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2026 Kia Sportage

Plug-in hybrid Hybrid Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
6 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

97 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaints5 crash · 1 injured reported 40

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 42 mpg

Starting MSRP16 trims · manufacturer $28,790

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2026 Kia Sportage is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid, hybrid and gas compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sportage Hybrid FWD, is EPA-rated at 42 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 40 complaints, most often about the forward collision avoidance. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $28,790 to $47,190 across 16 trims.

Kia Sportage — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Kia Sportage · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitWhich trim should I buy? → Compare a trim →

Trim	Powertrain	Drive	MSRP	HP	Torque	MPG comb	Cargo (2nd row)	Wheels
LX	Gas	FWD	$28,790	187 hp	178 lb-ft	28 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	17 in
LX	Gas	AWD	$30,590	187 hp	178 lb-ft	26 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	17 in
EX	Gas	FWD	$30,590	187 hp	178 lb-ft	28 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	18 in
EX	Gas	AWD	$32,390	187 hp	178 lb-ft	26 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	18 in
SX	Gas	FWD	$34,390	187 hp	178 lb-ft	28 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	18 in
SX Prestige	Gas	FWD	$36,390	187 hp	178 lb-ft	28 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	19 in
SX Prestige	Gas	AWD	$38,190	187 hp	178 lb-ft	26 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	19 in
X-Line	Gas	AWD	$33,090	187 hp	178 lb-ft	26 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	19 in
X-Pro Prestige	Gas	AWD	$39,690	187 hp	178 lb-ft	24 mpg	39.6 cu-ft	17 in
LX Hybrid	Hybrid	FWD	$30,490	177 hp	195 lb-ft	42 mpg	39.5 cu-ft	17 in
S Hybrid	Hybrid	AWD	$32,790	177 hp	195 lb-ft	35 mpg	39.5 cu-ft	18 in
EX Hybrid	Hybrid	AWD	$33,790	177 hp	195 lb-ft	35 mpg	39.5 cu-ft	18 in
X-Line Hybrid	Hybrid	AWD	$35,690	177 hp	195 lb-ft	35 mpg	39.5 cu-ft	19 in
SX-Prestige Hybrid	Hybrid	AWD	$40,590	177 hp	195 lb-ft	35 mpg	39.5 cu-ft	19 in
X-Line PHEV	Plug-in hybrid	AWD	$40,490	268 hp	271 lb-ft	36 mpg	34.5 cu-ft	19 in
X-Line Prestige PHEV	Plug-in hybrid	AWD	$47,190	268 hp	271 lb-ft	36 mpg	34.5 cu-ft	19 in

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Range	kWh/100mi	Charge (240V)	Annual fuel*
Sportage Plug-in Hybrid	Plug-in hybrid	AWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo + 72 kW AC PMSM	35	36	36 (54 MPGe blended)	33 mi electric	43	2 h	$1,850
Sportage Hybrid FWD	Hybrid	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	41	44	42	—	—	—	$1,600
Sportage Hybrid AWD	Hybrid	AWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo + 270V Li-Ion	35	36	35	—	—	—	$1,900
Sportage FWD	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	25	33	28	—	—	—	$2,400
Sportage AWD	Gas	AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	24	30	26	—	—	—	$2,600
Sportage X-pro	Gas	AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	23	26	24	—	—	—	$2,800

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 49767, 49456, 49504, 49455, 49503, 49510.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

○minor

Electrical System

SC361

42,677 vehicles 92% reported repaired built Jul 15, 2025 – Oct 23, 2025

Problem Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System." Risk An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash. Fix The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF Chronology PDF

NHTSA campaign 26V046000 reported Jan 26, 2026 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Sportage

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2026 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Kia publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Kia’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2026 Kia Sportage, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

40complaints filed

5 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported

2.4 per 10,000 built · Kia reported 168,427 Sportage built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2025: 4 · 2026: 36

Most-cited components

Unspecified 10

Forward Collision Avoidance 10

Electrical System 10

Service Brakes 9

Fuel/Propulsion System 5

Engine 5

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

COMPONENT: Shift-by-wire transmission selector / hybrid control system. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. WHAT HAPPENED: Intermittently, after starting the vehicle, it will not engage Drive or Reverse. The selector input is accepted but the vehicle remains in Park/Neutral and does not move.

Electrical System Sep 10, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11763449

As the vehicle ahead of me began braking, I attempted to slow down accordingly. Despite applying the brake pedal, my vehicle did not decelerate as expected. The brake went down to the floor without resistance. I attempted harder braking, but the vehicle continued moving forward.

Service Brakes Oct 13, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11770930

Vehicle: 2026 Kia Sportage X-Line HybridVIN: Complaint – Unexpected Forward Collision-Avoidance Emergency Braking I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety incident involving my 2026 Kia Sportage X-Line Hybrid.

Forward Collision Avoidance Sep 29, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11767671

I own a new 2026 KIA Sportage Hybrid VIN: Odometer reading 1,200 miles On XXX while accelerating at freeway speeds the vehicle suddenly lost power and went into “reduced power mode” which slows the vehicle to a near stop. A Check engine light came on and two messages appeared.

Engine Jun 5, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11742250

While driving october 19, 2027 on highway 80 i was driving in my lane when the car violently veered to the right...was hard to control. I could have been hit by oncoming car or crashed. The auto is being inspected by the dealer There were no signals or warnings

Steering Oct 21, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11772645

The contact owns a 2026 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that his wife had driven for 6.5 hours at 35-70 MPH with the seat heater activated, the seat heater overheated. Upon exiting the vehicle, the driver discovered second-degree burns on her right thigh and significant bruising extending from her left thigh to her buttocks.

Seats at 14,223 miles Sep 16, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11764801

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.

Reported by Kia itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 0.6 per 100,000 built. Every Sportage model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 56

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-08-28

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 33 service bulletins, 16 service campaigns, 4 over-the-air updates

Most often about: Electrical System, Back Over Prevention, Power Train, Structure, Engine.

TSB_CLI049_R2 Service bulletin
2026-08-28 · Visibility/Wiper
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PARTIAL REPAIR – ELECTRICAL A/C COMPRESSOR - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information regarding the partial repair of the Air Conditioning (A/C) compressor assembly on some 2011MY~ Optima Hybrid (TF HEV, JF HEV/PHEV), 2015MY~
TSB_ELE429 Service bulletin
2026-07-25 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER ACTION: UPPER ACTIVE AIR FLAP DUCT ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT (CA2606) - This bulletin provides information to replace the upper active air flap (“AAF”) duct assembly on certain 2026-2027MY Sportage (NQ5), Sportage Hybrid (NQ5 HEV), and Sportage Plug-In Hybrid (NQ5, PHEV) vehicles produced from May 15, 2025, through May 11, 2026, which may exhibit a MIL ON with DTCs
TSB_BOD353 Service bulletin
2026-07-09 · Structure — Body
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: WIND NOISE FROM FRONT LEFT DOOR (CA2601) - This bulletin provides information regarding a wind noise heard on certain 2026MY Sportage vehicles listed. The affected vehicles may experience wind noise coming from the front left door while driving. Wind can travel through the run channel of the upper corner of the window run.
TSB_ELE422 Service bulletin
2026-05-28 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE. KIA. COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for sup
PS811 Service bulletin
2026-05-18 · Structure — Body
TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: PITSTOP: ENGINE BAY/DASHBOARD RATTLE NOISE (PS811) - This Pitstop provides information related to an intermittent rattle or tapping noise heard from the engine bay or dashboard area while driving on 2026MY Sportage (NQ5a) vehicles. The fuel feed and vapor tube bracket (A) may rattle/tap against the brake booster (B) while driving.
SC363_TSB Service bulletin
2026-04-17 · Power Train
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OIL LEVEL PLUG (OLP) INSPECTION, AND OLP GASKET AND/OR ATF FILLER BOLT REPLACEMENT OR A/T REPLACEMENT (SC363) - This bulletin provides information to inspect the oil level plug and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) for signs of leakage and, if necessary, replace the oil level plug gasket and/or ATF filler bolt, or the 8-speed Automatic Trans
TSB_ELE417 Service bulletin
2026-04-14 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles. The software downloads and USB preparation process is similar across all supported platforms; however, in‑vehicle installation procedures vary by head unit type.
OTA_SA635_R1 Over-the-air update
2026-02-10 · Electrical System
RELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: SERVICE ACTION SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR ELECTRIC WATER PUMP (SA635) - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Data Connectivity Unit (DCU) logic of certain 2026 Sportage and Sportage HEV/PHEV and 2025 EV6 vehicles. This update is designed to improve the operation logic of the Data Connectivity Unit (DCU) for remote connectivity. This OTA will be ro

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Compare the 2026 Sportage with

Any vehicle, your weights →

Head-to-head	Verdict
2026 Toyota RAV4 · Compact SUV · grade A	RAV4 +4.3
2026 Tesla Model Y · Compact SUV · grade D	Toss-up

Sportage by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 1 41 mpg 2026 this page A 1 40 42 mpg 2025 A 1 74 43 mpg 2024 B 3 110 43 mpg 2023 F 7 309 Park outside 2022 B 1 46 Park outside 2021 C 2 54 Park outside 2020 C 2 163 Park outside 2019 C 2 71 Park outside 2018 D 3 165 Park outside 2017 D 4 403 Park outside 2016 C 2 134 Park outside

Common questions about the 2026 Sportage

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

How much does the 2026 Kia Sportage cost?

Manufacturer pricing runs from $28,790 for the LX FWD to $47,190 for the X-Line Prestige PHEV AWD, across 16 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.

Does the 2026 Kia Sportage have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2026 Kia Sportage. The most serious on file is 26V046000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2026 Kia Sportage?

NHTSA gave the 2026 Kia Sportage 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (97/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2026 Kia Sportage?

Across the 6 EPA-rated configurations of the 2026 Kia Sportage, the best EPA combined figure is 42 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions). Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2026 Kia Sportage?

Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Kia Sportage, most often about unspecified, forward collision avoidance, electrical system. Of those, 5 involved a crash, 1 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

Are there service bulletins for the 2026 Kia Sportage?

The manufacturer has filed 56 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2026 Kia Sportage, most often covering electrical system, back over prevention, power train. The most recent is dated 2026-08-28. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

Which 2026 Kia Sportage trim is the best value?

$18,400 separates the cheapest of the 16 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.

Is the 2026 Kia Sportage better than the 2026 Toyota RAV4?

The Toyota RAV4 edges it, 96.1 to 91.8, on tech & comfort, performance, fuel & range. The Kia Sportage is ahead on price and space & cargo. We publish a full side-by-side of the 2026 Kia Sportage against the 2026 Toyota RAV4 — specifications by family, equipment feature by feature, safety record and ownership costs. You can re-weight what matters to you and the verdict recalculates.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	6 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	none	EPA emission certificates	The EPA published no certificate we could match to a configuration on this page.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	40	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	4 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	56	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	none	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment	16 trims	Manufacturer press kit	Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

JSON for this page · API