Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Sportage, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Unknown or other48
- Electrical system45
- Engine38
- Service brakes30
- Forward collision avoidance24
- Power train19
- Fuel/propulsion system12
- Air bags11
- Back over prevention11
- Vehicle speed control10
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 14 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 28 2023 Sportage vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 17 people died inside them, and 5 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2023 Kia Sportage failed the safety check 0.55% of the time — 20% less often than the average 2023 passenger car (0.69%). Median odometer at inspection: 14,339 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Real-world fuel consumption
17,802 Kia Sportage cars first registered in Europe in 2023 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Petrol hybrid versions use 7.4 l/100 km on the road against 6.3 in the WLTP test (+18%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,573 | 7.6 | 6.7 | +13% |
| Petrol hybrid | 9,834 | 7.4 | 6.3 | +18% |
| Diesel hybrid | 1,248 | 6.2 | 5.1 | +20% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 3,147 | 5.6 | 1.1 | +413% |
Litres per 100 km from the cars' own fuel meters (OBFCM), collected in 2024; the year is the year of first registration. All years together · European Environment Agency · CC BY 4.0
Engines
The most common engines in 2023 Kia Sportage cars on Dutch roads are the 1.6 hybrid (132 kW, 177 hp), 1.6 hybrid (110 kW, 148 hp) and 1.6 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 hybrid | 132 kW 177 hp | 4,778 |
| 1.6 hybrid | 110 kW 148 hp | 496 |
| 1.6 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 49 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
5,332 first registered in 2023 are on Dutch roads; 19% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €46,375.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde44
- Band onvoldoende profiel25
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld9
- Band beschadigd6
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht6
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm4
- Mistlicht voor onjuist afgesteld2
- Gordel beschadigd2
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
35,084 cars built in 2023 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 87 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
832 of these cars first registered in 2023 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 38,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
1,306 2023 cars are on the New Zealand register; 0% arrived as used imports, 99% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 6 variants; 2 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Kia Sportage HEV SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 16.9 % |
| 2023 Kia Sportage SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 16.9 % |
| 2023 Kia Sportage HEV SUV FWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV SUV AWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV SUV FWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2023 Kia Sportage SUV FWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard & Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 8.4–9.5 L/100 km (about 25–28 mpg US), CO₂ 198–224 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sportage · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.3 | 7.4 | 8.4 |
| Sportage AWD · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.4 | 8.5 | 9.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 2023 Kia Sportage.
| 2025708 19 Dec 2025 | Lights And Instruments Issue: On certain vehicles, the tow hitch harness control module software could cause the instrument cluster to reboot while driving. If this happens, you may… |
| 2024549 15 Aug 2024 | Label Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" a… |
| 2023421 1 Aug 2023 | Powertrain Issue: On certain vehicles, the circuit board in the electric oil pump assembly for the transmission may be damaged. As a result, the circuit board could shor… |
| 2023251 26 Apr 2023 | Lights And Instruments Issue: On certain vehicles, the instrument cluster screen could remain blank when the vehicle is started. If this happens, you may not be able to see certain… |
| 2022500 7 Sept 2022 | Electrical Issue: On certain vehicles, a bracket for the folding rear seats can damage the wiring for the rear seat heater. If this happens, the wiring could short circu… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The brake booster diaphragm may become misaligned and cause an internal vacuum leak, which can result in a loss of power brake assist.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The side curtain air bags may have been twisted during installation.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The alternator battery positive terminal nut may loosen, which can result in an engine stall or an electrical surge.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Kia told its dealers about the 2023 Kia Sportage: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010698 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE NON-RESPONSIVE RADIO ICON (AM, FM, SXM) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2024MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page 8) to remedy a non-responsive or inoperative radio (FM, AM, SXM, etc.) concern. The affected AVN unit on the vehicles may not respond when pressing the RADIO hard key/button on the AVN unit or when selecting the RA |
| 11009491 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT BRAKE DISC JUDDER INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information to address vehicles that may be exhibiting front brake judder sensation while braking on certain 2021-2024MY Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles produced from July 26, 2021 through March 28, 2024 and 2023-2024MY Sportage (NQ5a) vehicles produced from January 7, 2022 through May 20, 2024. Brake judder is a vibration or pulsing sensation felt in the steering wheel, brake pedal, and/or seat when the brakes are applied while driving. |
| 11008970 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVNT COAXIAL CABLE REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides the procedure to replace the Audio Video Navigation Telematics (AVNT) head unit coaxial cable on some 2023MY Sportage (NQ5a) vehicles produced from August 5, 2021 through May 25, 2023. The affected vehicles may experience the AVNT screen flickering ON/OFF due to an intermittent contact of the coaxial cable connector with the AVNT head unit. |
| 11008045 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: GDI FUEL INJECTOR REPLACEMENT FOR MISFIRE DTC(S) - This bulletin provides information regarding cylinder misfire DTCs stored on some 2021-2022 MY Kia Sorento and 2023 MY Sportage vehicles equipped with a naturally aspirated Theta III 2.5L GDI engine and dual fuel injection, where a low-pressure (MPI) injector and a high-pressure (GDI) injector independently supply fuel to each cylinder. A GDI fuel injector may become damaged due to exposure to fuel containing ethanol, potentially resulting in the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illuminating, along with no-start, mi |
| 11005368 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0V/AVN5W SOFTWARE UPDATE - This bulletin provides information to update the software on Display Audio 2.0 (D2V) and 5th Generation AVN Wide (AVN5W) head units on certain 2021-2023MY Kia vehicles. The affected vehicles may experience Apple CarPlay/Android Auto phone projection connectivity-related concerns. |
| 11000787 | This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced. |
| 10253812 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 4WD COUPLING ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to replace the AWD coupling actuator assembly on some 2021-2024MY Kia AWD models listed on page 4. The affected vehicles may exhibit an inoperative AWD system (also referred to as 4WD) capability concern which may be caused by abnormal wear of the motor brushes inside the actuator assembly. This condition will cause the warning lamps on |
| 10253811 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0/AVN5W SOFTWARE UPDATE (SA569) - This bulletin provides information to update the software on Display Audio 2.0 (D2V) and 5th Generation AVN Wide (AVN5W) head units on certain 2022-2023MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page 9). The affected vehicles may experience various concerns related to Apple CarPlay/Android Auto phone projection connectivity. |
| 10250517 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE NON-RESPONSIVE RADIO ICON (AM, FM, SXM) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2024MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page 3) to remedy a 'non-responsive' or 'inoperative' radio (FM, AM, SXM, etc. ) concern. The affected AVN unit on the vehicles may not respond when pressing the 'RADIO' hard key/button on the AVN unit or when selecti |
| 10249938 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 2.5L GDI THETA III ECU SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR ISG OPERATION LOGIC - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Engine Control Unit (ECU) software on some 2023MY Sportage (NQ5) vehicles equipped with a Theta III 2.5L GDI engine, produced from December 15, 2021 through July 17, 2023 and Sportage (NQ5a) vehicles equipped with Theta III 2.5L GDI engine, produced from January 12, 2022 through July 10, 2023, due to the possibility of an intermittent restart failure in rare circumstances with Idle Stop Go (ISG) enabled. The existing logic may prevent the vehicle from |
| 10248995 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: HOW TO INSTRUCTIONS LABEL INSTALLATION (SC285) - This document is to guide vehicle owners on how to install the replacement Vehicle Emissions Control Information label under the hood of their vehicle. |
| 10248990 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC285) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign SC285. |
| 10248987 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC285) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) Label on certain 2023 MY Kia Sportage vehicles. Kia has become aware that an incorrect VECI label was installed on certain 2023 MY Sportage vehicles. The VECI label is extremely important when performing maintenance, emissions inspection, or ordering engine and engine management related parts. It also contains the code that tells a testing facility which test t |
| 10248983 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO - DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service Managers that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) Label on certain 2023 MY Sportage vehicles manufactured from July 10, 2023 through July 19, 2023. An incorrect VECI label was installed during production of these vehicles. The VECI label is extremely important when performing maintenance, emissions inspection, or ordering engine and e |
| 10248982 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC285) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service Managers that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) Label on certain 2023 MY Sportage vehicles manufactured from July 10, 2023 through July 19, 2023. An incorrect VECI label was installed during production of these vehicles. The VECI label is extremely important when performing maintenance, emissions inspection, or ordering engine and engine management related parts. It also contains |
| 10248981 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: VEHICLE EMISSIONS CONTROL INFORMATION (VECI) LABEL REPLACEMENT (SC285) - This bulletin provides information to replace the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) label on certain 2023MY Sportage (NQ5a) vehicles with 2.5L GDI engines produced from July 10, 2023 through July 19, 2023. An incorrect VECI label was installed during production of these vehicles. The VECI label is extremely important when performing maintenance, emissions inspection, or ordering engine and engine management related parts. It also contains the code |
| 10243928 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: UNEVEN/SLIPPERY ROAD WARNING DISPLAYED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2023MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page 3) to remedy a warning sound accompanied by a 'Slippery road ahead. Drive carefully' or 'Uneven road ahead. Drive carefully' warning which is displayed on the instrument cluster. The current AVN software causes the warning sound and message to repeat approximately every ten (10) seconds, if the vehicle is not in motion, in 'PARK' or driving on even surfaces |
| 10242982 | This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2024MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page 3) to remedy a 'non-responsive' or 'inoperative' radio (FM, AM, SXM, etc. ) concern. The affected AVN unit on the vehicles may not respond when pressing the 'RADIO' hard key/button on the AVN unit or when selecting the 'RADIO' icon on the AVN menu screen. |
| 10242937 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 4WD COUPLING ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information to replace the AWD coupling actuator assembly on some 2021-2023MY Kia AWD models listed on page 4. The affected vehicles may exhibit an inoperative AWD system (also referred to as 4WD) capability concern which may be caused by abnormal wear of the motor brushes inside the actuator assembly. This condition will cause the warning lamps on the instrument cluster to illuminate with stored DTC(s) P195800 and/or P19600. |
| 10242913 | PITSTOP: AWD SYSTEM CONCERN DUE TO TIRE CIRCUMFERENCE - This Pitstop provides information regarding potential concerns with the All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system due to tire sizes of differing circumference. Some customers may complain of a chatter sensation felt in the drivetrain of the vehicle and/or the failure of drivetrain component(s). A difference in tire size (width, aspect ratio, construction, rim diameter etc.) may be the cause. |
| 10239731 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: FUEL FILLER NECK VENT COLLAR INSPECTION & REPLACEMENT (SC268) - This bulletin provides information to inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel filler neck vent collar on certain 2023MY Sportage (NQ5a) vehicles produced from November 17, 2022 through January 18, 2023. The affected vehicles may exhibit a MIL ON with DTC(s) P242200 and/or P242273 due to a partially blocked fuel filler tube vent collar port. |
| 10239730 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel filler neck vent collar on certain 2023 MY Sportage vehicles manufactured from November 17, 2022 through January 18, 2023. |
| 10239729 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign (SC268). |
| 10239728 | SC268_STKR: VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN COMPLETION STICKER |
| 10239727 | SC268_POC: PROOF OF CORRECTION CARD |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)