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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2018 Kia Sedona is associated with 48 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 17 reports (35% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 3 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3.3l 6-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 19 to 21 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 48 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (17 / 35%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 1 crash / 4 fire / 1 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 19–21 MPG across 3 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Kia Sedona?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Sedona SX 3.3L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 18 MPG 25 MPG 21 MPG — $2,950 / yr
Sedona 3.3L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 18 MPG 24 MPG 20 MPG — $3,100 / yr
Sedona SXL 3.3L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 17 MPG 22 MPG 19 MPG — $3,250 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Kia Sedona?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
VAN FWD 13%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Kia Sedona models.
View complete 2018 Kia Sedona crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Kia Sedona?

Summary of 48 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
48
Crash Reports
1
Fire Reports
4
Complaints w/ Injury
1
Total Injuries
1

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 17 complaints
Electrical System 5 complaints
Air Bags 3 complaints
Structure & Body 2 complaints
Wheels & Hubs 2 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Kia Sedona problems & component breakdown (23 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Kia Sedona?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #22V031000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS

Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
NHTSA Campaign #19V109000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the wire harness clip to prevent the wiring harness from breaking. If the harness is found damaged, the front passenger seat cushion will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC175.
NHTSA Campaign #18V338000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.
View all 2018 Kia Sedona recalls & campaign history (3 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2018 Kia Sedona

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Kia Sedona

How many safety recalls does the 2018 Kia Sedona have?

The 2018 Kia Sedona is associated with 3 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 3 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2018 Kia Sedona?

NHTSA records list 48 consumer defect complaints for the 2018 Kia Sedona. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 17 filings (35% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2018 Kia Sedona defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2018 Kia Sedona?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2018 Kia Sedona earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 1 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2018 Kia Sedona get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2018 Kia Sedona range from 19 to 21 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.