Kia Sportage: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
3,849 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Kia Sportage, model years 2000 to 2026. 11 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2017 (engine 10×); 2012 (engine 14×); 2013 (engine 14×); 2000 (transmission 4.1×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2010, 2005, 2019. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Sportage | 304 | transmission 4.1× | 4 | |
| 2001 Sportage | 228 | — | 2 | |
| 2002 Sportage | 234 | engine 2.7× | 3 | |
| 2003 SportageFEW REPORTS | 4 | — | 0 | |
| 2005 SportageFEW REPORTS | 68 | quiet: 2 of 18 | 3 | |
| 2006 SportageFEW REPORTS | 111 | — | 1 | |
| 2007 SportageFEW REPORTS | 77 | quiet: 4 of 18 | 2 | |
| 2008 SportageFEW REPORTS | 98 | quiet: 6 of 18 | 3 | |
| 2009 SportageFEW REPORTS | 80 | quiet: 5 of 18 | 3 | |
| 2010 SportageFEW REPORTS | 20 | quiet: 1 of 18 | 2 | |
| 2011 Sportage | 181 | engine 3.6× | 6 | |
| 2012 Sportage | 392 | engine 14× | 5 | |
| 2013 Sportage | 381 | engine 14× | 3 | |
| 2014 SportageFEW REPORTS | 124 | engine 3.3× | 3 | |
| 2015 SportageFEW REPORTS | 146 | engine 3.7× | 2 | |
| 2016 SportageFEW REPORTS | 134 | engine 2.7× | 2 | |
| 2017 Sportage | 404 | engine 10× | 4 | |
| 2018 Sportage | 165 | engine 4.2× | 3 | |
| 2019 SportageFEW REPORTS | 71 | quiet: 3 of 18 | 2 | |
| 2020 Sportage | 169 | engine 3.9× | 2 | |
| 2021 SportageFEW REPORTS | 54 | — | 2 | |
| 2022 SportageFEW REPORTS | 47 | — | 1 | |
| 2023 Sportage | 197 | — | 6 | |
| 2024 SportageFEW REPORTS | 74 | — | 3 | |
| 2025 SportageFEW REPORTS | 55 | — | 1 | |
| 2026 SportageFEW REPORTS | 31 | — | 1 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Kia models
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 2000200120022011201220132017201820202023