2019 Kia Rio vs 2019 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 | 2019 Kia Rio | 2019 Volkswagen Jetta |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 21 | 543 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 11 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 60 | 750 |
| Investigations | 0 | 2 |
| Crash reports | 4 | 19 |
| Fire reports | 1 | 3 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 32 | 34 |
| Median reported incident mileage | — | 10,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Kia Rio | Volkswagen Jetta |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 2 | 162 |
| Electrical System | 1 | 152 |
| Engine | 6 | 146 |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 29 |
| Exterior Lighting | 0 | 26 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 0 | 25 |
| Structure | 1 | 22 |
| Air Bags | 3 | 16 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 0 | 79 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 24 |
| Clunking / rattling | 0 | 23 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 20 |
| Loss of power | 0 | 10 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 8 |
| Won’t start | 0 | 6 |
| Electrical failures | 0 | 6 |
2019 Kia Rio
2019 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.