NHTSA has received 137 owner complaints about the 2020 Kia Sorento, or 20.2 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.50, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 83 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #38 of 83 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Kia models its rate is 42% lower; against other Midsize SUVs it is 62% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2020-02-23 and 2026-10-07. Median delay from incident to filing: 19 days.
137Complaints
20.2Complaints per year on the road
0.5Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
1Recalls · ⚠ 1
15.3%Share involving a crash or fire
42Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2019) drew 55.2 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2021) drew 7.6 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2020 model collected 18 complaints, 68% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (49.6% of complaints), followed by Electrical (9.5%) and Transmission / powertrain (8.8%). Engine complaints are 2.2 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 21 reports (15.3%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 21 injuries and 1 death.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 60 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (49% of incidents). In the last 12 months 42 new complaints were filed, versus 37 in the 12 months before — up 14%.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for this model year, 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 1 NHTSA investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Loss of Motive Power” (defect petition, opened 2022-09-12, closed 2023-12-12).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.5
vs. other Kia models0.58
vs. other 2020 models0.54
vs. other Midsize SUVs0.38
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (18)0.32
Driving at highway speed, the vehicle began to make a loud rattling noise that came from under the vehicle. A passerby pulled even with my car and began frantically gesturing.
Engine · 2026-09-26 · ODI 11767149 · Fire
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting into gear with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle unexpectedly jerked back and forth, accelerated unintendedly, and crashed into the corner plaster wall of…
Other · 2026-09-18 · ODI 11765211 · Crash
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from under the hood of the vehicle and the vehicle shuddered abnormally.
Engine · 2026-10-07 · ODI 11769662
While driving my 2020 Kia Sorento on the freeway at highway speed, the panoramic sunroof suddenly shattered without warning. There was a very loud explosive sound that startled and frightened me while I was driving.
Unspecified or other · 2026-09-01 · ODI 11761230
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side air bag warning light remained illuminated while an occupant was seated in the front passenger’s seat.
Airbags & seat belts · 2026-08-31 · ODI 11761097
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: 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.
Remedy: 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.
DP22003 · defect petition · ENGINE · Opened 2022-09-12 · Closed 2023-12-12 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
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 i…
