Reliable Auto DB

2020 Kia Sorento reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 135 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Sorento over 7 years — 10 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 1 recall on file, including Trailer hitch.

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

135

Per year

10

Recalls

1

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (64 of 135), then Electrical system (19) and Powertrain (18). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 11 that report a fire, 11 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Sorento has 426 complaints, 28 per year, and the 2021 has 17 complaints, 0 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

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 2020 Kia Sorento. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

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.

Complaints by component (135 total)

Engine
64
Electrical system
19
Powertrain
18
Fuel and propulsion system
9
Trailer hitch
9
Exterior lighting
5
Service brakes
5
Air bags
4
Forward collision avoidance
4
Speed control
4
Steering
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Lane departure
3
Visibility
3
Fire-related
2
Seat belts
2
Suspension
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Wheels
2
Back-over prevention
1
Show 12 more Show less
Crash-flagged

10

Fire-flagged

11

Injury reports

11

Death reports

1

Complaints filed per year

72020112021112022212023142024402025312026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting into gear with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle unexpectedly jerked back and forth, accelerated unintendedly, and…"
    Speed control · filed 2026-09-18
  • "While driving my 2020 Kia Sorento on the freeway at highway speed, the panoramic sunroof suddenly shattered without warning. There was a very loud explosive sound that startled and frightened me while I was driving. I…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-01
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side air bag warning light remained illuminated while an occupant was seated in the front passenger’s seat. The dealer was notified of…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-08-31
  • "My 2020 Kia Sorento stalled and shut off while driving and eventually stopped working completely, requiring it to be towed to a Kia dealership. The dealership first replaced the starter and then the high-pressure fuel…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-18
  • "The contact called on behalf of his daughter who owns 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer for a routine oil change when the contact was informed that there was an unknown issue…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-07-29

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Kia Sorento SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2020 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 26 23 MPG $2800
Sorento all-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 18 24 20 MPG $3250
Sorento front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 22 29 25 MPG $2600
Sorento front-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 19 26 22 MPG $2950

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 2019 Kia Sorento Next year 2021 Kia Sorento See every Kia Sorento model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Kia Sorento reliable?

Owners have filed 135 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Sorento over 7 years — 10 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 1 recall on file, including Trailer hitch.

What are common problems with a 2020 Kia Sorento?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (64 of 135), then Electrical system (19) and Powertrain (18). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 11 that report a fire, 11 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Is the 2020 Kia Sorento more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Sorento has 426 complaints, 28 per year, and the 2021 has 17 complaints, 0 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Kia Sorento been recalled?

The 2020 Kia Sorento has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Kia Sorento?

Owners have filed 135 complaints about the 2020 Kia Sorento with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Kia Sorento get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Kia Sorento is 22.5 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.