 | 2026 Kia Sportage | 2026 | 83/100 | Excellent | 3 | — | 4 | $462/yr |
| 8 | 2025 Kia Sportage | 2025 | 82/100 | Excellent | 2 | 2.4 | 4 | $462/yr |
| 9 | 2026 Kia Seltos | 2026 | 82/100 | Excellent | 0 | — | 3.5 | |
| 10 | 2023 Kia Carnival | 2023 | 82/100 | Excellent | 3 | 0.5 | 4 | |
| 11 | 2022 Kia Carnival | 2022 | 80/100 | Excellent | 5 | 1.8 | 4 | |
| 12 | 2025 Kia Niro | 2025 | 80/100 | Excellent | 1 | 5.1 | 4 | $471/yr |
| 13 | 2019 Kia Sedona | 2019 | 80/100 | Excellent | 2 | — | 4 | $495/yr |
| 14 | 2026 Kia Sorento | 2026 | 80/100 | Excellent | 4 | 0.0 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 15 | 2026 Kia Carnival | 2026 | 80/100 | Excellent | 2 | 2.0 | 4 | |
| 16 | 2024 Kia Niro | 2024 | 79/100 | Good | 1 | 3.0 | 4 | $471/yr |
| 17 | 2022 Kia Sportage | 2022 | 79/100 | Good | 1 | 3.1 | 4 | $462/yr |
| 18 | 2024 Kia Sorento | 2024 | 79/100 | Good | 2 | 3.7 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 19 | 2025 Kia K5 | 2025 | 79/100 | Good | 2 | 4.0 | 4 | |
| 20 | 2025 Kia Seltos | 2025 | 79/100 | Good | 0 | 2.1 | 3.5 | |
| 21 | 2018 Kia Sedona | 2018 | 78/100 | Good | 3 | — | 4 | $495/yr |
| 22 | 2024 Kia Sportage | 2024 | 78/100 | Good | 4 | 5.1 | 4 | $462/yr |
| 23 | 2024 Kia Forte | 2024 | 78/100 | Good | 0 | 1.6 | 3 | $451/yr |
| 24 | 2025 Kia Telluride | 2025 | 78/100 | Good | 2 | 2.6 | 3.5 | $573/yr |
| 25 | 2022 Kia Soul | 2022 | 78/100 | Good | 1 | 13.7 | 4.5 | $437/yr |
| 26 | 2024 Kia K5 | 2024 | 77/100 | Good | 2 | 4.3 | 4 | |
| 27 | 2023 Kia Soul | 2023 | 77/100 | Good | 4 | 7.3 | 4.5 | $437/yr |
| 28 | 2019 Kia Soul | 2019 | 76/100 | Good | 1 | 12.6 | 4.5 | $437/yr |
| 29 | 2020 Kia Forte | 2020 | 76/100 | Good | 0 | 7.4 | 3 | $451/yr |
| 30 | 2021 Kia Sportage | 2021 | 76/100 | Good | 2 | 3.8 | 4 | $462/yr |
| 31 | 2022 Kia Forte | 2022 | 75/100 | Good | 1 | 2.3 | 3 | $451/yr |
| 32 | 2025 Kia Sorento | 2025 | 75/100 | Good | 8 | 7.6 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 33 | 2019 Kia Sportage | 2019 | 74/100 | Good | 2 | 7.1 | 4 | $462/yr |
| 34 | 2018 Kia Soul | 2018 | 73/100 | Good | 1 | 19.0 | 4.5 | $437/yr |
| 35 | 2024 Kia Seltos | 2024 | 73/100 | Good | 2 | 6.8 | 3.5 | |
| 36 | 2020 Kia Optima | 2020 | 72/100 | Good | 0 | 28.5 | 4 | $471/yr |
| 37 | 2022 Kia Seltos | 2022 | 72/100 | Good | 1 | 15.4 | 3.5 | |
| 38 | 2023 Kia Seltos | 2023 | 72/100 | Good | 2 | 7.3 | 3.5 | |
| 39 | 2021 Kia Forte | 2021 | 72/100 | Good | 2 | 5.7 | 3 | $451/yr |
| 40 | 2021 Kia Soul | 2021 | 72/100 | Good | 2 | 25.3 | 4.5 | $437/yr |
| 41 | 2019 Kia Optima | 2019 | 72/100 | Good | 1 | 21.3 | 4 | $471/yr |
| 42 | 2023 Kia K5 | 2023 | 71/100 | Good | 4 | 13.9 | 4 | |
| 43 | 2021 Kia K5 | 2021 | 71/100 | Good | 6 | 14.3 | 4 | |
| 44 | 2020 Kia Sorento | 2020 | 71/100 | Good | 1 | 15.4 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 45 | 2018 Kia Optima | 2018 | 70/100 | Good | 2 | 22.6 | 4 | $471/yr |
| 46 | 2023 Kia Sorento | 2023 | 70/100 | Good | 7 | 13.5 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 47 | 2020 Kia Soul | 2020 | 70/100 | Good | 1 | 47.1 | 4.5 | $437/yr |
| 48 | 2022 Kia K5 | 2022 | 69/100 | Good | 5 | 17.4 | 4 | |
| 49 | 2020 Kia Sportage | 2020 | 69/100 | Good | 2 | 16.5 | 4 | $462/yr |
| 50 | 2025 Kia EV6 | 2025 | 69/100 | Good | 0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | |
| 51 | 2024 Kia Telluride | 2024 | 69/100 | Good | 4 | 15.6 | 3.5 | $573/yr |
| 52 | 2023 Kia Forte | 2023 | 68/100 | Good | 3 | 4.3 | 3 | $451/yr |
| 53 | 2018 Kia Sorento | 2018 | 68/100 | Good | 3 | 21.5 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 54 | 2023 Kia Telluride | 2023 | 68/100 | Good | 5 | 14.5 | 3.5 | $573/yr |
| 55 | 2018 Kia Sportage | 2018 | 68/100 | Good | 3 | 17.7 | 4 | $462/yr |
| 56 | 2019 Kia Forte | 2019 | 67/100 | Good | 2 | 14.6 | 3 | $451/yr |
| 57 | 2023 Kia Sportage | 2023 | 67/100 | Good | 9 | 18.3 | 4 | $462/yr |
| 58 | 2021 Kia Sorento | 2021 | 66/100 | Good | 6 | 26.5 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 59 | 2018 Kia Forte | 2018 | 66/100 | Good | 3 | 13.1 | 3 | $451/yr |
| 60 | 2022 Kia Sorento | 2022 | 66/100 | Good | 10 | 19.6 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 61 | 2019 Kia Sorento | 2019 | 64/100 | Good | 2 | 39.7 | 4 | $533/yr |
| 62 | 2021 Kia Telluride | 2021 | 63/100 | Good | 4 | 29.9 | 3.5 | $573/yr |
| 63 | 2022 Kia Telluride | 2022 | 63/100 | Good | 6 | 28.1 | 3.5 | $573/yr |
| 64 | 2025 Kia EV9 | 2025 | 62/100 | Good | 3 | 0.2 | 1 | |
| 65 | 2024 Kia EV9 | 2024 | 60/100 | Good | 7 | 2.6 | 1 | |
| 66 | 2021 Kia Seltos | 2021 | 59/100 | Mixed | 2 | 67.4 | 3.5 | |
| 67 | 2024 Kia EV6 | 2024 | 59/100 | Mixed | 2 | 17.5 | 1.5 | |
| 68 | 2026 Kia EV6 | 2026 | 58/100 | Mixed | 0 | — | 1.5 | |
| 69 | 2020 Kia Telluride | 2020 | 55/100 | Mixed | 6 | 88.8 | 3.5 | $573/yr |
| 70 | 2023 Kia EV6 | 2023 | 52/100 | Mixed | 3 | 51.9 | 1.5 | |
| 71 | 2022 Kia EV6 | 2022 | 46/100 | Mixed | 3 | 117.8 | 1.5 |
Model Summaries
Kia Carnival
Reliability is excellent for this minivan, and well above average among minivans. The 2023 model year is the one to buy, with far fewer complaints than 2022. Two problems matter most: power sliding doors that keep closing on hands and arms, and power liftgates that drop partway after rising. Newer years have simply had less time to collect complaints.
Average score: 83/100. Best year: 2023 (82/100). 4 years tracked.
Kia EV6
Sudden loss of drive power from a failed charge control unit (ICCU) is the defining problem on the EV6. The car warns, slows to a crawl, then shuts down and may not restart. Reports run through 2022 to 2024, with 2022 the year to avoid and 2024 the better pick. Newer years have too little time on the road to judge.
Average score: 57/100. Best year: 2024 (59/100). 5 years tracked.
Kia EV9
Owners report a steady run of high-voltage battery and charging faults, including a reduced-speed mode that cuts the car to 30 to 40 mph. Reliability standing is good, yet it sits well below average among SUVs. The 2024 is the year to buy, since it has the longest record. Rear-end hopping and a shaking steering wheel at highway speed are the other things to check on a test drive.
Average score: 61/100. Best year: 2024 (60/100). 2 years tracked.
Kia Forte
Repair costs run below the compact average, and the Forte holds a good standing among sedans. Favor the 2024 model year and treat 2018 with caution. Sudden engine failure, often with no oil warning light, is the biggest worry on older cars. Shifting trouble in the power train, such as skipped gears and a shifter stuck in Drive, is the other problem to check.
Average score: 72/100. Best year: 2024 (78/100). 7 years tracked.
Kia K5
Owner complaints and repair-cost data put this midsize sedan in good standing, above most sedans on the site. Model year 2022 is the one to avoid, with a melting HVAC fuse that kills heat and AC and a fuel tank that can swell and lift the rear seat. Among years with some time on the road, 2024 is the safer pick.
Average score: 75/100. Best year: 2024 (77/100). 6 years tracked.
Kia Niro
Used Niro hybrids from the 2024 and 2025 model years hold up well, with few owner complaints and no weak year. The 2024 is the safer pick because it has had more time on the road. Watch for total electrical power loss, where the car goes dead and won't start, and for driver-assist systems that fail to warn or brake for traffic ahead.
Average score: 80/100. Best year: 2024 (79/100). 2 years tracked.
Kia Optima
Reliability is good for this midsize sedan, and yearly repair costs run below the midsize average. Oil that vanishes between changes with no visible leak is the problem to watch, and it can end in limp mode or a failed engine. Of the three years tracked, 2020 is the pick, while 2018 and 2019 carry more recalls and fire reports.
Average score: 71/100. Best year: 2020 (72/100). 3 years tracked.
Kia Sedona
Reliability is excellent, well above other SUVs on the site, and no year is a clear one to skip. Favor 2021 or 2020, and shop 2018 with more care. The biggest worry is the engine: sudden highway shutdowns, sometimes with no warning light, and seizures after heavy oil burning. Power sliding doors that misbehave are the next most common fault.
Average score: 82/100. Best year: 2021 (88/100). 4 years tracked.
Kia Seltos
Reliability is good, and the Seltos sits close to average among SUVs. Skip 2021, where owners report engines that burn oil until the dipstick reads dry, then stall, sometimes at highway speed. The 2024 is the safer buy, with complaints that lean toward electrical glitches such as an instrument cluster that goes dark in very cold weather.
Average score: 73/100. Best year: 2024 (73/100). 6 years tracked.
Kia Sorento
Used Sorento reliability is good overall and close to average for SUVs. The 2024 model year is the safer pick, and 2019 is the one to skip. The problem that matters most is engine oil loss with no warning light, which can end in knocking, a stall at highway speed and a replacement engine, often between 90,000 and 116,000 miles.
Average score: 71/100. Best year: 2024 (79/100). 9 years tracked.
Kia Soul
Good as a used compact SUV, with yearly repair costs of $437, a little under the subcompact SUV average. The real risk is the engine. Owners report heavy oil burning that ends in knocking, stalling, or seizure, often with no warning light. Skip 2020 and 2021, and start with 2024. The 2025 model is too new to judge.
Average score: 77/100. Best year: 2024 (86/100). 8 years tracked.
Kia Sportage
Used Sportage buyers get a compact SUV that rates well against other SUVs and costs less to repair than most rivals. The 2022 is the safer pick, while 2018 and 2023 are the years to skip. Watch for heavy oil use that can end in engine knocking and failure, and for screens that go black or cut power while driving.
Average score: 75/100. Best year: 2022 (79/100). 9 years tracked.
Kia Telluride
Reliability is good, though below average among SUVs. Windshields that crack from small chips and a V6 that burns oil with no warning light are the problems that matter most. Skip the 2020 model year. The 2024 is the safer pick among years that have been on the road a while. Estimated annual repair cost is $573.
Average score: 66/100. Best year: 2024 (69/100). 6 years tracked.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the most reliable Kia?
- Based on our data, the 2025 Kia Carnival is the most reliable Kia with a score of 88/100 ("Excellent"). It has 0 recalls and 138 owner complaints.
- Are Kia vehicles reliable?
- Kia vehicles have an average reliability score of 73/100 across all models and years in our database. Individual models vary, so checking the specific model year you're considering is important.
- Which Kia models should I avoid?
- Based on our data, these Kia model-years are statistical outliers within their lines: 2021 Soul (72/100), 2020 Soul (70/100), 2022 K5 (69/100), 2018 Sportage (68/100), 2023 Sportage (67/100), 2018 Forte (66/100), 2019 Sorento (64/100), 2021 Seltos (59/100), 2020 Telluride (55/100), 2022 EV6 (46/100). These have higher recall counts and complaint volumes relative to their siblings.
- How do Kia repair costs compare?
- Repair costs vary by model. Check the detailed rankings table above for estimated annual repair costs for each Kia model year.
How we score Kia model years
Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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