Selling a junk Kia

Junkyards and junk car buyers take any Kia in any condition. What they pay depends on the car's weight, the scrap steel price, the parts still on it and the tow. Pick your model below for what owners report most, or get an offer now.

What NHTSA data shows for Kia

Across the 12 Kia models with enough data to count (model years 1995–2022), NHTSA has 52,140 owner complaints on file and 170 recall campaigns. The most-reported components across the make are engine (13,519), electrical system (4,898), other (4,288). The Kia Sorento has the most complaints of any Kia, with 13,706. Data as of 2026-10-12.

Complaint counts rise with how many of a model were sold and how long they've been on the road, so a big number mostly means a common car. The useful part is what fails: when the top complaint is engine, read our guide to selling a car with a blown engine before you take an offer.

Kia models

Model	Model years	Complaints	Most reported	Recalls
Kia Sorento	2003–2022	13,706	Engine	35
Kia Optima	2001–2020	10,428	Engine	22
Kia Soul	2010–2022	7,471	Engine	12
Kia Sportage	1995–2022	6,286	Engine	29
Kia Forte	2009–2022	3,488	Engine	15
Kia Sedona	2002–2021	3,423	Electrical system	23
Kia Sephia	1995–2003	3,052	Brakes	7
Kia Rio	2000–2022	1,802	Air bags	11
Kia Spectra	2000–2009	1,211	Air bags	2
Kia Rondo	2007–2011	446	Air bags	5
Kia Optima Hybrid	2011–2020	416	Engine	5
Kia Niro	2017–2022	411	Transmission and drivetrain	4

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Selling a junk Kia

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What NHTSA data shows for Kia

Kia models

Guides for selling this car