2017 Ford Taurus vs 2017 Kia Optima
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2017 Ford Taurus | 2017 Kia Optima |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 44 | 255 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 3 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 101 | 179 |
| Investigations | 0 | 3 |
| Crash reports | 1 | 4 |
| Fire reports | 0 | 9 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 19–23 | 25–42 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 32,000 mi | 61,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Taurus | Kia Optima |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4 | 164 |
| Electrical System | 11 | 25 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 20 |
| Power Train | 1 | 21 |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 15 |
| Steering | 3 | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 13 |
| Structure | 7 | 5 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Check engine light | 0 | 43 |
| Oil consumption | 0 | 39 |
| Stalling | 0 | 26 |
| Loss of power | 0 | 25 |
| Clunking / rattling | 0 | 17 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 15 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 10 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 0 | 7 |
2017 Ford Taurus
2017 Kia Optima
Compare all Ford Taurus vs Kia Optima years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.