Reliable Auto DB

2015 Kia Sorento reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2015 Kia Sorento holds 750 complaints after 12 years, a rate of 21 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Sorento years here — under the median of the other years, which is 27. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Brake control module and Hoses and fittings.

2012 Kia Sorento
Photo by Elise240SX, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

750

Per year

21

Recalls

3

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (360 of 750), then Structure (100) and Exterior lighting (91). Those filings include 20 that report a crash, 14 that report a fire, and 13 that report an injury.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 Sorento has 986 complaints, 26 per year, and the 2016 has 1,250 complaints, 43 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2015 Kia Sorento. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall Brake control module 2021-05-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V331000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.
Recall Brake control module 2020-08-27 · NHTSA campaign 20V519000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.
Recall gasoline fuel system, delivery, hoses and fittings 2018-12-19 · NHTSA campaign 18V907000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Remedy Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

Complaints by component (750 total)

Engine
360
Structure
100
Exterior lighting
91
Electrical system
58
Powertrain
42
Steering
33
Air bags
30
Fuel and propulsion system
28
Service brakes
21
Speed control
21
Hydraulic brakes
15
Electronic stability control (ESC)
8
Visibility and wipers
8
Seats
6
Engine and engine cooling
5
Suspension
4
Tires
4
Forward collision avoidance
3
Fuel system, gasoline
3
Seat belts
3
Visibility
3
Wheels
3
Air brakes
1
Equipment
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

20

Fire-flagged

14

Injury reports

13

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

1220148201515201628201745201891201988202012320211002022982023672024462025292026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I was driving my 2015 Kia Sorento on [XXX] south of the [XXX] junction when the engine suddenly started making severe mechanical noise and the vehicle seemed to have significantly reduced power. This is a remote stretch…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-11
  • "The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Zone auto parts store. The contact was notified…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-09-03
  • "The headlights are so dim that I could not see at night. I am forced to drive with the fog lights on for any amount of visibility. I recently replaced the headlights with factory replacements and now the connectors…"
    Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-09-03
  • "Paint De lamination on Snow White Pearl due to manufacturing defect Date listed was the date it started to peel. Started peeling around the window first. Then it continued on the front hood."
    Structure · filed 2026-08-07
  • "I parked my car and it was sitting for about an hour I came back to the car and heard a humming noise found that weird but I had to drive home about 10 mins later I parked car, sound was still going even while car was…"
    Electrical system, Speed control, Service brakes · filed 2026-07-11

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 Kia Sorento SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2015 Kia Sorento SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Sorento all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 19 25 21 MPG $3100
Sorento all-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 18 23 20 MPG $3250
Sorento front-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 18 25 21 MPG $3100
Sorento front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 20 27 23 MPG $2800

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (UM), 2012–2020
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 (2.4L and 3.3L V6 per manual) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/65R17 to 235/55R19 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Safety recall 17V-224 covers certain 2012-2014 Sorentos (among Optima and Sportage): machining errors during engine manufacturing may cause premature bearing wear that can seize the engine; dealers inspect and replace the engine as needed. That campaign does not list 2015-2020 model years. For later GDI/T-GDI years, Kia ran a Knock Sensor Detection System product-improvement campaign (not a safety recall) on certain 2015-2018 Sorentos with 2.4L GDI and 2016-2018 with 2.0L turbo GDI to add ECU software that detects early connecting-rod bearing wear. Safety recall 18V-907 covers certain 2012-2017 Sorentos that previously received an engine replacement under 17V-224, warranty, or the KSDS campaign: the high-pressure fuel pipe may have been damaged or mis-torqued during that replacement and can leak; dealers inspect and replace the pipe. Safety recall 16V-480 covers certain 2016 Sorentos whose rear-suspension cross-member welds may be improper; dealers inspect and replace the cross-member as needed.

Compare

Previous year 2014 Kia Sorento Next year 2016 Kia Sorento See every Kia Sorento model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Kia Sorento reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2015 Kia Sorento holds 750 complaints after 12 years, a rate of 21 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Sorento years here — under the median of the other years, which is 27. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Brake control module and Hoses and fittings.

What are common problems with a 2015 Kia Sorento?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (360 of 750), then Structure (100) and Exterior lighting (91). Those filings include 20 that report a crash, 14 that report a fire, and 13 that report an injury.

Is the 2015 Kia Sorento more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 Sorento has 986 complaints, 26 per year, and the 2016 has 1,250 complaints, 43 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 Kia Sorento been recalled?

The 2015 Kia Sorento has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2015 Kia Sorento?

Owners have filed 750 complaints about the 2015 Kia Sorento with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 Kia Sorento get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 Kia Sorento is 21.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Kia Sorento take?

UM (2012-2020): 5W-20 or 0W-20 for 2.4L and 3.3L V6. MQ4 (2021+): 0W-20 for 2.5L and turbo/hybrid where equipped (about 5 qt with filter).

Does safety recall 22V-202 cover a 2022 Kia Sorento?

Yes for certain 2022 Sorentos: the turbocharger oil supply pipe may crack and leak oil near hot components; dealers replace that pipe.

What generation is a 2020 Kia Sorento?

UM generation (2012-2020). The MQ4 redesign starts in 2021.