Hyundai Sonata vs Kia K5
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Hyundai Sonata
- Total complaints
- 16,011
- Avg per model year
- 423
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 60
- Most complained year
- 2011 (3,376)
Top problems: Engine, Steering, Air Bags
Kia K5
- Total complaints
- 478
- Avg per model year
- 82
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 9
- Most complained year
- 2021 (165)
Top problems: Fuel/propulsion System, Electrical System, Unknown / Other
Complaints by model year
| Year | Hyundai Sonata | Kia K5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 11 | ||
| 2025 | 16 | 51 | ||
| 2024 | 46 | 30 | ||
| 2023 | 86 | 107 | ||
| 2022 | 92 | 125 | ||
| 2021 | 131 | 165 |
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.