Research · complaint index
Kia Seltos years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 7 model years of the Kia Seltos by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2021 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 3 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | Too new to judge |
| 2026 | 4 | 4 | — | 0 | 1 | Too new to judge |
| 2025 | 13 | 7 | 0.4 | 0 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2024 | 47 | 16 | 1.0 | 2 | 4 | Typical |
| 2023 | 47 | 12 | 0.8 | 2 | 4 | Typical |
| 2022 | 76 | 15 | 1.0 | 1 | 6 | Typical |
| 2021 | 377 | 63 | 4.1 | 2 | 13 | Most complaints |
- 20273 complaints · 0 recallsToo new to judge
- 20264 complaints · 0 recallsToo new to judge
- 202513 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 202447 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 202347 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 202276 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 2021377 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 2, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2025.
About this comparison
What Kia Seltos years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2021 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 7 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.