2018 Kia Sedona

Showing the 2018 Sedona SX. EPA's version Sedona SX, and NHTSA's VIN data, show it with a 3.3 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
19–21 mpgcombined; city 17–18, highway 22–25; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$15,470–$17,100U.S. average; Ohio $13,820–$15,280 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
3over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
48filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2018 Sedona. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Sedona. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine21040
Electrical system11111
Air bags6101
Structure3101
Unknown or other3000
Exterior lighting2000
Fuel/propulsion system2000
Power train2010
Seats2000
Wheels2000
Forward collision avoidance1010
Latches/locks/linkages1000
8 more parts
Seat belts1000
Service brakes1000
Service brakes, hydraulic1000
Steering1000
Suspension1010
Tires1000
Vehicle speed control1000
Visibility/wiper1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 2006385
  2. 2007157
  3. 2008170
  4. 200948
  5. 201032
  6. 201165
  7. 2012108
  8. 201439
  9. 2015139
  10. 2016297
  11. 2017134
  12. 201848
  13. 201939
  14. 202020
  15. 202110

Every Sedona year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Sedona over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Air bags

NHTSA campaign 22V031000 · reported Jan 25, 2022 · 410,619 vehicles potentially affected

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

NHTSA's record and documents

Electrical system: wiring

NHTSA campaign 19V109000 · reported Feb 19, 2019 · 94,389 vehicles potentially affected

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied.

Risk: If a child is in a child seat in the front seat, a broken ODS wiring harness will not prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the wire harness clip to prevent the wiring harness from breaking. If the harness is found damaged, the front passenger seat cushion will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC175.

NHTSA's record and documents

Electrical system: software; Structure: body

NHTSA campaign 18V338000 · reported May 23, 2018 · 106,428 vehicles potentially affected

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.

Risk: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 55 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 Sedona, the latest on Jun 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: electrical system (19), engine and engine cooling (12), equipment (9), air bags (6), seat belts (6).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2018 Sedona.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2018 Kia Sedonas for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: minivan. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3–4 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Sedona
Front-Wheel Drive
3.3 L, 6 cylAutomatic (S6)Regular Gasoline18 / 24 / 20
Sedona SX
Front-Wheel Drive
3.3 L, 6 cylAutomatic (S6)Regular Gasoline18 / 25 / 21
Sedona SXL
Front-Wheel Drive
3.3 L, 6 cylAutomatic (S6)Regular Gasoline17 / 22 / 19

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data