YearToAvoid

2019 Kia Sportage Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

7/100

#15 most-complained of 16 Sportage years

The 2019 Kia Sportage has a Complaint Index of 7, the lowest of any Sportage year, and ranks 15th out of 16 model years from worst to best, earning a Best verdict. It has 70 complaints and 2 recalls.

Complaints
70
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
3 / 3
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
23
21 city / 25.5 hwy

Top 2019 Kia Sportage problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine40 (57%)
  2. Other14 (20%)
  3. Electrical System13 (19%)
  4. Brakes7 (10%)
  5. Fuel System7 (10%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain7 (10%)
  7. Structure & Body5 (7%)
  8. Airbags3 (4%)
  9. Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (3%)
  10. Steering2 (3%)

What owners report

  • Brake pedal reportedly failed to respond during a low-speed reversing maneuver, resulting in a crash.
  • Airbags did not deploy in a reported collision with a deer at 55 mph.
  • Owners describe engine overheating and smoke from the hood, in one case with the vehicle destroyed by fire.
  • Electrical system complaints include a reported fire on the highway and intermittent loss of electrical components after washing the vehicle.
  • Owners report a vibration and hesitation in the 1200-1500 rpm range around 40 mph, plus vibration at highway speeds near 65 mph and above.
  • Headlights reportedly show a shadow or obstruction pattern that worsens on turns, hills, and inclines.
2019 Kia Sportage complaints: complaints filed per month7Oct 2018Nov 2019Jun 2021Feb 2023Nov 2023Sep 2024Jul 2025Jan 2026
103 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2018 to Sep 2026; peak Sep 2024 (7).

2019 Kia Sportage recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 22V703000Sep 19, 2022Structure & Body70,887 vehiclesPark Outside

    Trailer hitches

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  2. NHTSA 21V137000Mar 4, 2021Brakes379,931 vehiclesPark Outside

    Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.

    Risk: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.

2019 Kia Sportage fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
25.5 MPG
Combined
23 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2019 compared with other Sportage years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Avoid93399423
2018Caution53164323
2019Best770223
2020Caution60160223
2021Good2751223

All Kia Sportage years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Kia Sportage reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2019 Sportage has a Complaint Index of 7, the lowest among all 16 Sportage model years tracked, and carries a Best verdict relative to other Sportage years.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Kia Sportage?
Engine complaints make up 57% of reports (40 complaints, median mileage 50,000), followed by Electrical System issues at 19% (13 complaints, median mileage 12,000) and Brakes at 10% (7 complaints).
Does the 2019 Kia Sportage have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2019 Sportage: one for a tow hitch harness issue affecting Structure & Body, and one for a Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit that could short-circuit and cause a fire, affecting Brakes. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2019 Sportage compare to other Sportage years?
The 2019 Sportage ranks 15th out of 16 years from worst to best, with a Complaint Index of 7, far below higher-complaint years like 2023 (Complaint Index 100) and 2017 (Complaint Index 93).
What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Kia Sportage?
EPA rates the 2019 Sportage at 23 mpg combined (21 city / 25.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.