Kia Sorento

Owners filed 10,148 complaints across 24 model years of the Kia Sorento. The 2011 drew the most (1,517); the 2010 the fewest (3).

Model years24
Complaints10,148
Recalls79
Fires412
Deaths9

Every Kia Sorento model year compared

Complaints per year
YearComplaintsRelative volumeRecallsFiresCrashesMost reportedStatus
20266
22Unknown or OtherRoutine
202573
35Electrical SystemRoutine
202440
214Electrical SystemRoutine
2023119
323Electrical SystemRoutine
2022189
614Power TrainRoutine
2021242
414Power TrainAbove average
2020134
1119EngineFatalities reported
2019426
21910EngineAbove average
2018253
31112EngineFatalities reported
2017802
43213EngineHigh concern
20161,248
84929EngineHigh concern
2015750
31420EngineAbove average
2014986
64623EngineFatalities reported
2013981
54423EngineHigh concern
2012879
57721EngineHigh concern
20111,517
86142EngineHigh concern
20103
22Air BagsRoutine
200955
312Air BagsRoutine
2008217
3915Air BagsFatalities reported
2007154
4510Air BagsRoutine
2006242
1812EngineAbove average
2005307
0517EngineFatalities reported
2004220
01211EngineFatalities reported
2003305
1310Engine and Engine CoolingFatalities reported

Which Kia Sorento years should you avoid?

On raw complaint volume the 2011 is the weakest year on record, with 1,517 complaints concentrated in the engine. It carries 8 recalls.

Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.

Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.