Before You Buy Compare

Hyundai Sonata / Kia Optima vs Ford Explorer

Two curated safety records, lined up. Bar lengths share one scale, so they read across the gutter. Every recall figure below is a documented public record; NCAP and complaint fields name the live NHTSA source they join from.

Head to head
  • Larger recall Ford Explorer 1.60M vs 6.50M vehicles
  • Higher confirmed U.S. death toll Ford Explorer - vs 238 deaths
  • Active Do Not Drive order even neither vehicle
  • Recall still ongoing even both closed
Recall - remedy available

Hyundai Sonata / Kia Optima

Hyundai / Kia·MY 2011-2019·Sedan
No confirmed deaths Status: closed
Recall campaign
Hyundai / Kia Theta II engines
Component
Engine (Theta II)
Recalled
2015, expanded 2017
Units affected
1.60M 1.6M+ vehicles
U.S. deaths
not asserted - Non-crash engine fires; owners were told to 'park outside.' $210M NHTSA penalties (2020).
Live data slot

Not in the v1 snapshot. Fields below name the free NHTSA source they join from - no vehicle-specific number is guessed here.

NCAP crash rating SafetyRatings API
Frontal Crash – / 5★
Side Crash – / 5★
Rollover Resistance – / 5★
Overall Rating – / 5★
Owner complaints FLAT_CMPL
Volume by component pending
Full recall count FLAT_RCL
All recalls, this make/model/year 1 landmark on file
Defect tied to confirmed deaths

Ford Explorer

Ford·MY 1990-2000·SUV
238 U.S. deaths Status: closed
Recall campaign
Ford / Firestone tires
Component
Tires
Recalled
2000
Units affected
6.50M 6.5M tires recalled (14.4M produced)
U.S. deaths
238 U.S. deaths linked to tread-separation rollovers; about 500 injured.
Live data slot

Not in the v1 snapshot. Fields below name the free NHTSA source they join from - no vehicle-specific number is guessed here.

NCAP crash rating SafetyRatings API
Frontal Crash – / 5★
Side Crash – / 5★
Rollover Resistance – / 5★
Overall Rating – / 5★
Owner complaints FLAT_CMPL
Volume by component pending
Full recall count FLAT_RCL
All recalls, this make/model/year 1 landmark on file
Both records, in numbers
Field Hyundai Sonata / Kia Optima Ford Explorer
Recall campaign Hyundai / Kia Theta II engines Ford / Firestone tires
Component Engine (Theta II) Tires
Model years 2011-2019 1990-2000
Units affected 1.6M+ vehicles 6.5M tires recalled (14.4M produced)
U.S. deaths - 238
Do Not Drive No No
Recalled 2015, expanded 2017 2000

⇆ Swap sides · All vehicles

Both cases are documented public records from the v1 curated snapshot; see the Methodology for what is verified versus illustrative. Check any specific VIN free at nhtsa.gov/recalls.