Reliable Auto DB

2021 Kia Sorento reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Kia Sorento holds 17 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 0 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 13 Sorento years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Fuses and circuit breakers, Automatic transmission, and Trailer hitch.

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

17

Per year

0

Recalls

4

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (14 of 17), then Engine (6) and Fuel and propulsion system (3).

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Sorento has 135 complaints, 10 per year, and the 2022 has 189 complaints, 36 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

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 2021 Kia Sorento. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall electrical system, wiring, fuses and circuit breakers 2025-09-25 · NHTSA campaign 25V649000
Summary Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.
Remedy Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2022-10-11 · NHTSA campaign 22V760000
Summary Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.
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 2021-07-08 · NHTSA campaign 21V519000
Summary Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Sorento and 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC214.

Complaints by component (17 total)

Powertrain
14
Engine
6
Fuel and propulsion system
3
Electrical system
2
Speed control
1
Steering
1
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

172026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Car will lose power sporadically ,go into limp mode . Need to shut off ignition,restart and then fine till next time!"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-23
  • "The transmission in my Kia Sorento intermittently does not engage when shifting from park to drive. It will take 5 to 10 seconds for the gear to engage. When this occurs, the car is free-wheeling and will roll away.…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-23
  • "The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway at 20 MPH, the vehicle lost drive power. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was towed…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-22
  • "While driving my 2021 Kia Sorento, the electronic power steering suddenly failed/intermittently cut out while the vehicle was in motion. The steering wheel became extremely stiff and difficult to turn, making the…"
    Steering, Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2026-09-19
  • "Kia completed Recall SC250 via a software update only. The physical hardware has now failed (Code P193B). Kia Corporate and the local dealership are refusing to honor the safety recall remedy because the software update…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-09-18

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid SUV FWD Early Release 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid SUV FWD Later Release 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Kia Sorento SUV AWD Early Release 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Kia Sorento SUV AWD Later Release 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Kia Sorento SUV FWD Early Release 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Kia Sorento SUV FWD Later Release 4 stars 4 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 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S8) All-wheel drive 21 28 24 MPG $2700
Sorento all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 23 25 24 MPG $2700
Sorento front-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S8) Front-wheel drive 22 29 25 MPG $2600
Sorento front-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 24 29 26 MPG $2500
Sorento hybrid 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S6) Front-wheel drive 39 35 37 MPG $1750

Specs and fitment

4th generation (MQ4), 2021–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 (2.5L and turbo/hybrid where equipped) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/65R17 to 255/45R20 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 3,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Safety recall 22V-202 covers certain 2022 Sorentos: the turbocharger oil supply pipe may crack and leak oil in the engine bay, raising fire risk near hot components; dealers replace that pipe. The published population is a small 2022 turbo subset, not every MQ4. Safety recall 22V-760 covers certain 2021-2022 Sorentos (and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles): fail-safe limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired when a transmission oil-pump malfunction prompts it, which can cause complete loss of drive; dealers inspect and replace the transmission as needed and update transmission control unit software.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Kia Sorento Next year 2022 Kia Sorento See every Kia Sorento model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Kia Sorento reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Kia Sorento holds 17 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 0 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 13 Sorento years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Fuses and circuit breakers, Automatic transmission, and Trailer hitch.

What are common problems with a 2021 Kia Sorento?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (14 of 17), then Engine (6) and Fuel and propulsion system (3).

Is the 2021 Kia Sorento more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Sorento has 135 complaints, 10 per year, and the 2022 has 189 complaints, 36 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Kia Sorento been recalled?

The 2021 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 2021 Kia Sorento?

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2021 Kia Sorento with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Kia Sorento get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Kia Sorento is 27.2 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.