1999 Kia Sephia vs 1999 Mazda Protege
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1999 Kia Sephia | 1999 Mazda Protege |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 428 | 88 |
| Recall campaigns | 2 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 15 | 95 |
| Investigations | 8 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 50 | 21 |
| Fire reports | 42 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 23–24 | 23–27 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 59,000 mi | 65,033 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Kia Sephia | Mazda Protege |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 169 | 6 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 88 | 8 |
| Power Train | 71 | 22 |
| Electrical System | 63 | 6 |
| Air Bags | 37 | 21 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 43 | 2 |
| Steering | 23 | 3 |
| Suspension | 17 | 3 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 40 | 6 |
| 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 Mazda Protege
Compare all Kia Sephia vs Mazda Protege 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.