Kia Sorento 2021–2025
4th generation (MQ4)
NHTSA data through 12 August 2026998 complaints, 103 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 39% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 4 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 39% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 1 complaints (1.0%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 500
- 25%
- 4,000
- Median
- 26,000
- 75%
- 55,000
- 90%
- 78,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–20,000 | 43 | 41.7% |
| 20,000–40,000 | 26 | 25.2% |
| 40,000–60,000 | 11 | 10.7% |
| 60,000–80,000 | 13 | 12.6% |
| 80,000–100,000 | 6 | 5.8% |
| 100,000–120,000 | 2 | 1.9% |
| 120,000–140,000 | 1 | 1.0% |
| 200,000+ | 1 | 1.0% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 998 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021–2025 Kia Sorento, and 103 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
39% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 4 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (22.8% of complaints, typically around 36,000 miles), the engine (16.1% of complaints, typically around 26,000 miles), the electrical system (13.7% of complaints, typically around 24,000 miles).
12 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Transmission and driveline36,000median 35,500 miles, middle half 14,000 to 67,000
- Engine26,000median 26,000 miles, middle half 2,000 to 57,000
- Electrical system24,000median 24,000 miles, middle half 6,000 to 43,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 228 | 22.8% | 36,000 | 14,000–67,000 |
| Engine | 161 | 16.1% | 26,000 | 2,000–57,000 |
| Electrical system | 137 | 13.7% | 24,000 | 6,000–43,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 131 | 13.1% | — | — |
| Forward collision avoidance | 48 | 4.8% | — | — |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 47 | 4.7% | — | — |
| Throttle and speed control | 44 | 4.4% | — | — |
| Brakes | 38 | 3.8% | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 26 | 2.6% | — | — |
| Steering | 25 | 2.5% | — | — |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 26,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 22.8% of complaints (228 reports, 30 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 35,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 13,882 and 66,550 miles.
The engine accounts for 16.1% of complaints (161 reports, 21 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 26,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 56,941 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 13.7% of complaints (137 reports, 16 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 24,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,099 and 43,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2021 model year drew the most — 353 complaints — while 2024 drew the fewest at 53. The median year sits at 196.
The first year of the generation, 2021, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 12 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the electrical system (3), the engine and its cooling system (2), visibility equipment (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 998 complaints filed against this generation, 41 reported a crash; 10 reported a fire; 27 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 4.1% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 39% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 26,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Electrical / Fire 2021–2023
Tow hitch wiring harness can allow moisture ingress and short, causing a fire with the vehicle parked and off; subject to recall with an interim park-outside advisory, shared with the Telluride.
Transmission
8-speed wet dual-clutch behind the 2.5T: low-speed shudder and hesitation from a stop.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 353 | 45 |
| 2022 | 281 | 25 |
| 2023 | 196 | 17 |
| 2024 | 53 | 3 |
| 2025 | 115 | 13 |
Recalls (12)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V046000 | 2026-03-13 | Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel |
| 25V649000 | 2026-01-23 | Visibility:defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:fan/Motor |
| 25V548000 | 2025-09-12 | Engine and Engine Cooling:critical Fasteners |
| 25V006000 | 2025-02-21 | Electrical System:body Control Module:software |
| 24V287000 | 2024-05-07 | Electrical System:wiring |
| 23V610000 | 2023-10-27 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
| 23V579000 | 2023-10-10 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 22V703000 | 2023-07-27 | Trailer Hitches |
| 22V760000 | 2022-12-09 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 22V509000 | 2022-07-27 | Tires:temporary/Emergency Spare Tire |
| 22V202000 | 2022-04-22 | Engine and Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/Supercharger |
| 21V519000 | 2021-07-21 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings |
What owners reported
I've had vehicle for approximately two months and two days. Intermittent issue where vehicle fails to accelerate when making a turn after stopping (no vehicle in front) or accelerating forward after a stop (stop light with vehicle in front). Issue occurred first on 20 feb 21 and again on 23 mar 23. Vehicle was…
2021 · 375 miles · Throttle and speed control
Tl* the contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon parking his vehicle in a parking lot, the forward collision avoidance warning activated without another vehicle being in the vicinity. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the forward collision avoidance sensor had detached from the front…
2021 · 500 miles · Forward collision avoidance
Only had car 8 days with 500 miles. Went to pull away from stop sign and car cut off. When attempted to restart, car advised to place in park first. Once placed in park and pressed start button - all systems went dead. Sparks came from grounding cable under hood. When grounding cable was adjusted, car started…
2021 · 500 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH over a speed bump, the vehicle shut off. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a bad connection at the fuel pump…
2021 · 6,000 miles · Electrical system
Built from 103 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page