2021 Kia Sportage vs 2021 Nissan Rogue

On the public data alone the Sportage edges it 4–1.

2021 Kia Sportage

The 2021 Kia Sportage is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sportage FWD, is EPA-rated at 26…

2021 Nissan Rogue

The 2021 Nissan Rogue is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 8 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Rogue AWD, is EPA-rated at 33 mp…

	2021 Kia Sportage	2021 Nissan Rogue
Segment	Compact SUV	Compact SUV
Powertrains	Gas	Gas
Best combined mpg	26	33
Safety Signal	70	35
NHTSA recalls	2	10
Critical recalls	2	2
Owner complaints	50	286
NHTSA overall stars	5	4

Green cells mark the better value on that row. Complaint counts scale with sales volume; treat them as a pattern signal, not a verdict. Sources: EPA, NHTSA.

Recalls at a glance

Source: NHTSA

Sportage

!critical

Trailer Hitches

SC249

Park outside70,887 vehicles

ProblemKia 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.RiskA fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.FixOwners 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.

NHTSA campaign 22V703000reported Sep 19, 2022Kia America, Inc.

!critical

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

SC206

Park outside379,931 vehicles

ProblemKia 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.RiskAn engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.FixOwners 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.

NHTSA campaign 21V137000reported Mar 4, 2021Kia Motors America

Rogue

!critical

Engine And Engine Cooling

R25A8/A9 R25B1/B2/D1

443,899 vehicles

ProblemNissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.RiskEngine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.FixDealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R25A8/A9 and R25B1/B2.

NHTSA campaign 25V437000reported Jun 27, 2025Nissan North America, Inc.

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

PC933

2 vehicles

ProblemNissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue vehicles. The left and/or right rear brake caliper assemblies may be missing an internal bushing, allowing the O-ring seal to move and brake fluid to leak.RiskA loss of brake fluid may reduce braking performance, increasing the risk of crash.FixDealers will replace the left and right rear brake calipers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 12, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC933. The two vehicles that were previously inspected under recall 21V-286 and did not receive a brake caliper replacement will need to have the new remedy completed.

NHTSA campaign 23V791000reported Nov 22, 2023Nissan North America, Inc.

○minor

Back Over Prevention

R22B8 R22C1 PC923/25

27,388 vehicles

ProblemNissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 Titan, Titan XD, Frontier, and 2021-2022 Rogue vehicles. The in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system may continuously reboot when the vehicle is restarted, which can result in an inoperative rearview display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."RiskAn inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.FixThe IVI software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R22B8, R22C1, and PC923/25.

NHTSA campaign 22V772000reported Oct 13, 2022Nissan North America, Inc.