Showing the 2017 Sorento SX. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2017 Sorento
The 2017 Kia Sorento has 806 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, with engine the part owners complain about most, at 387. Its fuel economy is 19 to 24 mpg combined, with a 5-year fuel cost of $13,530 to $17,100 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall. There are 4 recall campaigns, covering trailer hitch, engine, fuel system, and others, which may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
19–24 mpgcombined; city 17–21, highway 23–28; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$13,530–$17,100U.S. average; Ohio $12,090–$15,280 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2017 Sorento. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 806 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Sorento. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
387
2
17
3
Exterior lighting
125
1
0
0
Unknown or other
104
1
11
1
Steering
97
0
0
0
Electrical system
96
0
5
0
Fuel/propulsion system
39
0
2
1
Power train
37
1
1
1
Engine and engine cooling
27
0
3
0
Service brakes
22
2
0
1
Vehicle speed control
21
1
0
0
Structure
17
2
1
4
Air bags
14
6
0
10
15 more parts
Forward collision avoidance
10
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
10
0
2
0
Seat belts
7
0
0
1
Trailer hitches
5
0
0
0
Visibility
5
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
4
0
0
0
Seats
3
0
0
1
Firerelated
2
0
2
0
Suspension
2
1
0
0
Interior lighting
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
1
0
1
Tires
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Sorento over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Sorento vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The engine crankshaft may have been improperly heat treated and may fail.
Risk: If the crankshaft fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A failed crankshaft also increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the crankshaft, and, as necessary, replace the engine sub assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC153.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 242 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 Sorento, the latest on Sep 25, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (99), engine and engine cooling (70), equipment (37), engine (27), steering (26).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Preliminary evaluation PE23019 Loss of Motive Power
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2017 Sorento.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Sorento Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
21 / 28 / 24
Sorento Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 27 / 23
Sorento All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
19 / 25 / 22
Sorento All-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
21 / 25 / 22
Sorento Front-Wheel Drive
3.3 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
18 / 25 / 20
Sorento All-Wheel Drive
3.3 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
17 / 23 / 19
Sorento FE All-Wheel Drive
3.3 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
18 / 25 / 21
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data