⌘K
Find a vehicle
RecallsCompareNewsPricing
Your vehicle
VIN decoderWindow stickerProblems by systemTitle brands
Federal filings
Service bulletinsOwner complaintsInvestigationsEarly Warning reportsWarranty extensionsDriver-assist crashesTrouble codes
Browse the record
GuidesRankingsAll makesQuarterly reportsWhat is in the data
Paperwork
Repair Claim KitCar CheckFor attorneysFor expert witnessesFor repair shopsRecall disclosure formRecall fix sheets
Tools and data
Recall WatchFleet VIN checkCost calculatorsCar crosswordAPI & data
Sign inGarage
Your vehicleHome›Hyundai›Ioniq 5› 2026
Hyundai · Compact Hatchback

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5

Electric
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
7 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
B
Safety Signal
80 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical 2
Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 28
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
EV rangebest configuration, EPA 318 mi
Starting MSRP10 trims · manufacturer $35,000
202720262025202420232022

The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is sold in the U.S. as an electric compact hatchback with 7 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the Ioniq 5 RWD, is EPA-rated at 318 miles with 114 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 28 complaints, most often about the electrical system. Manufacturer pricing runs from $35,000 to $59,900 across 10 trims.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Hyundai Ioniq 5 · Photo: Damian B Oh · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitWhich trim should I buy? → Compare a trim →
TrimPowertrainDriveMSRPHPTorqueMPG combSeatsCargo (2nd row)Wheels
SE Standard RangeElectricRWD$35,000168 hp258 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft19 in
SEElectricRWD$37,500225 hp258 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft19 in
SELElectricRWD$39,800225 hp258 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft19 in
LimitedElectricRWD$45,075225 hp258 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft19 in
SEElectricAWD$41,000320 hp446 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft19 in
SELElectricAWD$43,300320 hp446 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft19 in
XRTElectricAWD$46,275320 hp446 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft18 in
XRT w/ Tow HitchElectricAWD$46,725320 hp446 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft18 in
LimitedElectricAWD$48,975320 hp446 lb-ft—526.3 cu-ft20 in
IONIQ 5 NElectricAWD$59,900601 hp545 lb-ft78 MPGe526.1 cu-ft21 in

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombRangekWh/100miCharge (240V)Annual fuel*
Ioniq 5 Standard rangeElectricRWD125 kW PMSM131100115 MPGe245 mi296.3 h$650
Ioniq 5 RWDElectricRWD168 kW PMSM129100114 MPGe318 mi309.1 h$700
Ioniq 5 AWD (19inch Wheels)ElectricAWD74 and 165 kW PMSM11696106 MPGe290 mi31.78.2 h$700
Ioniq 5 AWD (20inch Wheels)ElectricAWD74 and 165 kW PMSM1088898 MPGe269 mi34.58.2 h$800
Ioniq 5 AWD XRTElectricAWD74 and 165 kW PMSM1038594 MPGe259 mi35.88.2 h$800
Ioniq 5 NElectricAWD166 and 282 kW PMSM847278 MPGe221 mi438.7 h$950
Ioniq 5 Robo taxiElectricRWD168 kW PMSM736971 MPGe168 mi47.510.3 h$1,050

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 49961, 49960, 49962, 49963, 49964, 49965, 50028.

Also on file Beside the 2026 Ioniq 5
Head to head vs the 2026 BMW i4 Ranking Safest compact hatchbacks Report card The 2026 year, graded Other years The 2027 Ioniq 5
Advertisement

The cheapest ownership win

Insurers price the 2026 Ioniq 5 very differently, and the gap between the best and worst quote on the same car and driver is usually larger than any option you are weighing on this page.

How to compare cover →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Electrical System

294
27 vehicles 93% reported repaired
Problem Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 IONIQ 5 and 2026 IONIQ 9 vehicles. The high voltage battery system may contain an improperly tightened bus bar, which can cause a short-circuit. Risk An electrical short in the high voltage battery system increases the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will inspect and tighten the bus bar retention bolts and replace the battery system assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 3, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 294. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 7, 2026.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 26V068000 reported Feb 5, 2026 Hyundai Motor America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Electrical System

293
41,651 vehicles 93% reported repaired built Oct 14, 2025 – Jan 12, 2026
Problem Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays." Risk An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash. Fix The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 293. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 28, 2026.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 26V047000 reported Jan 26, 2026 Hyundai Motor America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Ioniq 5

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2026 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Hyundai publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Hyundai’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Advertisement

Parts & accessories for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Ioniq 5 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
28complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

11 per 10,000 built · Hyundai reported 26,217 Ioniq 5 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2025: 1 · 2026: 27

Most-cited components

Electrical System 14
Lane Departure 6
Forward Collision Avoidance 4
Unspecified 4
Vehicle Speed Control 3
Seats 3

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The headrest (in it's farthest back position) pushes my head so far forward that I have to hunch my body or have no support from just above my lower back up to the mid back of my head. I think this is very unsafe should I get in an accident.
Seats Oct 20, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11772440
The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power, and a battery warning light and a "Vehicle Will Come to a Stop" warning message illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the contact's residence.
Electrical System at 850 miles Oct 19, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11772230
Several times now (over 5), we have experienced issues where our car has briefly accelerated on its own and then either (a) braked hard on its own, too, or (b) the accelerator pedal stop working until we pull over, come to a complete stop, and either park or restart the car.
Service Brakes Sep 27, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11767203
While driving on the freeway with adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance on heading east into the morning sun my car suddenly attempted to veer strongly to the left as I exited the shadow of an overpass. I was able to stop the lane assist because I had a firm two handed grip on the steering wheel.
Steering Aug 24, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11759157
Vehicle: 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Description of Safety Defect:The Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA-R) system exhibits a severe software logic flaw that creates an immediate traffic hazard.
Back Over Prevention May 29, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11740966
I am a tall driver (6'4") and I need to wear sunglasses when driving most of the time. The eye tracking device seems generally incompatible with both of these conditions.
Forward Collision Avoidance May 13, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11737531

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★★★8%
SUV RWDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★★★8%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Driver-assist crash reports (22)

Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01
22reports filed

3 no injury reported · 19 severity unknown

Mar 2026 to Aug 2026 · 0 with an air bag deployment · 2 towed

What was engaged, and what was hit

System named: RC-04-17 (10), RC-03-27 (3), RC-06-18 (3), v1.0 (3)

Crash partner: SUV 8 · Passenger Car 6 · Pickup Truck 4 · Van 2

Filed by: Avride Inc.

IncidentSystemStruckInjury allegedStateSpeedReport
Aug 2026ADS · RC-07-14SUVunknownTX—31101-16494
Aug 2026ADS · RC-06-18SUVunknownTX—31101-16263
Jul 2026ADS · RC-06-18Passenger CarunknownTX4 mph31101-16018
Jul 2026ADS · RC-04-17Passenger CarunknownTX8 mph31101-16197
Jul 2026ADS · RC-04-17VanunknownTX15 mph31101-16195
Jul 2026ADS · RC-04-17Pickup TruckunknownTX19 mph31101-16194
Jul 2026ADS · RC-06-18Passenger CarunknownTX16 mph31101-16016
Jul 2026ADS · EXP-eb444eeNon-Motorist: Scooter - SkateboardunknownTX14 mph31101-15850
Jun 2026ADS · RC-04-17SUVunknownTX15 mph31101-15391
Jun 2026ADS · RC-04-17Passenger Carno injury reportedTX4 mph31101-15477
Jun 2026ADS · RC-04-17SUVunknownTX9 mph31101-15475
Jun 2026ADS · RC-04-17Pickup TruckunknownTX—31101-15554

Showing the 12 most recent of 22; every one is in this page’s JSON and the dataset.

From the manufacturer’s own filing

The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.

On March [redacted], 2026 at 8:07 AM, an AVRIDE autonomous vehicle (the "AVRIDE AV") was in a collision in Austin, Texas on [redacted] near [redacted]. The AVRIDE AV was traveling northwestbound on [redacted] in autonomous mode when it approached a duck lying down in the road. As the AVRIDE AV proceeded straight ahead, it made contact with the duck.
Avride Inc. report 31101-14654 Mar 2026 NHTSA SGO filing
On March [redacted], 2026 at 1:26 PM, an AVRIDE autonomous vehicle (the "AVRIDE AV") was in a collision in Austin, Texas on [redacted] near [redacted]. The AVRIDE AV was facing northeast in autonomous mode while stopped at the red light on [redacted] at the intersection with [redacted].
Avride Inc. report 31101-14649 Mar 2026 NHTSA SGO filing
On July [redacted], 2026 at 9:16 PM, an AVRIDE autonomous vehicle (the "AVRIDE AV") was involved in a collision in Dallas, TX in a parking lot off of [redacted]. The AVRIDE AV was traveling northwestbound in autonomous mode in the parking lot off of [redacted].
Avride Inc. report 31101-16018 Jul 2026 NHTSA SGO filing

A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 3 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Hyundai warranty extension (62) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 14
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-10-13
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 5 warranty extensions, 4 others, 3 service bulletins

Most often about: Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance, Lane Departure, Air Bags, Exterior Lighting.

  • 26-01-082H DCS Warranty extension
    2026-10-13 · Electrical System
  • Certain IONIQ 5 (NEA EV) vehicles may experience Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and false battery overtemperature fault diagnosis caused by water ingress into the high-voltage battery system. This condition may cause unnecessary fail-safe activation, potentially resulting in reduced vehicle performance or limited vehicle operation if the vehicle is continually driven.
  • 26-GI-002H TSB Service bulletin
    2026-05-27 · Electrical System
  • This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system. Refer to the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update Key Improvements and Additional Improvements tables in this TSB for a list of specific changes. The software c
  • 26-01-046H DCS Warranty extension
    2026-05-16 · Electrical System
  • Certain IONIQ 5 (NEA EV) vehicles may have 12V battery drainage due to the scheduled climate feature. Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 26-01-046H provides instructions to perform a software update for the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) to improve the logic of the scheduled climate reducing battery drainage.
  • 26-01-043H TSB Warranty extension
    2026-05-08 · Electrical System
  • Certain IONIQ 5 (NEA EV) vehicles are eligible for a software update to the VCMS which would enable the Plug and Charge (PNC) function to support its use on Tesla V3 and V4 Superchargers, IONNA chargers, and ChargePoint chargers. This bulletin provides instructions for completing a software update to the VCMS.
  • 11032523 Other
    2026-04-10 · Air Bags
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not supplied, approved, or authorized by the vehicle manufacturers and have primarily been found in vehicles that previously experienced a crash and
  • 11032522 Other
    2026-04-10 · Air Bags
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been identified in U.S. vehicles following prior crashes, theft, or non‑certified airbag replacements. These inflators are not approved for use, may
  • 26-01-035H TSB Service campaign
    2026-04-08 · Electrical System
  • Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink functions. This may be due to an occasional disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to verify Bluelink Data Communication Unit (DCU) network connection and if needed, reset the DCU in Dealer Mode to resolve the connection.
  • 26-AD-001H TSB Service bulletin
    2026-02-25 · Forward Collision Avoidance — Warnings
  • Some 2019MY and newer vehicles equipped with a front view camera may illuminate certain warning lights and trigger DTC C272246 fault code for the front camera. In the following cases, the front camera auto-calibration range may be exceeded while driving: • If the front camera is not properly installed and is completely or partially detached. • In case of excessive changes affecting the vehicle's b

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Compare the 2026 Ioniq 5 with

Any vehicle, your weights →
Head-to-headVerdict
2026 BMW i4 · Compact Hatchback · grade AIoniq 5 +19.4
2026 Kia EV6 · Compact Hatchback · grade AIoniq 5 +6.1
2026 Nissan Leaf · Compact Hatchback · grade CIoniq 5 +2.1
2026 Nissan Kicks · Compact Hatchback · grade BIoniq 5 +17.9
2026 MINI Cooper · Compact Hatchback · grade AIoniq 5 +30.8
2026 Fiat 500e · Compact Hatchback · grade A500e +7.3

Ioniq 5 by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A 0 1 318 mi2026 this page B 2 28 318 mi2025 F 9 317 Park outside2024 C 3 226 Park outside2023 D 4 388 Park outside2022 C 3 407 303 mi

Common questions about the 2026 Ioniq 5

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

How much does the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 cost?

Manufacturer pricing runs from $35,000 for the SE Standard Range RWD to $59,900 for the IONIQ 5 N AWD, across 10 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.

Does the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 26V068000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it B (80/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5?

Across the 7 EPA-rated configurations of the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5, the longest EPA range is 318 miles on a charge. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5?

Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5, most often about electrical system, lane departure, forward collision avoidance. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

Are there service bulletins for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5?

The manufacturer has filed 14 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5, most often covering electrical system, forward collision avoidance, lane departure. The most recent is dated 2026-10-13. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

Which 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 trim is the best value?

$24,900 separates the cheapest of the 10 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.

Is the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 better than the 2026 BMW i4?

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 wins clearly, 85.9 to 66.5, on tech & comfort, price. The BMW i4 is ahead on performance and safety. We publish a full side-by-side of the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 against the 2026 BMW i4 — specifications by family, equipment feature by feature, safety record and ownership costs. You can re-weight what matters to you and the verdict recalculates.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations7 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificatesnoneEPA emission certificatesThe EPA published no certificate we could match to a configuration on this page.
Recalls2NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints28NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins14NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports22NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes.
Specifications filed with NHTSAnoneNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWe had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment10 trimsManufacturer press kitTranscribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Head to head 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs 2026 BMW i4 Scored on price, fuel, safety, space, performance and warranty — the weights are yours.Ranking Safest 2026 compact hatchbacks Every compact hatchback of this model year by NHTSA recall record, best first.Report card Every 2026 vehicle graded B The 2026 model year graded A–F; this one sits in the B group.Recall Watch Watch this Ioniq 5 by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

JSON for this page · API