Kia Sorento reliability by year
26 recalls and 9,215 owner complaints across 19 model years. Best year to buy: 2024. Year to avoid: 2016.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 9 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 19 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Sorento aggregated across 19 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Kia Sorento?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2024 Kia Sorento scores 8.2/10 — the strongest in the 2005–2025 range. 34 complaints on file, 1 active recall. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Kia Sorento year should I avoid?
The 2016 Kia Sorento scores 5.8/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 1,227 owner complaints with NHTSA, 4 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2016 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Kia Sorento should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2019 (avoid — the engine — 5 fire-related complaints on the engine); 2017 (avoid — the powertrain — 15 fire-related complaints on the engine); 2016 (avoid — the powertrain — 19 fire-related complaints and 3 crash-related complaints on the engine); 2015 (avoid — the electrical system — 5 fire-related complaints and 1 crash-related complaint on the engine); 2014 (avoid — the engine — 21 fire-related complaints on the engine); 2013 (avoid — the engine — 22 fire-related complaints and 3 crash-related complaints on the engine). The cleaner years on the data are 2024, 2009, 2007, 2025, 2023, 2022. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Kia Sorento are tracked?
19 model years (2005 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 26 recalls and 9,215 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Kia Sorento?
engine is the most-reported category — 2,750 complaints across 18 model years. Average shop repair runs about $3,100.