NHTSA has received 54 owner complaints about the 2021 Kia Sportage, or 9.3 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.23, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #18 of 85 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Kia models its rate is 73% lower; against other Compact SUVs it is 85% 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 2020-12-18 and 2026-10-02. Median delay from incident to filing: 17 days.
54Complaints
9.3Complaints per year on the road
0.23Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
2Recalls · ⚠ 2
18.5%Share involving a crash or fire
21Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 23.9 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 9.6 per year, about the same. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 13 complaints, 79% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (53.7% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (22.2%) and Transmission / powertrain (5.6%). Engine complaints are 2.4 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 10 reports (18.5%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 4 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 54 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (33% of incidents). In the last 12 months 21 new complaints were filed, versus 11 in the 12 months before — up 91%.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for this model year, 2 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 2 NHTSA investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires” (audit query, opened 2023-11-17, still open).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.23
vs. other Kia models0.27
vs. other 2021 models0.24
vs. other Compact SUVs0.15
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (13)0.21
Catastrophic fire started in fast food restaurant drive through, but able to drive to the parking lot before it became engulfed in flames.
Engine · 2026-04-06 · ODI 11729339 · Fire
The oil is mixing with the gas and their was smoke coming from the engine after that the engine has seized and the car stopped working. Also at the body shop i was told some wires were cut.
Engine · 2026-03-20 · ODI 11725741 · Fire
Severe structural manufacturing defect in my 2021 Kia Sportage. A physical hole has formed in the floorboard on the driver side directly next to the pedals, creating an immediate risk of a catastrophic accident.
Transmission / powertrain · 2026-09-16 · ODI 11764717
The infotainment center screen in my 2021 Kia Sportage is DELAMINATING. The uv gel adhesive that holds the screen is failing.
Unspecified or other · 2026-07-18 · ODI 11751282
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while parked on several occasions, a "Battery Discharge Warning" message was displayed, which disappeared once the vehicle was driven.
Electrical · 2026-07-07 · ODI 11748804
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.
Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Risk: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.
AQ23002 · audit query · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE · Opened 2023-11-17 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect…
Loss of Motive PowerClosed
DP22003 · defect petition · ENGINE · Opened 2022-09-12 · Closed 2023-12-12 · Model years: 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…
