Reliable Auto DB

2020 Kia Sedona reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Sedona over 7 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Sedona years here — under the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Alternator.

2012 Kia Sedona
Photo by DoulosBen, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0
Complaints

20

Per year

1

Recalls

1

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (5 of 20), then Structure (5) and Electrical system (3).

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Sedona has 38 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2021 has 9 complaints, 1 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2020 Kia Sedona. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall electrical system, alternator 2020-07-08 · NHTSA campaign 20V399000
Summary Kia Motors America (KIA) is recalling certain 2020 Sedona vehicles. The battery positive (B+) terminal nut on the alternator may not have been tightened properly during assembly, possibly causing it to loosen over time.
Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator B+ terminal nut, tightening it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC192.

Complaints by component (20 total)

Engine
5
Structure
5
Electrical system
3
Exterior lighting
2
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Powertrain
2
Seats
1
Service brakes
1
Tires
1
Wheels
1
Show 2 more Show less
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12020220211202222023520246202532026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Paint delaminating due to latent defects."
    Structure · filed 2026-05-09
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sedona. While driving approximately 30 MPH on a main road, the steering wheel started shaking abnormally and became difficult to control. The vehicle was driven to a tire shop and then to an…"
    Structure, Wheels · filed 2026-01-14
  • "March 2024 just before hitting 100,000 miles I started having oil consumption issues. Current milage is 137,300 About 10,000 miles ago my check engine light came on. I took it to an auto parts store and it was reading…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-01-02
  • "Check engine light came on all of a sudden. Smell of exhaust/gas coming from car. Took car to the dealership to get the cause of the check engine light coming on. Dealership said it came back 02 sensor bank 2 and…"
    Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2025-11-24
  • "Problem: The Vehicle Slows down all of a sudden on the middle of the road from around 70 miles to 10 miles, then slowly drives at 15 or 20 miles speed. Safety Concern: On the Interstate Hwy, this has happened many time.…"
    Engine · filed 2025-09-09

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Kia Sedona VAN FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Sedona 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 18 24 21 MPG $3100

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (YP), 2015–2021
Body styles Minivan
Oil 5W-30 (all temps); 10W-30 above -18°C (3.3L) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 235/65R17, 235/60R18, 235/55R19 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V-338 covers certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD): the PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed. Dealers reprogram the PSD module software. Recall 19V-109 covers certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles with manually-adjusted front passenger seats where the Occupant Detection System wiring harness under the seat may break over time. Recall 21V-725 covers certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles where Smart Junction Box software may interpret multifunction switch signals incorrectly so the turn signal activates in the opposite direction.

Compare

Previous year 2019 Kia Sedona Next year 2021 Kia Sedona See every Kia Sedona model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Kia Sedona reliable?

Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Sedona over 7 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Sedona years here — under the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Alternator.

What are common problems with a 2020 Kia Sedona?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (5 of 20), then Structure (5) and Electrical system (3).

Is the 2020 Kia Sedona more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Sedona has 38 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2021 has 9 complaints, 1 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Kia Sedona been recalled?

The 2020 Kia Sedona has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Kia Sedona?

Owners have filed 20 complaints about the 2020 Kia Sedona with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Kia Sedona get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Kia Sedona is 21 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Kia Sedona take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner's manual.

What generation is the 2018 Kia Sedona?

3rd generation / YP (2015-2021).

What tire sizes does a Kia Sedona use?

Common US sizes include 235/65R17, 235/60R18, and 235/55R19 depending on trim.