Your vehicleHome›Kia›Stinger› 2018

Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

Kia · Midsize Hatchback

2018 Kia Stinger

Gas

Midsize Cars
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

62 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Recalls2 critical 4

Complaints2 crash · 5 fire · 2 injured · 1 died reported 71

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 25 mpg

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

The 2018 Kia Stinger is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize hatchback with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Stinger RWD, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 71 complaints, most often about the engine.

Kia Stinger — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Kia Stinger · Photo: OWS Photography · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Stinger RWD	Gas	RWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	29	25	$3,300
Stinger AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	29	24	$3,400
Stinger AWD	Gas	AWD	3.3L 6-cyl turbo	17	25	20	$4,100
Stinger RWD	Gas	RWD	3.3L 6-cyl turbo	17	25	20	$4,100

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39719, 39718, 39716, 39717.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Stinger AWD, Stinger RWD	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback
Doors	5
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

252 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	8

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Optional: Adaptive cruise control

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: GT, GT1, GT2, Premium). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	190.2 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	73.6 in
Height	55.1 in
Wheelbase	114.6 in
Track, front	63.0 in
Track, rear	64.6 in
Curb weight	4,129 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	52/48

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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 (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

SC300

36,248 vehicles 72% reported repaired

Problem Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019-2020 K900, and 2018-2023 Stinger vehicles equipped with a 3.3-liter turbo gasoline direct injection engine. The left turbocharger oil feed pipe and hose assembly may deteriorate and leak oil. Risk An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire while driving. Fix Dealers will replace the left turbocharger oil feed pipe and hose assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 26, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC300.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V169000 reported Mar 1, 2024 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

SC281

18,224 vehicles 78% reported repaired

Problem Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles. The fuel control valve plunger may stick inside the high pressure fuel pump, causing over-pressurization and loss of drive power. Risk A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the engine control unit software, inspect, and replace the fuel pump as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 18, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC281.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V634000 reported Sep 13, 2023 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

!critical

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

SC196

Park outside 28,200 vehicles 91% reported repaired

Problem Kia Motors America (Kia) recalled certain 2019 Stinger vehicles equipped with 3.3L T-GDI engines on August 27, 2020. On December 30, 2020, Kia expanded the recall population and added certain 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles. While driving, an engine compartment fire may occur in the area where the Anti-lock Brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) is located. Risk An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash. Fix Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuse kit in the electrical junction box, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC196.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V518000 reported Aug 27, 2020 Kia Motors America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

!critical

Electrical System

SC170

16,011 vehicles 88% reported repaired built Jul 20, 2017 – Jun 8, 2018

Problem Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Stinger vehicles. The front wiring harness located in the engine and passenger compartment may get damaged from contacting a burr on the left fender body panel. Risk The damaged wiring harness may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire. Fix Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness for damage. If no damage is found, a cover will be installed. If damage is found, the wiring harness will be replaced and a cover will be installed, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC170.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 18V754000 reported Oct 25, 2018 Kia Motors 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 Stinger

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Kia 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 →Kia’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 2018 Kia Stinger, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

71complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 5 a fire · 2 injuries · 1 deaths reported

39 per 10,000 built · Kia reported 18,244 Stinger built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 3 · 2019: 13 · 2020: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 10 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 14 · 2026: 11

Most-cited components

Engine 28

Fuel/Propulsion System 16

Electrical System 11

Service Brakes 9

Exterior Lighting 7

Power Train 7

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.

I took my 2018Kia Stinger into my local authorized Service Center (Nationwide Kia, Timonium MD.) on August 17,2021 to check recall # SC204 (Brake Vacuum Pump) and they determined that the recall DOES need to be performed, but they did not have the part(s) in stock to perform the recall.

Service Brakes Jan 4, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11446153

I recently purchased a used 2018 Kia Stinger premium. I was notified online that my vehicle had an outstanding recall, sc196a with a fire hazard from the fuse box. I made an appointment with garden grove Kia and ask numerous times if the part could be ordered ahead of time before I took it in so I don't have to be inconvenienced twice.

Electrical System Mar 25, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11404923

I was driving on interstate going 70mph with the adaptive cruise on and my speed suddenly drops to 50 ( like snapping your fingers ). Scared the heck out of me. When I stopped I checked the front sensors to make sure there was nothing blocking it.

Vehicle Speed Control at 27,000 miles Oct 16, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11364717

Car check engine went on. Took to an auto store and was told cylinder 3 was misfiring. Proceeded to change plus myself, plugs were burnt, 1 broken, very little if any oil in the car. Took to dealer and they informed be the engine will not hold pressure. Engine needs to be replaced. Not 1 warning came on.

Engine at 33,000 miles Mar 18, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11318542

Same as reported NHTSA id number: 11202935. Body integrity issue when car is under torsion, as in a turn uphill or downhill. Causes movement around a-pillar, b-pillar, and/or door window frame, with noticeable noise.

Structure at 3,000 miles Jan 3, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11296905

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Stinger. The contact stated that the low beam headlights did not project enough illumination. The contact stated that the failure began ever since the vehicle was purchased on september 3, 2019.

Exterior Lighting at 3,000 miles Oct 1, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11265421

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.

Reported by Kia itself: 3 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 2 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 16 per 100,000 built. Every Stinger model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 25k

miles, typically

Half the 31 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 9,000 and 70,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 10

10k–20k 4

20k–30k 3

30k–40k 1

40k–50k 1

50k–60k 1

60k–70k 2

70k–80k 2

80k–90k 1

90k–100k 2

100k–150k 4

150k + 0

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Engine	13	70,000	1.4×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2018-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 100

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-04-14

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 99 service bulletins, 1 other

Most often about: Engine, Electrical System, Equipment, Structure, Power Train.

TSB_ELE417 Service bulletin
2026-04-14 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles. The software downloads and USB preparation process is similar across all supported platforms; however, in‑vehicle installation procedures vary by head unit type.
PS797 Other
2025-12-09 · Back Over Prevention — Warnings
PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane
SC281Y_TSB Service bulletin
2025-10-02 · Fuel/Propulsion System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR DTC P0088 (SC281Y) - This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published under SC281 titled “High-Pressure Fuel Pump Inspection /Replacement and ECM Software Upgrade.”
TSB_TRA046_R5 Service bulletin
2025-04-17 · Power Train
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is
TSB_ENG222_R8 Service bulletin
2025-04-03 · Engine
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine
TSB_ENG222_R7 Service bulletin
2025-02-28 · Engine
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), w
TSB_TRA046_R4 Service bulletin
2024-05-16 · Power Train
This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced.
SC279_OWNR Service bulletin
2023-12-20 · Engine And Engine Cooling
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign on certain 2018-2021 MY Kia Stinger vehicles equipped with 2.0L Turbo GDI engines manufactured from September 29, 2017 to January 20, 2021 to improve the emissions logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to ensure compliance

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.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0087 P0087 on Kia →	Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded.	Electrical System · Fuel pump →	3 bulletins
P053F	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
P0088 P0088 on Kia →	Fuel rail pressure is above what the system commanded.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	1 bulletin · 1 owner report

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.0%

failed emissions

350 initial inspections of 344 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 Stinger	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.0%	3.0%	350
Failed the safety inspection	2.3%	1.9%	350
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.29%	0.22%	350
Miles driven a year	9,071	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	75,444	82,833	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Stinger by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2023 A 1 5 25 mpg 2022 A 1 18 25 mpg 2021 D 5 17 Park outside 2020 F 6 16 Park outside 2019 C 3 44 Park outside 2018 this page D 4 71 Park outside

Common questions about the 2018 Stinger

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Kia Stinger have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Stinger, 2 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 20V518000, covering Service Brakes, Hydraulic. There is an active park outside advisory — act on it before driving. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Kia Stinger?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2018 Kia Stinger yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it D (62/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Kia Stinger?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Kia Stinger, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Kia Stinger?

Transport Canada measured it at 190.2 in long, 73.6 in wide (body, without mirrors), 55.1 in tall, on a 114.6 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,129 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Kia Stinger?

Owners have filed 71 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Stinger, most often about engine, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Kia Stinger?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Kia Stinger is 3 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Kia Stinger?

The manufacturer has filed 100 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Kia Stinger, most often covering engine, electrical system, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-04-14. 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.

How does the 2018 Kia Stinger do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Kia Stinger failed the emissions check on 2.0% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.3% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

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.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	4	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	71	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	none	NHTSA NCAP	NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins	100	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	11 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

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.

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.

JSON for this page · API

2018 Kia Stinger

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Engine Output

Fuel Economy

Seating

Transmission

Driver assistance

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (4)

Engine And Engine Cooling

Fuel System, Gasoline

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Electrical System

Whether any of this applies to one specific Stinger

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2018 Kia Stinger

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

When owners reported it

miles, typically

Median mileage by component

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

Stinger by model year

Common questions about the 2018 Stinger

Does the 2018 Kia Stinger have any recalls?

How safe is the 2018 Kia Stinger?

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Kia Stinger?

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Kia Stinger?

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Kia Stinger?

How clean is the 2018 Kia Stinger?

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Kia Stinger?

How does the 2018 Kia Stinger do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method