MODELYEARINDEX

Which Kia Sportage years to avoid

Across 11 scored model years, the 2017, 2020 and 2018 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Kia Sportage Full report
F
Grade 2011–2021
2017 vs model median 3.9×
Model median3× median
Engine 56
Electrical 21
Drivetrain 20
Avoid

2017 · 2020

Best

2012 · 2014

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.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2011
1.00× 69 C
2012
0.57× 29 C
2013
0.68× 42 C
2014
0.36× 20 B
2015
1.09× 41 C
2016
1.09× 51 C
2017
3.92× 202 F
2018
1.58× 99 D
2019
0.93× 44 C
2020
1.80× 98 F
2021
0.67× 38 C
2022 P
1.24× 67 C
2023 P
8.58× 495 F
2024 P
2.72× 147 F
2025 P
2.09× 122 D

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 owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2017 F 202 reports · median 32,400 mi

  1. Engine 56

    The contact owns a 2017 kia sportage. While driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The failure recurred on another occasion while driving 50 MPH. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 21

    The contact rented a 2017 kia sportage. The contact stated that while pulling into an army base at approximately 30 MPH there was smoke coming from the vehicle. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Drivetrain 20

    Car was parked overnight keys were taken and car locked at 8pm at 530 AM heard crash car rolled into tree and doors were still locked car came out of park and rolled after 9.5 hours of sitting car had to be in park for… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

22 crash · 19 fire · 24 injuries

2020 F 98 reports · median 7,400 mi

  1. Engine 19

    Kia sent me a letter telling me my car is subject to a "product improvement program" which requires a program update to my cars engine control unit. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Brakes 9

    While driving/turning left out of a school parking lot, the light turned green, all cars starting moving. Going about 10-12 MPH, the car in front slams on breaks, the safety feature alerted me as well but when attempted… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 9

    I was driving on the highway into pennsylvania at approximately 70 MPH (the speed limit) and all of a sudden my son and I hear a loud sound. It sounded like a gun shot and startled US both. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

11 crash · 10 fire · 8 injuries

The best year for the Sportage

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2014 is the best-scoring Sportage model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 75.1 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2014 0.36× 20 B
2012 0.57× 29 C
2013 0.68× 42 C

Recalls

20 campaigns on record, 5 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
23V652000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2011–2013 1,730,192
13V114000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH 2011 980,377
17V224000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 2011–2013 618,160
21V137000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2017–2021 379,931
20V750000 ENGINE 2012 294,756
22V051000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2014–2016 126,747
23V298000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2023 108,936
24V025000 STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS 2023, 2024 101,049
23V410000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST 2023 98,944
22V878000 AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN 2023 76,918
18V907000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS 2011–2018 71,653
22V703000 Park it TRAILER HITCHES 2017–2022 70,887

+ 8 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2017 were reported at a median of 32,400 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Kia Sportage years should you avoid?
2017, 2020, 2018 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Kia Sportage model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Kia Sportage?
2014 is the best-scoring Kia Sportage model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 75.1 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Kia Sportage have?
20 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Kia Sportage model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

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 2017 Sportage
Complaints in window
202
Severity-weighted
372.5
Model median (weighted)
95
vs model median
3.92×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
8
Open investigations
1
Score 6.7 F