The Lemon Index

All cars · Kia Sportage

2024 Kia Sportage.

The 2024 Kia Sportage is so far better than average by owner complaints: 73 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 52, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 25 to 43 mpg combined. The best Kia Sportage year is 2010.

Early read

52Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Early read: better than average. 1.9× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2010 · Worst year 2000

Kia Sportage
Photo shows a 2022 Kia Sportage. JamesYoung8167, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints73first 3 years
Fuel economy25–43 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 73 owner complaints, owners reported:

7crashes
4injuries
0fires
7tows
Early read. The 2024 Kia Sportage hasn't finished its 3-year window yet. This counts every owner complaint filed so far (through October 2026) and compares it with other 2024 cars, which have had the same time on the road. It can change as more owners file.

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

electrical19%
automatic emergency braking18%
engine14%
body structure11%
wipers & visibility10%

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 22K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 17K to 28K miles on the car (7 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 3

  • trailer hitches 2025

    Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail.

  • steering 2024

    The circuit board in the motor-driven power steering assembly may short circuit, resulting in a loss of power steering assist.

  • body structure 2024

    The roof molding may loosen and detach.

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 37 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been…
  • Technical service bulletin: customer action: ecu logic improvement for dtc p2b59f0 (ca2516) -…
  • WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (WTY047) - This document is the…

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

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningUnknown
Lane departure warningStandard
NHTSA front crash test of the 2024 Kia Sportage
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Kia Sportage SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Kia Sportage SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Kia Sportage Hybrid SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Kia Sportage Hybrid SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $1500–2550 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.6L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.

In owners' words

Forward collision warning systems check error light hard braking occurred and scared the pee out of me. Camera blockage obstruction error

2024 Kia Sportage owner · NHTSA complaint 11725384
More owner reports

Stopped at traffic light, light turned green and went to accelerate. Car died, all lights came on dash in oncoming traffic and car would not restart for minutes.

NHTSA complaint 11620099

All the dash lights come on randomly has happened 3 separate times the 4th time they came on I also couldn’t shift out of park.

NHTSA complaint 11658802

Quick answers

Is the 2024 Kia Sportage reliable?

It's too early to be sure. So far it has drawn 1.9× fewer complaints than average per car sold, against other 2024 cars after the same time on the road (early Lemon Index 52; 100 is average). The best Kia Sportage year by this measure is 2010.

What are the most common 2024 Kia Sportage problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (19%), automatic emergency braking (18%) and engine (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2024 Kia Sportage have?

3 safety recalls (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 2024 Kia Sportage get?

25 to 43 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2024 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 2024 Kia Sportage have transmission problems?

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

How much does the 2024 Kia Sportage cost in fuel a year?

About $1500 to $2550 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2024 Kia Sportage have?

1.6L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.

What Kia Sportage year is better than the 2024?

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