Model record
Kia Sorento Years to Avoid: Reliability and Recalls
Every Kia Sorento model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2011 to 2025: how many complaints each year drew, the problem owners named most, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 2, 20268,592 complaints15 model years
The Kia Sorento years with the most owner complaints are 2011, 2016 and 2014. Owners named the engine most for 2011, 2016 and 2014.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate, and the newest years have had less time on the road to collect them.
The first year of the 2011 generation drew the most complaints, 1,517 for 2011, and the first year of the 2016 generation came close at 1,244.
Kia Sorento complaints by model year
Every Kia Sorento model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2011 to 2025. Years with 2,000 or more complaints are dark; beside each bar is the system owners named most that year.
- 2011Engine19%1,517
- 2012Engine53%877
- 2013Engine51%980
- 2014Engine39%982
- 2015Engine48%747
- 2016Engine55%1,244
- 2017Engine48%797
- 2018Engine42%250
- 2019Engine36%422
- 2020Engine48%132
- 2021Powertrain53%238
- 2022Powertrain34%185
- 2023Electrical system31%115
- 2024Electrical system28%36
- 2025Electrical system27%70
Best Kia Sorento years by complaint count
Of the years with at least five years on the road, these drew the fewest owner complaints. Fewer reports is not a clean bill of health: check the recalls for the exact car, and remember 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 have had less time to collect complaints.
- 2020Engine · 1 recall132
- 2021Powertrain · 4 recalls238
- 2018Engine · 3 recalls250
Most common Kia Sorento problems
The systems owners named most across all 15 model years, counted from each year's six most-named systems.
- EngineNamed most in 10 of 15 years3,541
- Electrical systemNamed most in 3 of 15 years1,123
- PowertrainNamed most in 2 of 15 years816
- Body structureNever the top system in a year730
- Exterior lightingNever the top system in a year440
Our guides for these problems
Check engine codes Kia Sorento owners name
The OBD-II codes owners wrote into their complaints for the Sorento years we have read in full (2014 and 2016), one count per complaint. Tap a code to read our guide; grey codes have no guide yet.
Kia Sorento years to avoid by generation
Kia called the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Sorento all-new, so the years in the file fall into three groups. NHTSA's file has the Sorento from 2011 to 2025.
2011–2015
All-new for 2011
2011 most complaints · engine
- 20111,517
- 2012877
- 2013980
- 2014982
- 2015747
5,103 complaints · 5 model years
2016–2020
All-new for 2016
2016 most complaints · engine
- 20161,244
- 2017797
- 2018250
- 2019422
- 2020132
2,845 complaints · 5 model years
2021–2025
All-new for 2021
2021 most complaints · powertrain
- 2021238
- 2022185
- 2023115
- 202436
- 202570
644 complaints · 5 model years
Kia Sorento recalls by year
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for each model year, read Oct 2, 2026. A campaign that covers several years counts in each of them. Recall repairs are free at the dealer; check one car with its VIN.
- 2011Most often: powertrain8
- 2012Most often: fuel system5
- 2013Most often: fuel system5
- 2014Most often: hydraulic braking6
- 2015Most often: hydraulic braking3
- 2016Most often: trailer hitches8
- 2017Most often: trailer hitches4
- 2018Most often: steering3
- 2019Most often: trailer hitches2
- 2020Most often: trailer hitches1
- 2021Most often: fuel system4
- 2022Most often: engine and cooling6
- 2023Most often: equipment3
- 2024Most often: electrical system2
- 2025Most often: electrical system3
Kia Sorento crash test ratings by year
NHTSA's overall star rating for each model year, with the frontal, side and rollover stars beside it.
- 2011Frontal 4 · Side 4 · Rollover 44/5
- 2012Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2013Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2014Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2015Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2016Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2017Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2018Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2019Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2020Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2021Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2022Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2023Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2024Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2025Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
Federal investigations
NHTSA's defect office has opened 14 investigations into 12 problems that cover Kia Sorento model years from 2011 to 2025. An investigation looks into a possible defect; it is not a finding.
Common questions
What are the Kia Sorento years to avoid?
The years with the most owner complaints are 2011, 2016 and 2014. Treat them as the years to inspect hardest, not as a verdict on every car: run the VIN for open recalls and have the systems owners named checked before you buy.
What year is the most reliable Kia Sorento?
Complaints can't name a most reliable year, because the file counts reports, not failures per car sold. Of the years with at least five years on the road, 2020 drew the fewest complaints: 132. Newer years have fewer still, but they have had less time to collect them.
What is the most common problem with the Kia Sorento?
Across every year in the file, owners named the engine most, in 3,541 complaints, then the electrical system, in 1,123.
Which Kia Sorento years have the most recalls?
2011, 2016 and 2014, with 8, 8 and 6 recall campaigns.
What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 5 sources
Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.