Used car safety, rank #119 of 181
Kia Sedona Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Kia Sedona, a very large wagon or minivan, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Kia Sedona has an IIHS driver death rate of 53 per million registered vehicle years against a very large station wagons/minivans average of 26.4, which is 101% above the class average. That places it #119 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 38.0/100.
What the Kia Sedona death rate means
At 53 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Kia Sedona is 101% worse than the very large station wagons/minivans average of 26.4. The 95% confidence interval is 20 to 87, which overlaps the class average, so some of the gap may be chance.
The other-driver death rate of 88 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Kia Sedona. It is higher than the Kia Sedona's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for heavier vehicles. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used station wagons/minivans
The safest very large station wagons/minivans in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Kia Sedona highlighted. It ranks 5 of the 5 shown; the class leader is the Toyota Sienna 2WD at a death rate of 5.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Sienna 2WD | 2018-20 | 5 (0 to 13) | 87.3 | 3.5/5 | $22,000 to $35,000 |
| Honda Odyssey | 2018-20 | 6 (0 to 13) | 85.4 | 3.5/5 | $20,000 to $32,000 |
| Chrysler Pacifica 2WD | 2017-20 | 20 (10 to 29) | 71.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Dodge Grand Caravan | 2017-20 | 48 (34 to 62) | 42.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Kia Sedona (this page) | 2017-20 | 53 (20 to 87) | 38.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for very large station wagons/minivans: 26.4 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Safety recalls for the Kia Sedona
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
1 recall campaign on the 2020 model year, covering electrical system.
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Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator
Risk: If the alternator B+ terminal nut loosens, electrical arcing may result, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator B+ terminal nut, tightening it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2020.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Kia Sedona: Common Questions
Is the Kia Sedona a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 53 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Kia Sedona, 101% above the class average (26.4 for very large station wagons/minivans). That earns a used-car safety score of 38.0 out of 100 and rank #119 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Kia Sedona driver death rate?
53 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 20 to 87. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Kia Sedona died at a rate of 88 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Kia Sedona compare with other very large station wagons/minivans?
The very large station wagons/minivans class averages 26.4 driver deaths per million; the Kia Sedona sits at 53. Among the 5 very large station wagons/minivans compared above it ranks 5 by safety score; the top of that group is the Toyota Sienna 2WD with a death rate of 5.