Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
Light NHTSA footprint — 12 owner complaints and 4 active recall campaigns. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
Selling this one? Make a free for-sale sign with its recall record and a QR code.
The 2021 Kia Sorento has 12 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is powertrain at 10 complaints, typically surfacing around 98,000 miles (~$2,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Sorento | 253 | 3 |
| 2019 Sorento | 426 | 2 |
| 2020 Sorento | 134 | 1 |
| 2021 Sorento (this page) | 12 | 4 |
| 2022 Sorento | 188 | 6 |
| 2023 Sorento | 119 | 3 |
| 2024 Sorento | 39 | 2 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2021 Kia Sorento SUV FWD Later Release. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
Run the VIN from the listing — 4 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 8.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
I own a 2021 Kia Sorento 2.5L Turbo AWD with approximately 150,000 miles. In the evening, while driving home after dinner with my daughter in the vehicle, I was traveling in the area of [XXX] and [XXX] when the vehicle displayed a “STOP SAFELY IMMEDIATELY” warning. The vehicle…
On XXX im driving my 2021 Kia Sorento sx it stalled while driving in the mist of traffic engine light comes on and I had my car towed contacted Kia of Bowie they are giving me a hassle contacted them because this is a safety issue from the beginning I have mentioned gas smell…
Car stalled July 14th car has been at Kia of Bowie and they are stalling g me and dont want to do the sarter recal and are asking me for $550 for a diagnostic that I should not pay for do to this safety recall ive been telling them from the start that there was a very strong…
Vehicle: 2021 Kia SorentoCurrent Mileage: Over 100,000 miles (Original Owner) Description of Safety Defect & Failed Recall Remedy: Background: This vehicle is equipped with the 8-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) and has suffered from severe slipping, jerking, and…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.0 out of 10 based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Kia Sorento is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2021 Kia Sorento is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 8.0/10 — above the segment average; 4 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the powertrain first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 10 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 98,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 8.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 12 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is powertrain. Typical failure occurs around 98,000 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 10 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 98,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 98,000 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 12 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.