Kia Sorento Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 · Best: 2009, 2020 — based on 8,562 NHTSA complaints across 18 model years (2008–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road; 2015–2022 average: 4.8 complaints per 1,000 sold.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 8,562 NHTSA complaints, the Kia Sorento years to avoid are 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 — the worst logged up to 3.1× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 215 | 106 | 3 | SOLID | — |
| 2009 | 55 | 24 | 3 | BEST | — |
| 2010 | 3 | 2 | 2 | N/A | — |
| 2011 | 1,516 | 725 | 8 | AVOID | — |
| 2012 | 875 | 630 | 5 | AVOID | — |
| 2013 | 977 | 657 | 5 | AVOID | — |
| 2014 | 974 | 557 | 6 | AVOID | — |
| 2015 | 745 | 455 | 3 | AVOID | 2015 Sorento problems → |
| 2016 | 1,236 | 903 | 8 | AVOID | 2016 Sorento problems → |
| 2017 | 788 | 560 | 4 | AVOID | 2017 Sorento problems → |
| 2018 | 248 | 158 | 3 | SOLID | 2018 Sorento problems → |
| 2019 | 414 | 236 | 2 | CAUTION | 2019 Sorento problems → |
| 2020 | 128 | 96 | 1 | BEST | 2020 Sorento problems → |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 4 | N/A | 2021 Sorento problems → |
| 2022 | 181 | 120 | 6 | CAUTION | 2022 Sorento problems → |
| 2023 | 104 | 56 | 3 | SOLID | 2023 Sorento problems → |
| 2024 | 36 | 18 | 2 | SOLID | 2024 Sorento problems → |
| 2025 | 67 | 37 | 3 | SOLID | 2025 Sorento problems → |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Kia Sorento. Full methodology.
Sorento problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Kia Sorento problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Kia Sorento are engine, body, electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Engine fire while driving
· Kia Sorento 2008–2014Corroborated by 18 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,747 engine complaints across 2008–2014, typically 160,000–215,000 miles.
Snow White Pearl paint delamination
· Kia Sorento 2013–2015Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 590 body complaints across 2013–2015.
Airbag warning light illuminated
· Kia Sorento 2008–2013Corroborated by 10 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 535 electrical complaints across 2008–2013, typically 97,000–201,000 miles.
Why these years stand out
2011 Kia Sorento: 1,516 owner complaints on federal record, 725 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Sorento.
2012 Kia Sorento: 875 owner complaints on federal record, 630 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Sorento.
2013 Kia Sorento: 977 owner complaints on federal record, 657 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Sorento.
2014 Kia Sorento: 974 owner complaints on federal record, 557 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Sorento.
2015 Kia Sorento: 745 owner complaints on federal record, 455 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Sorento.
2016 Kia Sorento: 1,236 owner complaints on federal record, 903 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Sorento.
2017 Kia Sorento: 788 owner complaints on federal record, 560 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Sorento.
Know what to pay for the right Kia Sorento — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What years of the Kia Sorento should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Kia Sorento years to avoid are 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Kia Sorento?
The 2009 and 2020 Kia Sorento show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Kia Sorento verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Kia Sorento's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Kia Sorento before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Kia Sorento reliable?
The Kia Sorento's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 8,562 NHTSA owner complaints, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 rate "avoid", while 2009 and 2020 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Kia Sorento?
The most-reported problem area for the Kia Sorento is engine, followed by body and electrical. Confirmed failures include engine fire while driving, snow white pearl paint delamination, airbag warning light illuminated. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Kia Sorento across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered (the per-1,000-sold figure above divides 2015–2022 complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales); a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Kia Sorento, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.