2018 Ford Taurus vs 2018 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 | 2018 Ford Taurus | 2018 Kia Optima |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 49 | 232 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 2 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 74 | 155 |
| Investigations | 0 | 2 |
| Crash reports | 3 | 10 |
| Fire reports | 1 | 10 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 19–21 | 25–42 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 56,000 mi | 45,663 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Taurus | Kia Optima |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | 131 |
| Electrical System | 7 | 33 |
| Power Train | 7 | 18 |
| Structure | 11 | 7 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 14 |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 17 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 14 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 13 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Oil consumption | 0 | 45 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 27 |
| Stalling | 0 | 26 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 19 |
| Loss of power | 0 | 14 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 0 | 11 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 7 |
| Clunking / rattling | 0 | 6 |
2018 Ford Taurus
2018 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.