2020 Kia Sportage problems
The 2020 Kia Sportage has 211 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (40%) concerns engine. Next are electrical system (9%) and brakes (6%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 211 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 40% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 16 and 21
- Injuries and deaths
- 11 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 12,000 miles 42 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 26 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 4 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 2 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 3 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 5 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 42 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 12,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 63,000 miles (15 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 16 complaints mention a crash; 21 complaints mention a fire; 11 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 80% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2020 ranks 8th most-complained-about out of 30 model years of the Kia Sportage with enough data (183 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The contact owned a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the contact discovered smoke coming from the engine compartment and from out of the A/C unit; the contact pulled to the side of the road as she discovered that the engine compartment, the front driver side and passenger side of the vehicle, and underneath the vehicle had caught on fire. No warning lights were illuminated. The origin of the fire was unknown. The vehicle was occupied during the fire.
When pulling out of a parking area the vehicle accelerated without me pressing the gas pedal. Attempts to stop the vehicle by pressing the brake were unsuccessful. The vehicle stopped when we struck a building.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, another vehicle crashed into his rear driver's side door and wheel well. None of the air bags deployed upon impact. The contact's head hit the seat belt anchor ring upon impact. The contact later received medical attention for a tear in his shoulder and whiplash. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and then to a body shop where it was repaired.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started to vibrate abnormally, with the check oil and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the spark plugs, ignition coils, valves, and piston rings needed be replaced, and an oil consumption test needed to be performed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Kia Sportage. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 25,881, and while trying to trade the vehicle with another dealer, it was discovered through the Carfax report that the odometer was rolled back 4,000 miles at the time of the sale. The corrected mileage was 29,881.