- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 6
- on record
- MPG
- 27
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Kia K5
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 6
- Owner complaints
- 157
- Complaints citing a crash
- 7
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
6 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
6 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 21V164000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence
In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
- 21V519000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Sorento and 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
Consequence
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC214.
- 21V447000high
Steering issue
LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: STEERING ASSIST
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L T-GDI engines. The Rack-Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS) system lacks the ability to diagnose communication faults. If a communication fault occurs while driving around a curve with Lane Following Assist (LFA) engaged, the steering assist level may not adjust properly, causing a sudden increase in the steering effort required.
Consequence
A sudden increase in steering effort can increase the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will update the R-MDPS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are were mailed June 24, 2021. Owner may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC213.
- 22V760000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Consequence
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.
- 23V149000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may have been installed incorrectly, causing them not to deploy properly in the event of a crash.
Consequence
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and reinstall the side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC263.
- 25V794000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2024 K5 vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.
Consequence
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the check valve. The fuel tank will be inspected for damage and replaced as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 16, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC356. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 1, 2025.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Kia K5.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 10.7%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2021 Kia K5 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 5 comparable 2021 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 10.7% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 Kia K5, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
24
City
32
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,300
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 332 g/mi
How this compares
At 27 MPG combined, the 2021 Kia K5 ranks 2nd of 7 large cars EPA rated for 2021 — 2 MPG better than the 25 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little above the middle of its class. Fuel cost is close enough to its rivals that other running costs will probably matter more.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,300, $175 less than the $2,475 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $11,500, a $875 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 332 grams per mile — about 5 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
157 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 157
- Total
- 7
- Crashes
- 2
- Fires
- 7
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE37
- FUEL SYSTEM36
- ELECTRICAL30
- OTHER19
- AIR BAGS10
Serious Concerns
157 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 7 reports involve injuries. 7 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Kia K5, newest first.
- Recall
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Recall
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A sudden increase in steering effort can increase the risk of a crash.
- Recall
In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sedan
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
24
City
32
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,300
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Compare with
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Recall
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A sudden increase in steering effort can increase the risk of a crash.