Kia Sportage Reliability
Quick answer
The Kia Sportage has 1.76 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Sportage places 11th: a lower complaint rate than most. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 3,010 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and the electrical system, and NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023 as years to avoid and rates 2010 as a better year. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
1.76
Complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022)
3,010
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
23
Recall campaigns
6
Years to avoid
Most-reported Kia Sportage problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2008–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,529 | 51% | 11 | 100 | 9 |
| Electrical system | 459 | 15% | 12 | 57 | 7 |
| Service brakes | 332 | 11% | 35 | 18 | 15 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 231 | 8% | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 138 | 5% | 7 | 13 | 1 |
| Speed control / throttle | 136 | 5% | 20 | 0 | 6 |
| Body structure | 114 | 4% | 3 | 11 | 14 |
| Steering | 95 | 3% | 14 | 1 | 8 |
Of all 3,010 complaints, 143 (5%) report a crash, 161 (5%) a fire and 106 (4%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (813 complaints), the most-reported areas are the engine (225), the electrical system (177), the brakes (91), automatic emergency braking (83).
Kia Sportage complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's years-to-avoid analysis, which compares each Sportage model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 98 | 3 | Electrical system | — |
| 2009 | 80 | 3 | Electrical system | — |
| 2010 | 20 | 2 | Service brakes | Better year |
| 2011 | 181 | 6 | Engine | — |
| 2012 | 392 | 5 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2013 | 381 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2014 | 125 | 3 | Engine | — |
| 2015 | 146 | 2 | Engine | — |
| 2016 | 134 | 2 | Engine | — |
| 2017 | 404 | 4 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2018 | 165 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2019 | 71 | 2 | Engine | — |
| 2020 | 169 | 2 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2021 | 54 | 2 | Engine | — |
| 2022 | 47 | 1 | Engine | — |
| 2023 | 313 | 7 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2024(new) | 110 | 3 | Electrical system | — |
| 2025(new) | 76 | 1 | Electrical system | — |
| 2026(new) | 44 | 1 | Electrical system | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Kia Sportage recalls
NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns across Kia Sportage model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years (campaigns with a park advisory first). Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22V703000Sep 19, 2022 | 2017–2022 | Trailer hitch | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or…NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
| 21V137000Mar 4, 2021 | 2017–2021 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
| 23V652000Sep 25, 2023 | 2010–2013 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011…NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
| 22V051000Feb 2, 2022 | 2014–2016 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 K900 and 2014-2016 Sportage vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment…NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
| 22V800000Oct 24, 2022 | 2008 and 2009 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2008-2009 Sportage vehicles previously recalled under recall 16V-815. An engine compartment fire originating from around the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may occur while parked or…NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
Best and worst Sportage years
- Years to avoid: 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023.
- Better years: 2010.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Kia Sportage years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Kia Sportage
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Driver aids: ask about false automatic-braking events and check for warning messages on the dash.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Kia Sportage can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Kia Sportage reliability FAQ
Is the Kia Sportage reliable?
The Kia Sportage has 1.76 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Sportage places 11th: a lower complaint rate than most. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 3,010 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and the electrical system, and NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023 as years to avoid and rates 2010 as a better year. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Kia Sportage problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are the engine (1,529), the electrical system (459), the brakes (332) and the transmission (231). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the engine, the electrical system and the brakes. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Kia Sportage should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023 as years to avoid and rates 2010 as a better year. Each model year is compared only with other Sportage years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Kia Sportage last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 0.4% of 20,578 used Sportage listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 2.5% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 5.1% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Kia Sportage have?
NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns covering Kia Sportage model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 22V703000 (trailer hitch, 2017–2022). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Kia Sportage?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Sportage reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Kia Sportage, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Complaints per 1,000 sold divides the 1,190 complaints for the 2015–2022 model years by 676,704 vehicles sold in the US in those calendar years (published sales figures), times 1,000.
- The SUVs ranking uses the same complaints and sales, weights serious complaints double and adjusts for vehicle age, then compares 26 models. See the full ranking.
- Year flags compare each Sportage model year only with other Sportage years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Sportage compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.
More Kia Sportage research
Kia Sportage reliability by model year: