Kia Sorento

3,702 complaints across 11 scored model years and 36 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Kia Sorento Full report

Grade 2011–2021

2011 vs model median 2.1×

Model median3× median

Drivetrain 104

Engine 67

Electrical 57

Avoid

2011 · 2013

Best

2018 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Kia Sorento
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2011	2.05×	532	F
2012	1.17×	261	D
2013	1.50×	325	D
2014	0.87×	225	C
2015	0.88×	219	C
2016	1.29×	322	D
2017	1.19×	301	C
2018	0.50×	104	B
2019	0.76×	197	B
2020	0.34×	78	B
2021	1.00×	280	C
2022 P	1.19×	336	C
2023 P	0.87×	263	B
2024 P	0.33×	66	A
2025 P	0.75×	191	B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

EPA fuel economy and drivetrain
Combined MPG	25.5
City / Highway	23 / 30
Engine	2.5L, 4 cyl
Drive	Front-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost	$2,400

Recalls

36 campaigns on record, 4 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
23V652000 Park it	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE	2011–2014	1,730,192
13V114000	EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH	2011	980,377
17V224000	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE	2012–2014	618,160
20V519000 Park it	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE	2014, 2015	440,370
21V331000 Park it	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE	2014, 2015	440,370
15V626000	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION	2011–2013	377,062
20V750000	ENGINE	2012, 2013	294,756
23V610000	BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA	2022, 2023	144,979

+ 28 further campaigns

Others in Compact SUVs

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Other models in the same segment
Model	Years to avoid	Grade
Acura RDX	20192020	C
Audi Q5	20182021	C
Audi SQ5	none flagged	C
BMW X3	20132019	C
Buick Envision	2017	C
Cadillac SRX	2013	C
Cadillac XT5	2017	C
Chevrolet Blazer	none flagged	C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2011 Sorento

Complaints in window: 532
Severity-weighted: 839
Model median (weighted): 409
vs model median: 2.05×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 10
Open investigations: 1

Score 30.4 F