Kia Sorento: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Kia Sorento problems by model year, from 8,353 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2012 (68%, 514 drivetrain complaints), 2016 (68%, 795 drivetrain complaints) and 2017 (65%, 436 drivetrain complaints). 12 of the 12 Kia Sorento years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 6 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
No Kia Sorento year we score is clear of an elevated signal. The lowest is the 2011 (43%).
By raw volume, the 2016 drew the most drivetrain complaints (795 of 4,281 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2021 has fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Kia Sorento year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Sorento | too few to score | – | 1 | 3 | – | 2 |
| 2011 Sorento | high | 43% | 551 | 1,518 | 12/12 | 8 |
| 2012 Sorento | very high | 68% | 514 | 880 | 1/12 | 5 |
| 2013 Sorento | very high | 65% | 557 | 981 | 5/12 | 5 |
| 2014 Sorento | high | 52% | 453 | 987 | 10/12 | 6 |
| 2015 Sorento | very high | 62% | 397 | 750 | 6/12 | 3 |
| 2016 Sorento | very high | 68% | 795 | 1,252 | 2/12 | 8 |
| 2017 Sorento | very high | 65% | 436 | 804 | 3/12 | 4 |
| 2018 Sorento | high | 59% | 120 | 254 | 7/12 | 3 |
| 2019 Sorento | high | 52% | 207 | 428 | 9/12 | 2 |
| 2020 Sorento | very high | 65% | 82 | 136 | 4/12 | 1 |
| 2021 Sorento | too few to score | – | 19 | 20 | – | 4 |
| 2022 Sorento | high | 57% | 105 | 189 | 8/12 | 6 |
| 2023 Sorento | high | 44% | 64 | 151 | 11/12 | 3 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Kia Sorento years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Kia Sorento engine and transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns on the Kia Sorento involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 31 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2011 | 11V258000 | power train: driveline: driveshaft | 2011 |
| Aug 2013 | 13V356000 | power train: axle assembly: axle shaft | 2014 |
| Oct 2015 | 15V626000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2011–2013 |
| Mar 2017 | 17V224000 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2012–2014 |
| Sep 2017 | 17V586000 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2017 |
| Dec 2018 | 18V907000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2012–2017 |
| Dec 2020 | 20V750000 | engine | 2012–2013 |
| Mar 2022 | 22V202000 | engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger | 2022 |
| Aug 2022 | 22V612000 | power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift | 2016 |
| Oct 2022 | 22V760000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2022 |
| Dec 2023 | 23V877000 | engine | 2011 |
20 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2010 | 10V388000 | electrical system: wiring | 2011 |
| Nov 2010 | 10V599000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2011 |
| Oct 2011 | 11E041000 | equipment | 2011 |
| Apr 2013 | 13V114000 | exterior lighting: brake lights: switch | 2011 |
| Feb 2015 | 15V089000 | vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal | 2016 |
| Jul 2015 | 15V446000 | seat belts: front: buckle assembly | 2016 |
| Jun 2016 | 16V480000 | suspension: rear | 2016 |
| Oct 2016 | 16V770000 | seats | 2016 |
| Nov 2016 | 16V862000 | trailer hitches | 2016–2017 |
| Dec 2017 | 17V784000 | air bags: side/window | 2018 |
| Sep 2018 | 18V656000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2018 |
| Aug 2020 | 20V519000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2014–2015 |
| May 2021 | 21V331000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2014–2015 |
| Jul 2022 | 22V509000 | tires: temporary/emergency spare tire | 2022 |
| Sep 2022 | 22V703000 | trailer hitches | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 |
| Aug 2023 | 23V579000 | equipment: other: labels | 2023 |
| Aug 2023 | 23V610000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2022–2023 |
| Sep 2023 | 23V639000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2019 |
| Sep 2023 | 23V652000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2011–2014 |
| Sep 2025 | 25V649000 | electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers | 2022–2023 |
What the free pages leave out on the Kia Sorento
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Kia Sorento
What are the worst years for the Kia Sorento?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Kia Sorento years are the 2012 (68% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2016 (68% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2017 (65% of relevant complaints, very high). 12 of 12 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Kia Sorento?
No Kia Sorento year we score is below the 33% line. The lowest share is the 2011 (43%).
Does the Kia Sorento have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 12 scored years, 4,281 of 7,296 relevant NHTSA complaints (59%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Is the Kia Sorento reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 12 of 12 Kia Sorento years we score have an elevated complaint share and 0 do not. Pooled across those years, 59% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Kia Sorento?
Yes. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Kia Sorento years we track, out of 31 in total: 22V612000 (Aug 2022, 2016), 22V760000 (Oct 2022, 2022), 23V877000 (Dec 2023, 2011), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.