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2018 Kia Sorento

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
7 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
D
Safety Signal
69 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical3
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA252
Crash ratingNHTSA overall5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA24 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

The 2018 Kia Sorento is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sorento FWD, is EPA-rated at 24 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 252 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Sorento FWDGasFWD2.4L 4-cyl212824$2,600
Sorento FWDGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo202723$2,700
Sorento AWDGasAWD2.4L 4-cyl212522$2,850
Sorento AWDGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo192522$2,850
Sorento FE AWDGasAWD3.3L 6-cyl182521$2,950
Sorento FWDGasFWD3.3L 6-cyl182520$3,100
Sorento AWDGasAWD3.3L 6-cyl172319$3,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38689, 38720, 38693, 38726, 38750, 38746, 38751.

Factory warranty running out?

The 2018 Kia Sorento is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!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.
▲high

Steering

SC167
97 vehicles
ProblemKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.RiskIf the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.FixKia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167.
NHTSA campaign 18V656000reported Sep 21, 2018Kia Motors America
▲high

Air Bags

SC159
2,014 vehicles
ProblemKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.RiskIf the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.FixKia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC159.
NHTSA campaign 17V784000reported Dec 8, 2017Kia Motors America

NHTSA defect investigations

Engine — Loss of Motive Power closed

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are

Opened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023 · action DP22003

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
252complaints filed

12 involved a crash · 11 a fire · 11 injuries · 1 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2017: 1 · 2018: 11 · 2019: 16 · 2020: 21 · 2021: 12 · 2022: 35 · 2023: 41 · 2024: 49 · 2025: 41 · 2026: 25

Most-cited components

Engine104
Exterior Lighting41
Unspecified37
Electrical System29
Steering26
Fuel/Propulsion System13

What owners describe

“The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal ticking noise detected. The vehicle lost motive power and stalled with the check engine warning light flashing. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that t…”Aug 4, 2022 · Engine And Engine Cooling · NHTSA owner report
“The headlights will occasionally turn off at night while driving. We have to then turn them back on by touching the light switch. The are set on AUTO always and should not go out AT NIGHT, especially while driving. They should only go out when exiting the car after engine shut off. The parking lights (front and back) o…”Jul 31, 2022 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA owner report
“excessive oil consumption causing engine to fail. need to replace whole engine. no warning lights or gauges registered the low oil”Jul 7, 2022 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆15%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other Sorento model years

A

2027 Kia Sorento

0 recalls · 0 complaints

B

2026 Kia Sorento

2 recalls · 5 complaints

D

2025 Kia Sorento

4 recalls · 125 complaints

B

2024 Kia Sorento

2 recalls · 47 complaints

F

2023 Kia Sorento

4 recalls · 156 complaints

F

2022 Kia Sorento

9 recalls · 221 complaints

F

2021 Kia Sorento

5 recalls · 263 complaints

B

2020 Kia Sorento

1 recalls · 134 complaints

C

2019 Kia Sorento

2 recalls · 426 complaints

F

2017 Kia Sorento

4 recalls · 801 complaints

F

2016 Kia Sorento

8 recalls · 1,248 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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