Showing the 2013 Sportage 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 18, 2026.
About every 2013 Sportage
The 2013 Kia Sportage is a small sport utility vehicle rated 21 to 25 mpg combined, with a 5-year fuel cost of $12,990 to $15,470 at U.S. average prices, based on 15,000 miles a year. Owner complaints filed with NHTSA total 381, and engine is the part named most, with 301 of them. NHTSA gives it 4 overall stars. The page lists 3 recall campaigns that may apply, covering brakes, engine, fuel system, and others.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
21–25 mpgcombined; city 19–21, highway 25–30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,990–$15,470U.S. average; Ohio $11,610–$13,820 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 2013 Sportage. 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 381 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Sportage. 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
301
2
18
1
Unknown or other
27
1
3
0
Electrical system
22
0
5
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
19
0
1
0
Power train
18
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
14
0
1
0
Fuel/propulsion system
7
0
3
0
Service brakes
6
1
1
1
Structure
6
0
0
0
Suspension
6
0
1
0
Air bags
4
2
0
3
Vehicle speed control
4
0
0
0
12 more parts
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Steering
2
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
2
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
1
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
1
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
1
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
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 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 Sportage 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
NHTSA campaign 23V652000 · reported Sep 25, 2023 · 1,730,192 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Park outside
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
NHTSA campaign 18V907000 · reported Dec 19, 2018 · 71,653 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
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 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.
NHTSA campaign 17V224000 · reported Mar 31, 2017 · 618,160 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Risk: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 167 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2013 Sportage, the latest on Jun 9, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (56), engine and engine cooling (56), equipment (36), engine (25), structure (20).
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
Audit query AQ23002 Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires · covers 3 makes
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 2013 Sportage.
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: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Sportage Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 30 / 25
Sportage Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 28 / 24
Sportage Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 27 / 23
Sportage 4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 27 / 23
Sportage 4-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 25 / 22
Sportage 4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 25 / 21
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 18, 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