2004 Kia Rio vs 2004 Saturn Ion
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 | 2004 Kia Rio | 2004 Saturn Ion |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 38 | 898 |
| Recall campaigns | 2 | 8 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 12 | 525 |
| Investigations | 0 | 4 |
| Crash reports | 4 | 51 |
| Fire reports | 2 | 4 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 24–26 | 23–26 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 69,000 mi | 70,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Kia Rio | Saturn Ion |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 0 | 345 |
| Electrical System | 5 | 331 |
| Power Train | 4 | 60 |
| Air Bags | 3 | 52 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 33 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 0 | 36 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 27 |
| Exterior Lighting | 0 | 25 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 7 | 41 |
| Won’t start | 0 | 137 |
| Steering problems | 0 | 87 |
| Loss of power | 0 | 34 |
| Rust / corrosion | 0 | 20 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 9 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 9 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 7 |
2004 Kia Rio
2004 Saturn Ion
Compare all Kia Rio vs Saturn Ion 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.