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Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2026 Kia SorentoRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 6 owner complaints for the 2026 Kia Sorento. Most complaints involve electrical system (1) and structure (1). The EPA rates it 23–26 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

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Combined MPG
23–26mpg
EPA · 4 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
2campaigns
Latest Jan 2026
Owner complaints
6
Top: electrical system
Fuel cost / yr
$2,450est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

2 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system: instrument cluster

Free remedy

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."

Electrical systemReported Jan 27, 2026NHTSA 26V046000

Tires: temporary

Free remedy

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride and 2026 Sorento vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

TiresReported Oct 31, 2025NHTSA 25V745000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

6 complaints filed with NHTSA · Apr 2026 – Oct 2026
  1. Electrical system1
  2. Structure1
  3. Lane departure1
  4. Engine and engine cooling1
  5. Engine1
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  7. Forward collision avoidance1
  8. Service brakes1
  9. Back over prevention1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Sorento model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2003308
2004220
2005307
2006242
2007154
2008217
200955
20111,520
2012880
2013983
2014988
2015755
20161,262
2017808
2018255
2019435
2020140
202125
2022194
2023126
202444
202577
20266
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Electrical system

1 report
“Passenger door failed to open three times since purchase. Tried locking/unlocking door from inside, outside and with key fob. Dealership looked at it in May 2026 and I reported it again because it happened two more times since. They couldn't duplicate it the first time and said it was to intermittent for the service manager to talk to me when I went in for an oil change. The lane keeping feature constantly hunts left ant right going down the road and feels unsafe around curves. The dealership took it on a short drive and said nothing was wrong and said they would not check the calibration. The right side of the driver display that has the map and radio goes out sometimes sitting still and at times driving down the road. Has happened at least 14 times. The screen goes blank and then has to reboot/initialize before it is usable.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 7, 2026Electrical system, Structure, Lane departureODI 11769489

Structure

1 report

Lane departure

1 report
Send a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

4 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 2.5L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Automatic (S8) · Automatic (AM-S8)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Sorento FWD
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
233126$2,450339
Sorento AWD
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
232825$2,550357
Sorento AWD
Auto (AM-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive
202723$2,800388
Sorento FWD
Auto (AM-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
202923$2,800382
  • Sorento FWD
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    23 city · 31 hwy · $2,450/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
  • Sorento AWD
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    23 city · 28 hwy · $2,550/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
  • Sorento AWD
    Auto (AM-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo
    20 city · 27 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Sorento FWD
    Auto (AM-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo
    20 city · 29 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
KIA SORENTO SUV N/A AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
15.9%
Overall
5 / 5
KIA SORENTO SUV N/A FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
15.9%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 21182Vehicle 21181
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2026 Sorento questions

How many recalls does the 2026 Kia Sorento have?

2 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2026 Kia Sorento problems?

Owners filed 6 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (1), structure (1), lane departure (1). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2026 Kia Sorento get?

The EPA rates the 2026 Kia Sorento at 23–26 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).

How safe is the 2026 Kia Sorento?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2026 Kia Sorento 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026