2019 Kia Sportage reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Sportage over 8 years — 6 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Sportage years here — under the median of the other years, which is 8. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Trailer hitch and Brake control module.

2012 Kia Sportage — Photo by Alexander Migl, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (36 of 70), then Electrical system (10) and Fuel and propulsion system (7). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 Sportage has 164 complaints, 14 per year, and the 2020 has 160 complaints, 14 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020.

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 2019 Kia Sportage. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

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 Brake control module 2021-03-04 · NHTSA campaign 21V137000

Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.

Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.

Complaints by component (70 total)

Engine

Electrical system

Fuel and propulsion system

Powertrain

Hydraulic brakes

Air bags

Exterior lighting

Service brakes

Trailer hitch

Engine and engine cooling

Forward collision avoidance

Speed control

Steering

Structure

Seat belts

Tires

Wheels

Show 9 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The car engine is losing oil without any leaks being found. I got my oil changed and was told to have it done every 3k miles. Within a month of that oil change, my engine ran hot. I had all of my components checked.…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-13
"The vehicle is have issues every time I get and oil change the vehicle loses about 2 qt of oil there are no leaks that are notice but the lost of engine oil still happens this oil could cause the engine to turn on fire…"
Engine · filed 2026-08-04
"Vehicle suddenly entered recall limp-mode due to the ongoing engine campaign. Prior to this, the vehicle had immaculate maintenance records and zero driveability issues. The franchise dealership performed a short-block…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-07
"The engine locked up about a year ago, and since we didn’t technically have a recall we didn’t know what to do. It was able to drive again after we had a technician work on it, but now it’s not driving anymore. It…"
Engine · filed 2026-07-03
"I did not have an incident yet. I was advised by my local State representative Jimmy Gordon's office. They stated were unable to help me get reimbursement for the $8000 I just paid my Kia dealer, but that I should make…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-06-11

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2019 Kia Sportage SUV AWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2019 Kia Sportage SUV FWD	5 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
Sportage all-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	20	23	21 MPG	$3100
Sportage all-wheel drive	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	21	25	23 MPG	$2800
Sportage FE all-wheel drive	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	21	25	22 MPG	$2950
Sportage FE front-wheel drive	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	23	30	25 MPG	$2600
Sportage front-wheel drive	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	22	29	25 MPG	$2600
Sportage front-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	21	26	23 MPG	$2800

Specs and fitment

4th generation (QL), 2012–2021

Body styles SUV

Oil 0W-20 (2.4L and 1.6L turbo where equipped) , 4.8 qt capacity

Tire size 225/60R17 to 245/45R19 (trim dependent)

Towing capacity 2,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 18V907000. 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. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire. 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.

Compare

Previous year 2018 Kia Sportage Next year 2020 Kia Sportage See every Kia Sportage model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Kia Sportage reliable?

What are common problems with a 2019 Kia Sportage?

Is the 2019 Kia Sportage more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2019 Kia Sportage been recalled?

The 2019 Kia Sportage has 2 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 2019 Kia Sportage?

Owners have filed 70 complaints about the 2019 Kia Sportage with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 Kia Sportage get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 Kia Sportage is 23.2 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Sportage take?

0W-20 (2.4L and 1.6L turbo where equipped)

What does NHTSA recall 18V-907 cover on the Kia Sportage?

NHTSA campaign 18V907000.

What generation is the 2013 Kia Sportage?

4th generation (QL) (2012-2021).