Kia Rio vs Saturn Ion
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Kia Rio
- Total complaints
- 1,245
- Avg per model year
- 54
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 11
- Most complained year
- 2001 (223)
Top problems: Air Bags, Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling
Saturn Ion
- Total complaints
- 4,338
- Avg per model year
- 724
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 10
- Most complained year
- 2006 (1,235)
Top problems: Steering, Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System
Complaints by model year
| Year | Kia Rio | Saturn Ion | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 46 | 4 | ||
| 2007 | 46 | 876 | ||
| 2006 | 74 | 1,235 | ||
| 2005 | 36 | 573 | ||
| 2004 | 38 | 898 | ||
| 2003 | 74 | 756 |
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.