Model year 2026 · Large Cars

2026 Kia K5: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2026 Kia K5 at 27–30 mpg combined across 4 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 14 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

1

EPA combined mpg

27–30

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Kia dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2026 Kia K5 recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2026 Kia K5, newest first.

Electrical system: Instrument cluster/panel

NHTSA 26V046000 Reported Jan 26, 2026
Filed by
Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC361)
Units affected
42,677 (estimate)
Problem
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid 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) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Risk
An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2026 Kia K5 fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2026 Kia K5 EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
K52.5L 4-cylAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular25/36/29 mpg$2,300310
K52.5L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular23/33/27 mpg$2,500331
K5 AWD2.5L 4-cylAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular24/33/27 mpg$2,500329
K5 w/Stop-Start2.5L 4-cylAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular26/37/30 mpg$2,250298

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2026 Kia K5 crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2026 Kia K5 NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2026 KIA K5 4 DR N/A AWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars10.7%Standard
2026 KIA K5 4 DR N/A FWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars10.7%Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2026 Kia K5 owner complaints

Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Kia K5, most recently on Oct 4, 2026. 1 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 2 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2026 Kia K5 complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Unknown or other5
Engine4
Electrical system3
Lane departure: Assist2
Air bags1
Engine and engine cooling1
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking1
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings1
Lane departure: Warning1
Latches/locks/linkages1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Kia K5 model years

Kia K5 by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 K527–30 mpg——5/5
2025 K527–30 mpg2545/5
2024 K527–31 mpg2315/5
2023 K527–31 mpg41105/5
2022 K527–32 mpg51295/5
2021 K527–32 mpg61695/5

All Kia K5 years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2026 Kia models

2026 Kia Carnival2026 Kia EV62026 Kia EV92026 Kia K42026 Kia Niro2026 Kia Seltos2026 Kia Sorento2026 Kia Sportage

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Kia.