2017 Kia Sorento reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 804 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Sorento over 10 years — 40 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Sorento years here — over the median of the other years, which is 26. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Trailer hitch, Hoses and fittings, and Engine.

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

Complaints

804

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (386 of 804), then Exterior lighting (125) and Steering (97). Those filings include 13 that report a crash, 32 that report a fire, and 13 that report an injury.

Next to 2016 and 2018

The 2016 Sorento has 1,250 complaints, 43 per year, and the 2018 has 254 complaints, 16 per year. The 2017 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2016. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2018.

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 2017 Kia Sorento. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (4)

Recall trailer hitch 2022-09-19 · NHTSA campaign 22V703000

Summary Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.

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.

Recall Engine 2017-09-21 · NHTSA campaign 17V586000

Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Sorento vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The engine crankshaft may have been improperly heat treated and may fail.

Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the crankshaft, and, as necessary, replace the engine sub assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC153.

Recall trailer hitch 2016-11-30 · NHTSA campaign 16V862000

Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.

Complaints by component (804 total)

Engine

386

Exterior lighting

125

Steering

Electrical system

Fuel and propulsion system

Powertrain

Engine and engine cooling

Service brakes

Speed control

Structure

Air bags

Forward collision avoidance

Fuel system, gasoline

Seat belts

Trailer hitch

Visibility

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Visibility and wipers

Seats

Fire-related

Suspension

Hydraulic brakes

Interior lighting

Lane departure

Tires

Wheels

Show 18 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"Yesterday our car was making a knocking noise. It lost power temporarily. Upon pressing the gas pedal to the floor we were able to get up to 30 mph. We made it to a repair shop. They looked at it today. The Dip stick…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-24
"Issue 1: The front passenger airbag sensor is faulty. The ODS light is staying on. I took my car to a Kia dealership and they informed me that the passenger airbag would most likely not deploy in the event of an…"
Air bags, Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-18
"The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle had started independently. While the vehicle was in the driveway, the contact became aware that the vehicle had been running for a while. While…"
Electrical system, Engine · filed 2026-09-16
"In early July, my vehicle's check engine light turned on. I took it to a reputable local mechanic in Sachse, Texas, who had the vehicle for approximately two weeks. He was unable to determine the cause of the issue but…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-05
"The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was inspected several times; however, no oil leaks were found. The contact stated that while…"
Engine and engine cooling, Engine · filed 2026-09-01

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2017 Kia Sorento SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2017 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	21	25	22 MPG	$2950
Sorento all-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	19	25	22 MPG	$2950
Sorento all-wheel drive	3.3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	17	23	19 MPG	$3400
Sorento FE all-wheel drive	3.3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	18	25	21 MPG	$3100
Sorento front-wheel drive	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	21	28	24 MPG	$2700
Sorento front-wheel drive	3.3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	18	25	20 MPG	$3250
Sorento front-wheel drive	2L, 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 2016 Kia Sorento Next year 2018 Kia Sorento See every Kia Sorento model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Kia Sorento reliable?

What are common problems with a 2017 Kia Sorento?

Is the 2017 Kia Sorento more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2017 Kia Sorento been recalled?

The 2017 Kia Sorento has 4 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 2017 Kia Sorento?

Owners have filed 804 complaints about the 2017 Kia Sorento with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2017 Kia Sorento get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2017 Kia Sorento is 21.6 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.