Which Kia Sportage years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

Owners have filed 2,360 complaints with NHTSA about the Kia Sportage from 2012 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the engine and cooling, the electrical system and the brakes and stability control. The years with the most complaints are 2017, 2012 and 2013.
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| Year | Vs. other years | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Sportage | Among the worst years | 392 | 5 |
| 2013 Sportage | Among the worst years | 381 | 3 |
| 2014 Sportage | About average | 125 | 3 |
| 2015 Sportage | About average | 146 | 2 |
| 2016 Sportage | About average | 134 | 2 |
| 2017 Sportage | Among the worst years | 404 | 4 |
| 2018 Sportage | About average | 165 | 3 |
| 2019 Sportage | One of the better years | 71 | 2 |
| 2020 Sportage | About average | 169 | 2 |
| 2021 Sportage | One of the better years | 54 | 2 |
| 2022 Sportage | Too new to judge | 47 | 1 |
| 2023 Sportage | Too new to judge | 197 | 6 |
| 2024 Sportage | Too new to judge | 75 | 3 |
Compared with its other years, the Sportage years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2012, 2013 and 2017. The most reported problem area across all years is the engine and cooling.
The Sportage years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2019 and 2021. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.
Across 2012 to 2024, owners report problems with the engine and cooling, the electrical system and the brakes and stability control most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.
NHTSA lists 38 recalls across the 2012 to 2024 Sportage, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.
These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.
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