1998 Ford Escort vs 1998 Kia Sephia
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1998 Ford Escort | 1998 Kia Sephia |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 375 | 491 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 3 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 125 | 19 |
| Investigations | 1 | 8 |
| Crash reports | 84 | 34 |
| Fire reports | 11 | 16 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 25–28 | 23–24 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 75,000 mi | 58,500 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Escort | Kia Sephia |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 32 | 250 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 49 | 108 |
| Electrical System | 43 | 104 |
| Power Train | 43 | 68 |
| Air Bags | 75 | 31 |
| Suspension | 50 | 23 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 19 | 51 |
| Visibility | 16 | 43 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 25 | 48 |
| Vibration / shaking | 17 | 53 |
| Hesitation / surging | 13 | 9 |
| Shifting problems | 6 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 6 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 28 |
| Brake problems | 0 | 17 |
| Won’t start | 0 | 12 |
1998 Ford Escort
1998 Kia Sephia
Compare all Ford Escort vs Kia Sephia years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.