Reliable Auto DB

2023 Kia Sorento reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 119 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Sorento over 4 years — 26 per year. The other Sorento years sit at about the same rate: their median is 27 complaints per year. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Fuses and circuit breakers, Camera, and Labels.

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

119

Per year

26

Recalls

3

Years on the road

4

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (37 of 119), then Engine (30) and Powertrain (20). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2022 and 2024

The 2022 Sorento has 189 complaints, 36 per year, and the 2024 has 41 complaints, 14 per year. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022. The 2023 has more complaints per year than the 2024.

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 2023 Kia Sorento. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

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 back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2023-08-31 · NHTSA campaign 23V610000
Summary Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.
Recall Labels 2023-08-15 · NHTSA campaign 23V579000
Summary Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sorento vehicles. The air bag warning labels on the driver and front passenger sun visors may detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the driver and front passenger sun visors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 10, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC277.

Complaints by component (119 total)

Electrical system
37
Engine
30
Powertrain
20
Forward collision avoidance
14
Service brakes
11
Speed control
11
Lane departure
10
Steering
7
Visibility and wipers
7
Fuel and propulsion system
6
Visibility
4
Exterior lighting
2
Seats
2
Structure
2
Back-over prevention
1
Carry handle, shell, and base
1
Chest clip, buckle, and harness
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Equipment
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Traction control
1
Show 13 more Show less
Crash-flagged

3

Fire-flagged

2

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12022182023322024262025422026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "My 2023 Kia Sorento has experienced repeated failures involving the engine, transmission/powertrain, and electrical wiring system. The vehicle has been inspected and repaired multiple times by authorized Kia…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-09
  • "I own two Nuna RAVA car seats, and both have developed unraveling/tearing of the two-point harness buckle/strap between the child’s legs. One seat had noticeable tearing, which prompted me to closely inspect the second…"
    carry handle, shell, and base, chest clip, buckle, and harness · filed 2026-09-01
  • "The transmission failed for the fourth time. The transmission (Power Train) is the component that failed and is available for inspection at the dealership. The vehicle became unsafe and unreliable to drive due to the…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-08-25
  • "On multiple occasions, my 2023 Kia Sorento has experienced an intermittent failure where numerous dashboard warning lights and alerts illuminate and the engine will not start. During the failure, the brake pedal becomes…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2026-08-24
  • "The brakes failed; they felt spongy, as if my foot were pressing directly against the road. The car accelerated and I headed toward a wall; the sensors didn't stop the vehicle. It came to a halt against the wall after…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-08-19

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2023 Kia Sorento HEV SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2023 Kia Sorento HEV SUV FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2023 Kia Sorento PHEV SUV AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2023 Kia Sorento SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2023 Kia Sorento SUV FWD 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 (8-speed) All-wheel drive 23 25 24 MPG $2700
Sorento all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S8) All-wheel drive 22 27 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 all-wheel drive 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S6) All-wheel drive 36 33 34 MPG $1900
Sorento hybrid front-wheel drive 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S6) Front-wheel drive 39 35 37 MPG $1750
Sorento Plug-in hybrid 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S6) All-wheel drive 35 33 34 MPG / 460 mi range $1900

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 2022 Kia Sorento Next year 2024 Kia Sorento See every Kia Sorento model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Kia Sorento reliable?

Owners have filed 119 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Sorento over 4 years — 26 per year. The other Sorento years sit at about the same rate: their median is 27 complaints per year. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Fuses and circuit breakers, Camera, and Labels.

What are common problems with a 2023 Kia Sorento?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (37 of 119), then Engine (30) and Powertrain (20). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2023 Kia Sorento more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2022 Sorento has 189 complaints, 36 per year, and the 2024 has 41 complaints, 14 per year. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022. The 2023 has more complaints per year than the 2024.

Has the 2023 Kia Sorento been recalled?

The 2023 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 2023 Kia Sorento?

Owners have filed 119 complaints about the 2023 Kia Sorento with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2023 Kia Sorento get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2023 Kia Sorento is 29.1 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.