2023 Kia Sportage: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 257 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, transmission, and brakes. The 10 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023- Owner complaints
- 257
- Recalls
- 7
- 1 urgent
- Crashes reported
- 26
- 18 injuries
One recall on this model year told owners to park outside until the repair was done.
Do not buy until you have dealer paperwork or a recall lookup showing it was completed for this VIN.
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/10 checked
2023 Kia Sportage: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/4
Walk-around and cabin
Engine off, key in hand0/1
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/4
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Which Sportage is it?
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Kia Sportage. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cylGas | AWD, FWD | 25–28 mpg |
| 1.6L 4-cylHybrid | AWD, FWD | 38–43 mpg |
| 1.6L 4-cylPlug-in hybrid | AWD | 430 mi range |
- The 2023 Kia Sportage was sold in three versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
- On the hybrid, watch for the car moving off on electric power at low speed and for any hybrid system warning on the dash.
- Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A Sportage that averages well under the EPA 25 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Brake pedal to floor
320–450 miles
Panoramic glass and windshield breakage
500–5,000 miles
Engine failure or replacement
8,000–20,000 miles
Warped rotors, braking pulsation
12,000–23,000 miles
Hybrid system power loss
22,000–30,000 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Kia Sportage, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Electrical562 crashes
Dash and infotainment screens go black or reboot while driving, and cruise control and safety features often stay off until the car is restarted. Hybrids show sudden "Check Hybrid System" warnings followed by loss of acceleration or a full shutdown, sometimes at highway speed, with several reports between 22,000 and 30,000 miles. Other cars won't start and need a jump even though the battery tests fine. Plug-in models report charging failures. Dealers often can't reproduce the faults. Two crash reports involve unintended acceleration and driver assist steering the car off the road.
Transmission282 crashes
Cars lose power on the highway, enter limp mode, misfire, or stall, often with a "Check Hybrid System" warning on hybrids. Dealers have replaced fuel injectors and a high-pressure fuel pump, but the problem sometimes returns. One owner reports almost $8,000 in out-of-pocket repairs. Hesitation from a stop and unwanted surging also appear. Two crash reports involve the shift-by-wire system: one car stayed in Reverse after Drive was selected, and another rolled forward after Park was pressed. Dealers frequently cannot duplicate these faults.
Brakes265 crashes
The pedal goes soft or spongy, or sinks to the floor, and stops take longer than they should, sometimes with a brake warning on the dash. Five of these reports involve crashes. Several owners connect the problem to the brake booster recall (23V410000), and some say their car wasn't covered or parts were unavailable. A separate pattern is pulsation from warped rotors at 12,000 to 23,000 miles, which dealers sometimes refused to cover under warranty. One owner reports a failed master cylinder at 38,000 miles.
Acceleration and cruise control213 crashes
Cruise control jumps to 110 mph when set or raised and starts accelerating toward that speed. The fault repeats until the car is restarted, and some owners have to brake to cancel it. Unintended acceleration also shows up at low speed while parking or after stopping at a light, with three crashes and two injuries reported. Other cars refuse to accelerate past 50 mph or speed up on their own on the highway. Dealers often say they cannot find a problem.
Engine161 crash
Misfires, lost compression, and stalling show up early, and some cars need a full engine replacement at roughly 8,000 to 20,000 miles, often after long dealer waits. Replacing an injector did not fix one misfiring car. Low oil warnings appear within the first 3,500 miles. On hybrids, the gasoline engine sometimes fails to start, capping speed around 40 mph, or a "Check Hybrid System, Stop Safely" warning appears before the car shuts off in traffic. One crash report describes the car failing to accelerate and being rear-ended.
Airbags128 crashes
Airbags don't deploy in serious collisions. Eight of the 12 reports are crash-related, with six injuries. The crashes include highway-speed frontal impacts, side impacts, and a deer strike, and some cars were declared total losses. In other cars the airbag warning light stays on or comes back after a dealer repair, and one dealer traced it to a failing front side impact sensor. A few complaints in this category are really about brake recall parts being unavailable.
Lane keeping71 crash
Lane keeping steers erratically. It pulls the car to follow lines into the next lane, fights the driver on slick pavement, or shuts off without warning, and one crash with an injury is reported. A common complaint is a wave of warnings that disables lane assist, collision avoidance, stability control, and the electronic parking brake at once, sometimes with a battery discharge warning. Dealers often can't find a stored code and return the car unrepaired.
Automatic emergency braking61 crash
Automatic braking misfires in both directions. Some cars slam on the brakes at highway speed because of a vehicle in another lane, hard enough to throw occupants forward. Others fail to warn or brake before a collision, and one crash with injury is reported after the screens shut off earlier that day. Rear collision avoidance brakes every time the car reverses with a bike rack or trailer and can't be permanently switched off. Highway driving assist drifts toward the right lane.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints Sportage owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Low oil indicator light came on at 15k miles. Tried to lock doors with key fob but could not. Had to open doors using key after popping off door handle. Put key in ignition but when turning car off and taking key out of ignition vehicle kept running and did not turn off for 15 minutes. Finally turned off on its own. Had vehicle towed by Kia to Kia of Groton CT.
Filed with NHTSA, May 2023
Multiple times I have reported all of my cluster lights come on randomly while driving. They are distracting and it's difficult to tell if the systems are actually working. The dealership claims it's a rear sensor however they refuse to fix it due to my car appears to have been hit. There's no damage to my vehicle any where. Now I have to wait for the lights to come on again before I can take it to another dealership and have it reassessed.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2025
Frequently while driving my 2023 Kia shortage Hybrid will accelerate on its own. This happens randomly while driving straight as well as making turns. My suv also has a vary hard time driving uphill. If im driving at 25 mph when approaching the hill, my car then gradually drops down to 10-15 mph.This is extremely scary especially when driving with my children in the car. I haven’t owned the vehicle for a year and don’t know why it’s performing this way.
Filed with NHTSA, December 2025
1. Hybrid system failure And check engine light on . 2. Car jerk while driving and gone to limp mode and my speed was reduced to 10 mph at traffic putting my self and other in danger . 3. My vehicle is currently at the dealership getting inspected this is the second time my hybrid warning light came on and the first time they told me nothing was wrong with my vehicle. 4. All of these symptoms happened at the same time while driving.
Filed with NHTSA, January 2026
Experience vibration/pulsation when braking creating poor braking ability, increased braking distance,potential loss of control. Dealer replaced original front rotors and brake pads at approximately 12000 miles. Now at 23000, the condition exists again. I believe there is a material or design issue causing premature brake wear and pulsation causing an unsafe condition.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2024
I feel shaking when I apply the brakes. I took it to Vision Kia in Canandaigua, NY, where I purchased it brand new, and they said the rotors are warped because of braking and heating up. They said that they are not under warranty. My car has 16,000 miles on it, the brakes should not be bad already.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2024
Car wouldn’t accelerate, could be problem if turning left into traffic. Trip to Florida, 1000 miles, the Engine accelerated by itself, one time the mph was into the 90’s before I got it under control. This happened 3 times on my drive Florida from Indiana
Filed with NHTSA, January 2024
I was driving with cruise control on. I had to slow down for traffic. Upon resuming speed, I reactivated cruise control at which time it jumped to 110 mph. This happen several times. I turned cruise off and back on 110. I canceled and tried to reset, 110. I kept resuming 110 mph and the function was not usable. I have a video but was unable to upload because it was to large
Filed with NHTSA, February 2025
How the 2023 compares with other Sportage years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 has the most owner complaints of the 9 Sportage years we cover, about 3.7 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Electrical5610
- Transmission284
- Brakes263
- Acceleration and cruise control212
- Engine1619
- Airbags121
Where the 2023 fits in the Sportage's history
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2023 is the first model year of the Sportage's fifth generation (2023–2023). First years of a redesign often carry teething problems that Kia fixes in later years, so the checks above matter more than usual.
Should you avoid the first year of a redesign? See the 45-car study.
Recalls to confirm (7)
Recall repairs are free at any Kia dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
23V531000TransmissionPark outsideJul 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
Risk: An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.
25V874000Trailer HitchesDec 2025
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.
Fix: Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be 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.
24V025000Body and structureJan 2024
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.
Risk: A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the roof molding and replace or secure it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC292.
23V410000BrakesJun 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The brake booster diaphragm may become misaligned and cause an internal vacuum leak, which can result in a loss of power brake assist.
Risk: A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake booster as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC272.
23V298000ElectricalApr 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems.".
Risk: A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.
22V878000AirbagsNov 2022
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The side curtain air bags may have been twisted during installation.
Risk: A twisted air bag can deploy improperly, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the side curtain air bags as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 28, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC257.
22V651000ElectricalAug 2022
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage vehicles. The alternator battery positive terminal nut may loosen, which can result in an engine stall or an electrical surge.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash, and an electrical surge increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the alternator battery positive terminal nut, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 23, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC248.
Also looking at these instead of a Sportage?
Cars shoppers compare with the Kia Sportage, with their own 2023 checklists.
2023 owner complaints, side by side
- GMC Terrain21
- Volkswagen Tiguan49
- Mazda CX-596
- Hyundai Tucson142
- Toyota RAV4147
- 2023 Kia Sportage257
- Honda CR-V578
