Owner report · 2021 model year

2021 Kia Sorento

Crash-test image: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation.

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Transmission & Drivetrain

Transmission & Drivetrain leads by volume: 145 of 277 complaints (52%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Body, Seats & Latches include more fire reports (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.

Complaints filed rose from 140 in 2020 to 277 in 2021.

Data last changed Nov 7, 2026. Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

At a glance

NHTSA complaints: 277
Recall campaigns: 5
EPA fuel cost per year: $1,700–$2,600
Combined MPG: 24–37

Complaints by model year

4362019
1402020
2772021
2282022
1692023

Where owners report problems

Transmission & Drivetrain145 (52%)
Engine79 (29%)
Electrical57 (21%)
Other47 (17%)
Fuel System26 (9%)
Driver Assistance & Speed Control23 (8%)

Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.Also cataloged for 2021: 2 configuration(s) of a different vehicle class, excluded from the comparison bar only (but included in the figures above).
Category	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	vs. 2021 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Annual fuel cost ($)	2,500–2,950	2,500–3,100	1,700–2,600	1,700–2,600	1,700–2,600
Combined MPG	21–25	20–25	24–37	24–37	24–37
City / Highway MPG	19–22 / 24–29	18–22 / 24–29	21–39 / 25–35	22–39 / 25–35	22–39 / 25–35
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)	363–428	363–436	242–375	242–377	242–377
Complaints filed	436	140	277	228	169	Not compared
Recalls issued	2	1	5	9	4	Not compared
Crash-involved complaints	10	11	5	5	4	Not compared
Fire-involved complaints	19	12	1	2	2	Not compared
Injuries reported	16	21	2	4	7	Not compared
Deaths reported	0	1	0	0	0	Not compared
Configurations compared	2	2	3	4	4

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Sorento have?

5 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.

What is the most common complaint about the 2021 Kia Sorento?

Transmission & Drivetrain: 145 of 277 NHTSA complaints (52%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2021 Kia Sorento get?

EPA rates it 24–37 MPG combined.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Kia Sorento?

EPA estimates $1,700–$2,600 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

Similar Vehicles

EPA-Rated Configurations (5)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
Configuration	Transmission	Cylinders	Displacement	Drivetrain	Fuel Type	Vehicle Class	City	Highway	Combined	Annual Fuel Cost	CO₂
Configuration 1	Automatic (AM-S6)	4	1.6L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD	39 mpg (high)	35 mpg (high)	37 mpg (high)	$1,700 (low)	242 g/mi (low)
Configuration 2	Automatic (S8)	4	2.5L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD	24 mpg	29 mpg	26 mpg	$2,400	342 g/mi
Configuration 3	Automatic (AM-S8)	4	2.5L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD	22 mpg	29 mpg	25 mpg	$2,500	360 g/mi
Configuration 4	Automatic (S8)	4	2.5L	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	23 mpg	25 mpg (low)	24 mpg (low)	$2,600 (high)	366 g/mi
Configuration 5	Automatic (AM-S8)	4	2.5L	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	21 mpg (low)	28 mpg	24 mpg (low)	$2,600 (high)	375 g/mi (high)

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
Category	Complaints	Crash-Involved	Fire-Involved	Injuries
Engine	79	1	0	0
Transmission & Drivetrain	145	1	0	1
Fuel System	26	0	0	0
Electrical	57	1	0	0
Brakes	2	2	0	0
Steering	6	0	0	0
Suspension, Wheels & Tires	0	0	0	0
Airbags & Restraints	4	2	0	0
Driver Assistance & Speed Control	23	1	0	0
Body, Seats & Latches	8	0	1	1
Visibility & Lighting	14	0	0	0
Other	47	1	0	0

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls (5)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS; VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
Campaign 25V649000 · Sep 25, 2025
Defect
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.
Consequence
A fire increases the risk of injury.
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.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Campaign 22V760000 · Oct 11, 2022
Defect
Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Consequence
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.
TRAILER HITCHES
Campaign 22V703000 · Sep 19, 2022
Defect
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.
Consequence
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT; SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER
Campaign 22V447000 · Jun 23, 2022
Defect
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid and 2022 Sorento Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Consequence
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Remedy
Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC241. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 22V-127. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Campaign 21V519000 · Jul 8, 2021
Defect
Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Sorento and 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
Consequence
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC214.