NHTSA has received 68 owner complaints about the 2025 Kia Sportage, or 40.6 per year on the road — a typical number of complaints for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.96, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2025 vehicles we track, it ranks #53 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Kia models its rate is 14% higher; against other Compact SUVs it is 35% 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 2024-12-30 and 2026-07-16. Median delay from incident to filing: 6 days.
68Complaints
40.6Complaints per year on the road
0.96Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
1Recalls
10.3%Share involving a crash or fire
42Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2024) drew 36.6 complaints per year, fewer than this one.
The most common problem area is Electrical (20.6% of complaints), followed by Interior & equipment (17.6%) and Engine (13.2%). Within Electrical reports, owners most often mention “i'm”, “cluster”, “suddenly”, “seconds” and “request”. 7 reports (10.3%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 6 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 9 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the first year (68% of incidents). In the last 12 months 42 new complaints were filed, versus 26 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for this model year. 3% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses.
My 2025 Kia Sportage PHEV, brand-new with ~750 Miles, was in a low-speed collision with a parked vehicle when the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) system failed. I was pulling out of a parking spot from a complete stop.
Driver-assist systems · 2026-07-16 · ODI 11750845 · Crash
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. There was no indication that there was an issue while test-driving the vehicle. The vehicle was cleaned by the seller before purchase.
Engine · 2026-03-23 · ODI 11726412
The car seat is defective. Fraying where it is comes out of the car seat, where it is sewn together.
Other · 2026-06-30 · ODI 11747512
We were getting in our car to drive home from a restaurant. We attempted to start our car like any other day, and the car started. However, our car was stuck in gear, it was in parking but also not in parking.
Engine · 2026-06-27 · ODI 11746853
Twice since I purchased my car, once in 2025 and two weeks ago in 2026, I turned my car off in the garage and the engine kept running. I had to start the car up and turn it off again in order for it to shut down.
Interior & equipment · 2026-06-18 · ODI 11745100
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 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Risk: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC359. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 31, 2025.
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2025 Kia Sportage?
68 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2025 Kia Sportage, or about 40.6 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2025 Kia Sportage?
The most common category is Electrical, accounting for 20.6% of complaints.
Does the 2025 Kia Sportage have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall(s) for this model year.
Is the 2025 Kia Sportage still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 42 new complaints were filed, versus 26 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
How does the 2025 Kia Sportage compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 68 owner complaints about the 2025 Kia Sportage, or 40.6 per year on the road — a typical number of complaints for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.96, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2025 vehicles we track, it ranks #53 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Kia models its rate is 14% higher; against other Compact SUVs it is 35% lower.