Kia Sorento Best and Worst Years

Counting owner complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2021 Kia Sorento drew the most (132; most-reported area: powertrain) and the 2020 the fewest (29).

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Every model year since 2016 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 37 mpg combined, arrived in 2021. Includes the Sorento Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid.

Best and worst years, by owner complaints

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and launch or final years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

Model year	First 3 years	All complaints	Recalls
2021 Sorento Most reported: powertrain	132	268	5
2022 Sorento Most reported: powertrain	132	223	9
2016 Sorento Most reported: engine	128	1,250	8
2017 Sorento Most reported: engine	120	804	4
2023 Sorento Most reported: electrical system	112	157	4
2019 Sorento Most reported: engine	83	426	2
2018 Sorento Most reported: engine	49	254	3
2020 Sorento Most reported: engine	29	135	1

Year by year

Model year	Best rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026 MPG · Recalls and problems	37 mpg Hybrid	2	6
2025 MPG · Recalls and problems	36 mpg Hybrid	4	127
2024 MPG · Recalls and problems	37 mpg Hybrid	2	49
2023 MPG · Recalls and problems	37 mpg Hybrid	4	157
2022 MPG · Recalls and problems	37 mpg Hybrid	9	223
2021 MPG · Recalls and problems	37 mpg Hybrid	5	268
2020 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Gas	1	135
2019 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Gas	2	426
2018 MPG · Recalls and problems	24 mpg Gas	3	254
2017 MPG · Recalls and problems	24 mpg Gas	4	804
2016 MPG · Recalls and problems	24 mpg Gas	8	1,250

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2021: 268 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Kia Sorento
Model year	Complaints
2016	1,250
2017	804
2018	254
2019	426
2020	135
2021	268
2022	223
2023	157
2024	49
2025	127
2026	6

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 24 to 26 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); 26 since 2021. Hybrid: 36 to 37 mpg (2021 to 2026); highest in 2021.

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2026: gas 26 mpg · hybrid 37 mpg

Show as a table

Kia Sorento best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2016	24	–
2017	24	–
2018	24	–
2019	25	–
2020	25	–
2021	26	37
2022	26	37
2023	26	37
2024	26	37
2025	26	36
2026	26	37

Comparisons

Kia Sorento vs Hyundai Santa FeMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests

Questions

Which Kia Sorento years have the most problems?

Counting owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, the 2021 (132), 2022 (132), 2016 (128), and 2017 (120) drew the most.

Which Kia Sorento years have the fewest problems?

The 2020 (29) drew the fewest complaints in its first three years. The 2024, 2025, and 2026 are not ranked yet: they have had fewer than three full years on the road.

Which Kia Sorento years should you avoid?

No Kia Sorento year stands out: complaints in each year's first three years ranged from 29 to 132, and the worst year drew less than one and a half times a typical year. Whatever the year, check the car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy. Safety recall repairs are free at Kia dealers.

Which Kia Sorento years have the most recalls?

The 2022 has the most safety recalls in NHTSA's file (9), then the 2016 (8). A recall can cover a problem that affects only a few cars, so open a year's page to see what each one covers. One recall tells owners not to drive the car or to park it outside until it is repaired: NHTSA 22V-703 (2016 to 2023 models).

What are the most common Kia Sorento problems?

Of the 3,699 owner complaints NHTSA lists for 2016 to 2026 models, the areas named most are engine (44%), powertrain (14%), and electrical system (14%). One complaint can name more than one area. The recalls and problems page for each year breaks this down further.

Which Kia Sorento year has the best MPG?

The best EPA fuel economy is 37 mpg combined, first reached by the 2021 hybrid version.

Sources and method

US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.