The Lemon Index

All cars · Kia Sportage

2022 Kia Sportage.

The 2022 Kia Sportage is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 35 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 23, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about engine, it has 1 recall, and it gets 21 to 26 mpg combined. The best Kia Sportage year is 2010.

23Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 4.3× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2010 · Worst year 2000

Kia Sportage
JamesYoung8167, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints35first 3 years
Fuel economy21–26 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 46 owner complaints, owners reported:

6crashes
1injuries
2fires
5tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

engine40%
automatic emergency braking23%
electrical11%
trailer hitches11%
visibility9%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Kia Sportage year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 33K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 12K to 55K miles on the car (9 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 1

  • trailer hitches 2022

    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.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Kia told dealers about

Kia sent dealers 52 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • Technical service bulletin: front view camera replacement and software upgrade installation -…
  • Parasitic battery draw/alarm warning w/ illuminated door sill plates accessory - this pitstop
  • Technical service bulletin: customer satisfaction: anti-theft s/w logic upgrade & decal…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningOptional
Lane departure warningStandard
NHTSA front crash test of the 2022 Kia Sportage
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Kia Sportage SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Kia Sportage SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $2450–3050 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.4L 4-cyl.

In owners' words

Radiator hose needs repair already and engine over heating. Kia will not cover it.

2022 Kia Sportage owner · NHTSA complaint 11571832
More owner reports

The car lost engine strength wouldn't go above 60 and I received a code p1326. Now it's just blinks and moves at a crawl. I was on the freeway luckily I was able to get out the freeway without incident.

NHTSA complaint 11590783

I was involved in a highway forward collision accident and the emergency braking, alert, and air bags never went off.

NHTSA complaint 11446787

Quick answers

Is the 2022 Kia Sportage reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 4.3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 23; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Sportage year by this measure is 2010.

What are the most common 2022 Kia Sportage problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are engine (40%), automatic emergency braking (23%) and electrical (11%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2022 Kia Sportage have?

1 safety recall (latest: trailer hitches). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2022 Kia Sportage get?

21 to 26 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2022 Kia Sportage safe?

NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

Does the 2022 Kia Sportage have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2022 Kia Sportage cost in fuel a year?

About $2450 to $3050 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2022 Kia Sportage have?

2.0L 4-cyl, 2.4L 4-cyl.

What Kia Sportage year is better than the 2022?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2022 and 2021.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data