MODELYEARINDEX

Which Kia Stinger years to avoid

Across 4 scored model years, the 2018 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Kia Stinger Full report
F
Grade 2018–2021
2018 vs model median 1.8×
Model median3× median
Electrical 8
Engine 8
Brakes 7
Avoid

2018

Best

2020 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2018
1.81× 38 F
2019
1.16× 35 C
2020
0.84× 16 C
2021
0.84× 22 C
2022 P
0.56× 22 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2018 F 38 reports · median 9,014 mi

  1. Electrical 8

    Vehicle was in park with the engine not running. Came out of big deal convenient store located on rte 9 chesterfield, nh to find smoke coming out of the engine compartment. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 8

    An injury has not occurred. The dealer did not seek to resolve the recall issue. Kia motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exist in certain 2018 stinger vehicles manufactured from july… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Brakes 7

    New car. As soon as around 4k miles to present 7k miles, brakes are unsafe with significant vibration in pedal when braking at moderate to highway speeds (anything over 35-40mph) under any type of braking. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

3 crash · 12 fire · 6 injuries

2019 C 35 reports · median 16,041 mi

  1. Brakes 11

    I bought my kia stinger AWD on april the 1st and when I begin to drive I first noticed the brakes felt mussy and I had to really stand on them at moderate speeds around town and just the other day(april 28) I was coming… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 7

    The contact owns a 2019 kia stinger. The contact stated while stationary at a stop sign, when he notice smoke entering the cab of the vehicle. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 6

    On may 14th at approximately 2:50pm, I was in the car for roughly three minutes getting onto 33 east in maryville ohio. I smelled smoke coming from the rear and pulled over to see where the smoke was coming from. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

1 crash · 3 fire

The best year for the Stinger

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2020 is the best-scoring Stinger model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 64.1 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2020 0.84× 16 C
2021 0.84× 22 C
2019 1.16× 35 C

Recalls

7 campaigns on record, 1 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
24V169000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER:HOSES/PLUMBING 2018–2022 36,248
20V518000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2018–2021 28,200
23V634000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2018–2021 18,224
18V754000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD 2018 16,011
20V560000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2020, 2021 635
20V422000 STEERING 2020 104
21V862000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:FUEL GAUGE 2020, 2021 53

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2018 were reported at a median of 9,014 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Kia Stinger years should you avoid?
2018 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Kia Stinger model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Kia Stinger?
2020 is the best-scoring Kia Stinger model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 64.1 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Kia Stinger have?
7 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Kia Stinger model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2018 Stinger
Complaints in window
38
Severity-weighted
80
Model median (weighted)
44
vs model median
1.81×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
6
Open investigations
0
Score 39.8 F