KIA · vehicle model

KIA SPORTAGE

6,544 NHTSA complaints and 32 safety recalls across model years 1995–2026.

Complaints
6,544
Recalls
32
Model years
31

The KIASPORTAGE appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 6,544 consumer safety complaints and 32 recall campaigns across 31 model years (1995–2026). That averages roughly 211 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 2 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
20266
202565
202482
2023279
202257
202142
2020184
201995
2018203
2017516
2016181
2015190
2014149
2013447
2012450
2011260
201028
2009120
2008138
2007113
2006169
200593
20034
2002321
2001354
2000462
1999493
1998558
1997299
199698
199588

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 1,495 in 2017-2021 to 1,799 in 2022-2026, a rise of 20.3%. That is the 68th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

8
’95
32
’96
58
’97
112
’98
299
’99
352
’00
341
’01
306
’02
239
’03
181
’04
135
’05
106
’06
115
’07
86
’08
88
’09
122
’10
110
’11
92
’12
117
’13
125
’14
96
’15
130
’16
197
’17
306
’18
442
’19
289
’20
261
’21
447
’22
458
’23
349
’24
466
’25
79
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare KIASPORTAGE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the KIA SPORTAGE?
The KIA SPORTAGE has received 6,544 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1995 to 2026, with 32 recalls. That averages about 211 complaints per model year.
What years of KIA SPORTAGE are available?
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the KIA SPORTAGE from 1995 to 2026 (31 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the KIA SPORTAGE have safety ratings?
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many KIA SPORTAGE model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common KIA SPORTAGE complaints?
NHTSA complaints for the KIA SPORTAGE are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my KIA SPORTAGE has been recalled?
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. KIA SPORTAGE totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.