2021 Kia Sorento: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
8 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Sorento shares Hyundai's Theta II 2.4-litre and 2.0-litre turbo engines, and the 2011 and 2016 model years are where its engine-failure complaints concentrate — the same bearing wear, knocking and stalling that hit the Sonata and Optima, covered by the same recall campaigns and warranty extensions. Between those years the record is moderate, and from 2018 the Sorento becomes one of the better three-row crossovers on the site, with the 2020 model year scoring 91. Read the full note on the model page. 2021 specifically: a year the record favours — 8 complaints, score 87/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Kia Sorento, Sportage and Soul: the recall years and the good years after them, including 2021 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 8 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 1.6
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
On XXX im driving my 2021 Kia Sorento sx it stalled while driving in the mist of traffic engine light comes on and I had my car towed contacted Kia of Bowie they are giving me a hassle contacted them because this is a safety issue from the beginning I have mentioned gas smell coming from the oil dipstick now the car has say and the gas has evaperated and they are saying no gas smell contacted corporate and Istill hav…
Car stalled July 14th car has been at Kia of Bowie and they are stalling g me and dont want to do the sarter recal and are asking me for $550 for a diagnostic that I should not pay for do to this safety recall ive been telling them from the start that there was a very strong gas smell coming from theoil dipstick and they have been avoiding it till yesterday now the gas has evaperated and they are asking g me to pay …
The transmission pump on my transmission just went out randomly last week. The power in my car went into limp mode and the car won't drive properly now. The car was being driven at the time this happened, and my husband had to pull over, as the car wouldn't work. I had this looked at by an auto body shop and they diagnosed it with this, which is to be found that there is a recall on my specific year and model of car …
Recalls: 4 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V519000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Sorento and 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail. |
| 22V760000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. |
| 22V703000 | Trailer Hitches | 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. |
| 25V649000 | Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 24 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,550
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Power Train7 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine2 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System2 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Electrical System1 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Vehicle Speed Control1 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Unknown Or Other1 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
Other Kia Sorento years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Kia Sorento?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (7 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Kia Sorento a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 87/100, computed from 8 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Kia Sorento's most common problem?
7 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Kia Sorento sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2021 Kia Sorento cost to run per year?
About $3,950 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $19,750 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2021 Kia Sorento have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Kia Sorento, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 08/07/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2021 Kia Sorento really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 8 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 8 NHTSA complaints on record (1.6/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (62.6/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality