Kia K5: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Kia K5: 5 model years scored from 291 NHTSA owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns. Worst year 2021, best year 2022.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2022 (score 71). Worst: 2021 (score 67, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | DATA PENDING | $2,830 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | DATA PENDING | $2,970 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,110 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 71 | BUY | $3,953 | 127 | 5 |
| 2021 | 67 | CAUTION | $4,012 | 164 | 6 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the K5, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Kia K5
Across every K5 model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Fuel/Propulsion System76 complaints across all K5 years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Electrical System70 complaints across all K5 years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Engine55 complaints across all K5 years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other52 complaints across all K5 years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Power Train38 complaints across all K5 years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Fuel System13 complaints across all K5 years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What is the best year for the Kia K5?
On our data the 2022 Kia K5 scores 71/100 — the highest of the 5 model years we hold, with 127 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns on record.
Which Kia K5 years should I avoid?
The 2021 is the weakest year we score, at 67/100 (CAUTION), on 164 complaints and 6 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Kia K5 problem?
76 of the complaints filed against the K5 across all its model years sit in the Fuel/Propulsion System group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04