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2021 Kia Sportage

Gas Compact SUV

202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratingsCompare
C
Safety Signal
70 / 100
CSafety Signal · 70 / 100
2Recalls · 2 critical
50Complaints · owner reports
5★Crash rating · NHTSA overall
26 mpgFuel economy · best combined
⚠️
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 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 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 50 complaints, most often about engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Sportage FWDGasFWD2.4L 4-cyl233026$2,400
Sportage AWDGasAWD2.4L 4-cyl212523$2,700
Sportage FWDGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo202823$2,700
Sportage AWDGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo192421$2,950

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

Out of factory warranty soon?

The 2021 Kia Sportage 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 (2)

Trailer Hitches

critical
Park outside70,887 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 22V703000 · reported Sep 19, 2022 · Kia America, Inc.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

critical
Park outside379,931 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 21V137000 · reported Mar 4, 2021 · Kia Motors America

NHTSA investigations

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module — Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (open)

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V

Opened Nov 17, 2023 · action AQ23002

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

50 complaints filed

3 involved a crash, 7 a fire, 4 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2020: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 16

Most-cited components

  • Engine — 21
  • Unknown Or Other — 14
  • Electrical System — 6
  • Engine And Engine Cooling — 6
  • Power Train — 3
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger’s side tire was punctured. The contact stated that while using the factory OEM jack to raise the vehicle to change the tire, the jack fractured causing the vehicle to collapse. The vehicle was take…”Oct 5, 2022 · Equipment · NHTSA owner report
“My Kia can be easily broken into and stolen. In January of this year I was in Denver for military assignment and I locked my car at night however a their was able to break into my car by popping off the driver side lock and then basically hot wiring the car. Eventually I got my car back after it was repaired but then a…”Aug 4, 2022 · Unknown Or Other · NHTSA owner report
“The car was stolen and no safety/security features were deployed. In doing research, Kias are being stolen on a daily basis in my city and this was not communicated to me by the dealer when I bought the vehicle 6 months ago. These cars should not be allowed to be sold without steering wheel locks and/or signed acknowle…”Feb 16, 2022 · Unknown Or Other · 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

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆15%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: lane departure warning.

Compare the 2021 Sportage with

2021 Honda CR-V2021 Chevrolet Equinox2021 Nissan Rogue2021 Hyundai Tucson

Other Sportage model years

A

2027 Sportage

0 recalls · 1 complaints

A

2026 Sportage

1 recalls · 32 complaints

A

2025 Sportage

1 recalls · 69 complaints

C

2024 Sportage

3 recalls · 98 complaints

F

2023 Sportage

7 recalls · 299 complaints

B

2022 Sportage

1 recalls · 46 complaints

C

2020 Sportage

2 recalls · 160 complaints

C

2019 Sportage

2 recalls · 69 complaints

F

2018 Sportage

3 recalls · 162 complaints

F

2017 Sportage

4 recalls · 399 complaints

C

2016 Sportage

2 recalls · 130 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 (ids 42596, 42604, 42595, 42603). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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