2009 Kia Rio vs 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
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 | 2009 Kia Rio | 2009 Volkswagen Jetta |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 39 | 888 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 6 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 37 | 1,054 |
| Investigations | 0 | 5 |
| Crash reports | 6 | 31 |
| Fire reports | 0 | 8 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 30 | 24–32 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 50,000 mi | 63,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Kia Rio | Volkswagen Jetta |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Diesel | 0 | 195 |
| Service Brakes | 0 | 165 |
| Power Train | 1 | 141 |
| Electrical System | 2 | 107 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 102 |
| Engine | 7 | 95 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 0 | 93 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 72 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Airbag warning light | 6 | 16 |
| Stalling | 0 | 188 |
| Loss of power | 0 | 89 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 71 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 31 |
| Won’t start | 0 | 14 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 14 |
| Clunking / rattling | 0 | 10 |
2009 Kia Rio
2009 Volkswagen Jetta
Compare all Kia Rio vs Volkswagen Jetta 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.