1999 Kia Sephia vs 1999 Lexus ES300
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 | 1999 Kia Sephia | 1999 Lexus ES300 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 428 | 27 |
| Recall campaigns | 2 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 15 | 59 |
| Investigations | 8 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 50 | 4 |
| Fire reports | 42 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 23–24 | 19 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 59,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Kia Sephia | Lexus ES300 |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 169 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 88 | 10 |
| Power Train | 71 | 3 |
| Electrical System | 63 | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 43 | 1 |
| Air Bags | 37 | 2 |
| Steering | 23 | 1 |
| Visibility | 18 | 1 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 40 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 38 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 15 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 11 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 9 | 0 |
| Overheating | 9 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 7 | 0 |
| Electrical failures | 7 | 0 |
1999 Kia Sephia
1999 Lexus ES300
Compare all Kia Sephia vs Lexus ES300 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.