2021 Kia Sportage: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
50 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2017 and 2023 Sportage, AVOID verdicts at 46 and 33 on 399 and 187 complaints; buy a 2014 to 2016 or a 2018 to 2022, which score between 73 and 91. The 2012 and 2013 cars are CAUTION at 65 and 66, and the 2024 and 2025 cars are CAUTION at 67 and 60 on thinner evidence. Read the full note on the model page. 2021 specifically: a year the record favours — 50 complaints, score 89/100. 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: 50 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 10.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The infotainment center screen in my 2021 Kia Sportage is DELAMINATING. The uv gel adhesive that holds the screen is failing. This is a known widespread safety issue as many controls are handled through the infotainment touch screen as well as the screen displaying the back up camera visability. You should force Kia to fix this problem past 3 years /36000 miles! Please advise me.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while parked on several occasions, a "Battery Discharge Warning" message was displayed, which disappeared once the vehicle was driven. The contact then stated that on several occasions after the vehicle sat unoperated for a day, the engine failed to start. The contact's husband jump-started the vehicle on multiple occasions and noticed that the battery was…
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the drain plug detached, and oil started leaking from the oil pan. The accelerator was depressed, but the vehicle failed to move and stalled while driving on the highway. The vehicle failed to restart. The oil light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined the oil ca…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V137000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment. |
| 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact 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 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
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.
- Engine21 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other14 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine And Engine Cooling6 complaints · typical job: Water pump, thermostat and coolant service (3.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,040
- Electrical System6 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train3 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Fuel/Propulsion System2 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Kia Sportage years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Kia Sportage?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (21 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Kia Sportage a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 89/100, computed from 50 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Kia Sportage's most common problem?
21 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Kia Sportage sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 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 Sportage cost to run per year?
About $4,510 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $22,550 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 Sportage have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Kia Sportage, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/03/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2021 Kia Sportage 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.
Moderate evidence — 50 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 50 NHTSA complaints on record (10.0/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (20.2/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems