Kia Sorento Hybrid: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Kia Sorento Hybrid: 5 model years scored from 79 NHTSA owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns. Worst year 2025, best year 2022.
Kia Sorento Hybrid: which years to avoid
Across 5 scored model years the Kia Sorento Hybrid ranges from 42/100 in 2025 to 91/100 in 2023 — a 49-point spread, so which year you buy matters more than whether you buy a Sorento Hybrid at all. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Engine (21 of them).
Avoid: 2025 — scored below 45 on the complaint and recall record.
Safest years: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2022 (score 82). Worst: 2025 (score 42, AVOID).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | AVOID | $3,090 | 40 | 2 |
| 2024 | 90 | BUY | $2,527 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023 | 91 | BUY | $2,610 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 82 | BUY | $2,757 | 12 | 4 |
| 2021 | 83 | BUY | $2,870 | 21 | 2 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Sorento Hybrid sub-models & family
What goes wrong on the Kia Sorento Hybrid
Across every Sorento Hybrid model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Engine36 complaints across all Sorento Hybrid years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System23 complaints across all Sorento Hybrid years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Power Train20 complaints across all Sorento Hybrid years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other16 complaints across all Sorento Hybrid years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System16 complaints across all Sorento Hybrid years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Vehicle Speed Control5 complaints across all Sorento Hybrid years · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement$520–$1,150
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
Which Kia Sorento Hybrid years should I avoid?
On the NHTSA record the years to avoid are 2025 — each scores below 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. The 2025 is the weakest at 42/100, with its complaints concentrated in Engine.
What are the best Kia Sorento Hybrid years to buy?
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2023 at 91/100, on 0 complaints and 2 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Kia Sorento Hybrid problem?
36 of the complaints filed against the Sorento Hybrid across all its model years sit in the Engine group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04