Showing the 2023 Sorento SX Prestige. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 2.5 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so 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.
Fuel economy
24–37 mpgcombined; city 22–39, highway 25–35; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 79 MPGe on electricity
Five years of fuel
$8,780–$13,530U.S. average; Ohio $7,840–$12,090 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. Plug-in hybrid versions: $9,750, EPA's own estimate for plug-in hybrids: its national gasoline and electricity prices and the share of miles it expects on electricity; not priced for any state
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2023 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 163 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 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
Electrical system
47
1
1
2
Engine
47
0
1
1
Unknown or other
42
0
2
1
Power train
28
1
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
17
1
0
1
Forward collision avoidance
15
0
0
0
Service brakes
13
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
13
1
0
1
Lane departure
12
0
0
0
Steering
9
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
8
0
0
0
Visibility
7
0
0
0
12 more parts
Structure
5
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
3
0
0
0
Seats
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Carry handle, shell, base
1
0
0
0
Chest clip, buckle, harness
1
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
1
0
4
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Traction control system
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 2023 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.
Electrical system: wiring; Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sorento vehicles. The air bag warning labels on the driver and front passenger sun visors may detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: A detached air bag warning label will not warn occupants about the risks of air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver and front passenger sun visors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 10, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC277.
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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 75 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2023 Sorento, the latest on Aug 28, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (48), power train (13), structure (10), engine (9), visibility (7).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
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 2023 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: 5–10 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
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
24 / 29 / 26
Sorento Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S8)
Regular Gasoline
22 / 29 / 25
Sorento All-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 25 / 24
Sorento All-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S8)
Regular Gasoline
22 / 27 / 24
Sorento Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline
39 / 35 / 37
Sorento Hybrid All-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline
36 / 33 / 34
Sorento Plug-in Hybrid All-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline or Electricity 32 miles on electricity, 460 miles in all
35 / 33 / 34 on gasoline 79 MPGe on electricity
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