Kia Stinger: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Kia Stinger: 6 model years scored from 166 NHTSA owner complaints and 20 recall campaigns. Worst year 2018, best year 2021.
Kia Stinger: which years to avoid
Across 6 scored model years the Kia Stinger ranges from 57/100 in 2018 to 91/100 in 2023 — a 34-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Engine (22 of them).
Safest years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 — scored 70 or better.
Check carefully: 2018.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2021 (score 77). Worst: 2018 (score 57, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 91 | BUY | $3,992 | 5 | 1 |
| 2022 | 86 | BUY | $4,830 | 17 | 1 |
| 2021 | 77 | BUY | $4,304 | 17 | 5 |
| 2020 | 76 | BUY | $4,430 | 16 | 6 |
| 2019 | 71 | BUY | $4,639 | 44 | 3 |
| 2018 | 57 | CAUTION | $5,468 | 67 | 4 |
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 Stinger, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Kia Stinger
Across every Stinger 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.
- Engine47 complaints across all Stinger years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System35 complaints across all Stinger years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes30 complaints across all Stinger years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
- Fuel/Propulsion System24 complaints across all Stinger years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Unknown Or Other16 complaints across all Stinger years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Power Train9 complaints across all Stinger years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
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 are the best Kia Stinger years to buy?
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2023 at 91/100, on 5 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
Which Kia Stinger years should I avoid?
The 2018 is the weakest year we score, at 57/100 (CAUTION), on 67 complaints and 4 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Kia Stinger problem?
47 of the complaints filed against the Stinger across all its model years sit in the Engine group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04