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2013 Kia Sportage: True Cost, Problems & Verdict

380 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.

Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
Kia Sportage
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · open the model page
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Owner complaints: 380 filed with NHTSA

Complaints per year on the road: 29.23

Engine300Unknown Or Other27Service Brakes25Electrical System22Hydraulic19Power Train18

What owners say

Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at 45 MPH, the daughter collided with another vehicle after the vehicle aggressively merged in front of her. The collision was at the front driver and passenger side of the vehicle. The contact added that the collision threw her daughter forward and backward, and the contact's daughter sustained neck, shoulder, and lower back…
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that th…
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while at a stop light, smoke was present from the vents inside the cabin. Later, while attempting to park more smoke was coming from under the hood and the neighbor also witnessed flames coming from the front of the vehicle. No further information was available. The contact indicated that the fire self extinguished and no fire department was contacted. The…

Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)

201720182023
CampaignComponentSummary
18V907000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, LiKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received a…
23V652000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/TractKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 20…
17V224000Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineKia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during t…

True cost of ownership

Fuel (your region) $0
Maintenance band (your region) $1,845$3,685
Estimated running cost this year (age 13) $3,685

Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.

02468101214$4,055vehicle age (years)
fuel/energy + maintenance band (annual, USD, estimate)

Run your own numbers in the true-cost calculator →

FAQ

What is the most common problem with the 2013 Kia Sportage?

The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (300 complaints in our indexed sample).

Is the 2013 Kia Sportage a good used car to buy?

Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 40/100, computed from 380 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.

Does the 2013 Kia Sportage have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Kia Sportage, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 19/12/2018. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.

What will a 2013 Kia Sportage really cost YOU per year?

Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.

Open the true-cost calculator

Data 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: 2026-08-20.

40RELIABILITY / 100
AVOID
  • 380 NHTSA complaints on record (29.2/yr of exposure)
  • 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems

How this score is computed →

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