YearToAvoid

2025 Kia Sportage Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

73/100

#5 most-complained of 16 Sportage years

The 2025 Kia Sportage has 51 NHTSA complaints, a Complaint Index of 73, and ranks 5th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Top issues are the Electrical System (29% of complaints) and Engine (22%), with one recall filed.

Complaints
51
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
4 / 0
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
27
24 city / 31 hwy

Top 2025 Kia Sportage problems

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

  1. Other22 (43%)
  2. Electrical System15 (29%)
  3. Engine11 (22%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras11 (22%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain6 (12%)
  6. Brakes5 (10%)
  7. Steering4 (8%)
  8. Structure & Body4 (8%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers4 (8%)
  10. Lane Departure3 (6%)

What owners report

  • Dash instrument cluster resets and loses readings for a few seconds, sometimes returning with inaccurate data, occurring at very low mileage.
  • Auto start-stop system shuts the engine off while driving around 40 mph, briefly hindering steering and braking until the engine restarts.
  • Transmission refuses to shift or allow uphill travel after the ISG light turns amber, requiring the engine to be turned off and restarted.
  • Steering shaft can decouple from the steering wheel, causing complete loss of steering control.
  • Brake booster failure has led to complete loss of braking power in at least one reported case.
  • Unintended acceleration reported while slowly parking, with the vehicle suddenly revving and moving forward into an obstacle.
2025 Kia Sportage complaints: complaints filed per month14Feb 2025Jun 2025Sep 2025Dec 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026
88 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2025 to Sep 2026; peak Jul 2025 (14).

2025 Kia Sportage recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 25V874000Dec 17, 2025Structure & Body5,046 vehicles

    Trailer hitches

    Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."

    Risk: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC359. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 31, 2025.

2025 Kia Sportage fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
27 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,400
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.

2025 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
2023Avoid100190628
2024Caution6771327
2025Caution7351127

All Kia Sportage years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Kia Sportage reliable?
NHTSA lists 51 complaints for the 2025 Sportage with a Complaint Index of 73, placing it 5th worst among 16 model years of the Sportage. Its verdict is Caution, meaning it has more reported problems than most other Sportage years but is not the worst.
What is the biggest problem with the 2025 Kia Sportage?
The Electrical System is the top problem area, accounting for 29% of complaints (15 of 51), with a median mileage at failure of 9,005 miles. The Engine follows at 22% of complaints.
Does the 2025 Kia Sportage have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 1 recall (campaign 25V874000) covering a software issue with the tow hitch harness control module on vehicles with a 4.2-inch screen; it is not a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2025 Sportage compare to other Sportage years?
The 2025 model's Complaint Index of 73 is higher than years like 2022 (20) and 2019 (7), but lower than 2023 (100) and 2017 (93), which are both rated Avoid.
Were there any crashes or injuries reported for the 2025 Sportage?
NHTSA data shows 4 crashes and 7 injuries reported among the 51 complaints for the 2025 Sportage, with no reported fires or deaths.

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.