2020 Kia Sportage: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 187 complaints
187
Total Complaints
11,300mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE
Top Issue
16
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

2,750 25th Percentile
11,300 Median Mileage
54,361 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE
62
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
30
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
16
STRUCTURE:BODY
10
STEERING
8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
6
SERVICE BRAKES
6
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
5

Severity Assessment

16
Crashes
17
Fires
11
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"KIA SENT ME A LETTER TELLING ME MY CAR IS SUBJECT TO A "PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM" WHICH REQUIRES A PROGRAM UPDATE TO MY CARS ENGINE CONTROL UNIT. THIS IS BECAUSE MY ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE CATASTROPHIC BEARING FAILURE POSSIBLY DESTROYING THE ENGINE. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS NOTICE SHOULD BE A REC..."
"WHILE DRIVING/TURNING LEFT OUT OF A SCHOOL PARKING LOT, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, ALL CARS STARTING MOVING. GOING ABOUT 10-12 MPH, THE CAR IN FRONT SLAMS ON BREAKS, THE SAFETY FEATURE ALERTED ME AS WELL BUT WHEN ATTEMPTED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES, THEY WERE RESISTING. I COULD NOT BRAKE AND HAD NO CONTRO..."
"THE FREEZING POINT OF THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID IS TOO HIGH. IT FROZE WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE AT 6 FAHRENHEIT. WHICH MADE CLEANING THE WINDSHIELD IMPOSSIBLE AND DIMINISHING DRIVING VISIBILITY BECAUSE I COULDN'T USE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WAS VER..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28