Kia

Sorento

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD · model years 2003 to 2027

Includes Sorento 2WD, Sorento 4WD, Sorento AWD and 5 more as listed by the EPA.

See all 126 Sorento trims All Kia cars

The verdict

Best year: 2027. complaints: 0, below this model's typical 329; recalls: 0, below this model's typical 3.

Worst year: 2011. complaints: 1519, about 5.5x this model's typical 275; recalls: 7, about 2.3x this model's typical 3.

Year by year

Year by year summary for the Kia Sorento
Year	Trims	MPG	HP	Fuel cost	Recalls	Complaints	Investigations	TSBs	Top complaints
2003	2Gas	15	no data	$4,150	1	305	0	no data	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 20%, ENGINE 10%, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 10%
complaints: 305, about 2.8x this model's typical 110 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 12 complaints reporting a fire: 3 Score: 7 of 100, where higher is better.
2004	4Gas	15.5	no data	$4,025	0	220	0	no data	ENGINE 14%, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 14%, POWER TRAIN 12%
complaints: 220, in line with this model's typical 220 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 16 complaints reporting a fire: 12 Score: 49 of 100, where higher is better.
2005	4Gas	16	no data	$3,900	0	307	0	no data	ENGINE 14%, EXTERIOR LIGHTING 12%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%
complaints: 307, above this model's typical 220 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 20 complaints reporting a fire: 5 Score: 38 of 100, where higher is better.
2006	4Gas	16	no data	$3,900	1	242	0	no data	ENGINE 18%, EXTERIOR LIGHTING 15%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14%
complaints: 242, above this model's typical 220 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 14 complaints reporting a fire: 8 Score: 59 of 100, where higher is better.
2007	4Gas	17	no data	$3,650	4	154	0	no data	AIR BAGS 26%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10%, POWER TRAIN 9%
complaints: 154, below this model's typical 220 recalls: 4, above this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 10 complaints reporting a fire: 5 Score: 53 of 100, where higher is better.
2008	4Gas	17	no data	$3,650	3	217	0	no data	AIR BAGS 21%, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 14%, ENGINE 11%
complaints: 217, below this model's typical 220 recalls: 3, in line with this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 17 complaints reporting a fire: 9 Score: 25 of 100, where higher is better.
2009	4Gas	17	no data	$3,650	2	55	0	no data	AIR BAGS 27%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 18%, POWER TRAIN 11%
complaints: 55, below this model's typical 220 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 3 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 76 of 100, where higher is better.
2011	5Gas	22	175	$2,850	7	1,519	10 (1 open)	190	ENGINE 14%, STRUCTURE 13%, POWER TRAIN 13%
complaints: 1519, about 5.5x this model's typical 275 recalls: 7, about 2.3x this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 50 complaints reporting a fire: 63 NHTSA advised parking the 2011 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 0.7 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2012	7Gas	22	175	$2,850	5	880	10 (1 open)	220	ENGINE 38%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%, AIR BAGS 7%
complaints: 880, about 2.3x this model's typical 384 recalls: 5, about 1.7x this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 36 complaints reporting a fire: 77 NHTSA advised parking the 2012 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 0.6 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2013	7Gas	22	no data	$2,850	5	981	10 (1 open)	214	ENGINE 38%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9%, STRUCTURE 7%
complaints: 981, about 2.6x this model's typical 384 recalls: 5, about 1.7x this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 33 complaints reporting a fire: 44 NHTSA advised parking the 2013 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 0.8 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2014	5Gas	21	191	$2,950	6	988	8 (1 open)	252	ENGINE 28%, STRUCTURE 12%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%
complaints: 988, about 3.6x this model's typical 275 recalls: 6, about 2x this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 24 complaints reporting a fire: 46 NHTSA advised parking the 2014 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 1.2 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2015	4Gas	21	241	$2,950	3	751	4 (1 open)	198	ENGINE 37%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12%, STRUCTURE 10%
complaints: 751, about 3.4x this model's typical 220 recalls: 3, in line with this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 24 complaints reporting a fire: 14 NHTSA advised parking the 2015 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2016	6Gas	21.5	240	$2,900	8	1,254	3	266	ENGINE 43%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10%, POWER TRAIN 8%
complaints: 1254, about 3.8x this model's typical 329 recalls: 8, about 2.7x this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 19 complaints reporting a fire: 49 NHTSA advised parking the 2016 model year outdoors over fire risk Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2017	6Gas	22	no data	$2,850	4	805	3	235	ENGINE 37%, EXTERIOR LIGHTING 12%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10%
complaints: 805, about 2.5x this model's typical 329 recalls: 4, above this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 17 complaints reporting a fire: 32 NHTSA advised parking the 2017 model year outdoors over fire risk Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2018	6Gas	22	no data	$2,850	3	255	1	190	ENGINE 31%, EXTERIOR LIGHTING 12%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11%
complaints: 255, below this model's typical 329 recalls: 3, in line with this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 11 complaints reporting a fire: 11 NHTSA advised parking the 2018 model year outdoors over fire risk Score: 17 of 100, where higher is better.
2019	4Gas	22.5	236	$2,775	2	428	1	108	ENGINE 25%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 18%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%
complaints: 428, about 2x this model's typical 220 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 16 complaints reporting a fire: 19 NHTSA advised parking the 2019 model year outdoors over fire risk Score: 3 of 100, where higher is better.
2020	4Gas	22.5	236	$2,775	1	137	1	84	ENGINE 34%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10%
complaints: 137, below this model's typical 220 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 3 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 21 complaints reporting a fire: 12 NHTSA advised parking the 2020 model year outdoors over fire risk Score: 27 of 100, where higher is better.
2021	5Gas, Hybrid	25	191	$2,500	5	274	2	118	POWER TRAIN 35%, ENGINE 19%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14%
complaints: 274, in line with this model's typical 275 recalls: 5, about 1.7x this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 2 complaints reporting a fire: 1 NHTSA advised parking the 2021 model year outdoors over fire risk Score: 25 of 100, where higher is better.
2022	7Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	26	191	$2,400	9	225	2	107	POWER TRAIN 22%, ENGINE 17%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12%
complaints: 225, below this model's typical 384 recalls: 9, about 3x this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 complaints reporting a fire: 2 NHTSA advised parking the 2022 model year outdoors over fire risk Score: 12 of 100, where higher is better.
2023	7Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	26	191	$2,400	4	161	0	72	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17%, ENGINE 17%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15%
complaints: 161, below this model's typical 384 recalls: 4, above this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 7 complaints reporting a fire: 2 NHTSA advised parking the 2023 model year outdoors over fire risk Score: 35 of 100, where higher is better.
2024	7Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	26	191	$2,400	2	50	0	57	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16%, ENGINE 12%, POWER TRAIN 11%
complaints: 50, below this model's typical 384 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 77 of 100, where higher is better.
2025	7Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	26	191	$2,600	4	131	0	42	ENGINE 19%, POWER TRAIN 18%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15%
complaints: 131, below this model's typical 384 recalls: 4, above this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 7 Score: 66 of 100, where higher is better.
2026	7Gas, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid	26	no data	$2,600	2	8	0	no data	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15%, ENGINE 15%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15%
complaints: 8, below this model's typical 384 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 Score: 87 of 100, where higher is better.
2027	6Gas, Hybrid	25.5	no data	$2,650	0	0	0	no data	no data
complaints: 0, below this model's typical 329 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 3 Score: 95 of 100, where higher is better.

How the numbers moved

Combined MPG, median2003: 15 to 2027: 25.5

Owner complaints2003: 305 to 2027: 0

How we score each year

We compare each year of the Kia Sorento to the model's own typical numbers, not to other cars. A year reads solid when its recalls, owner complaints, and federal investigations sit at or below what is typical for this model, mixed when some of those numbers run above typical, and avoid when they run far above it. Deaths, reported fires, and an NHTSA advisory to park outside count against a year no matter what this model's baseline looks like.

A year is scored only when NHTSA has both complaint and recall counts for it. Complaint data often lags for the newest years, so a recent year can read not enough data even while its recall count already shows in the table. When the history is too thin, we say not enough data instead of guessing. Service bulletins are routine maintenance guidance from the manufacturer and do not lower a year's score.

Scores run 0 to 100, higher is better. Recall, complaint, and investigation figures come from NHTSA records. Fuel economy, fuel cost, and horsepower figures come from the EPA, shown as the median across the year's trims.

Information is gathered on a best-effort basis from public sources, may be incomplete or out of date, and is not purchasing or financial advice. Verify with the manufacturer or dealer before buying.