{"id":"2021_kia_sportage","make":"Kia","make_slug":"kia","model":"Sportage","model_slug":"sportage","year":2021,"url":"/kia/sportage/2021/","pts":["gas"],"configs":[{"id":42596,"model":"Sportage FWD","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (S6)","cyl":4,"displ":2.4,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":23,"hwy":30,"comb":26,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD","co2":349,"fe_score":5,"ghg_score":5,"fuel_cost":2400,"save_spend":-750,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42604,"model":"Sportage AWD","pt":"gas","drive":"All-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (S6)","cyl":4,"displ":2.4,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":21,"hwy":25,"comb":23,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD","co2":390,"fe_score":5,"ghg_score":5,"fuel_cost":2700,"save_spend":-2250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42595,"model":"Sportage FWD","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (S6)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":20,"hwy":28,"comb":23,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD","co2":392,"fe_score":5,"ghg_score":5,"fuel_cost":2700,"save_spend":-2250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42603,"model":"Sportage AWD","pt":"gas","drive":"All-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (S6)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":19,"hwy":24,"comb":21,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD","co2":421,"fe_score":4,"ghg_score":4,"fuel_cost":2950,"save_spend":-3500,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"}],"vclass":"Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD","segment":"Compact SUV","recalls":[{"campaign":"22V703000","component":"TRAILER HITCHES","mfr":"Kia America, Inc.","reported":"2022-09-19","owner_notified":"2023-07-27","units":70887,"summary":"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.  Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.","consequence":"A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.","remedy":"Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete.  Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge.  Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023.  Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.  Kia's number for this recall is SC249.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.","park_outside":true,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"SC249","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"critical"},{"campaign":"21V137000","component":"SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE","mfr":"Kia Motors America","reported":"2021-03-04","owner_notified":"2021-04-30","units":379931,"summary":"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.","consequence":"An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.","remedy":"Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete.  Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box.  Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update.  Repairs will be performed free of charge.  The recall began on April 30, 2021.  Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.  Kia's number for this recall is SC206.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.","park_outside":true,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"SC206","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"critical"}],"recall_count":2,"critical_count":2,"park_outside":true,"do_not_drive":false,"score":70,"grade":"C","complaints":{"count":50,"crash":3,"fire":7,"injured":4,"deaths":0,"comps":[["Engine",21],["Unspecified",14],["Electrical System",6],["Engine And Engine Cooling",6],["Power Train",3],["Exterior Lighting",2]],"by_year":{"2020":1,"2021":6,"2022":6,"2023":5,"2024":4,"2025":12,"2026":16},"excerpts":[["2025-08-22","Engine","My car has been burning oil way too quickly! I got the 10,000 mile oil to see if it way maybe that and by 3,000 miles there was hardly any one in there! It is not leaking out! My oil is changed faithfully! And I heard there is a recall on some newer model Kia sportages! This is craziness! I take care of my vehicle stay\u2026"],["2025-08-14","Engine And Engine Cooling","The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and was unable to accelerate. The contact's wife arrived at the destination where the failure persisted, prompting her to discontinue driving the vehicle. The che\u2026"],["2025-08-07","Engine And Engine Cooling","The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sportage. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an oil change, and the contact was advised that the oil level was low. The contact stated there was no warning illuminated with the oil level being low. The contact was advised by the mechanic to check the oil level more frequent\u2026"]]},"investigations":[{"action":"AQ23002","component":"SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE","opened":"2023-11-17","closed":"","campaign":"","subject":"Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires","summary":"The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V"},{"action":"DP22003","component":"ENGINE","opened":"2022-09-12","closed":"2023-12-12","campaign":"","subject":"Loss of Motive Power","summary":"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are "}],"ncap":[{"desc":"SUV AWD","overall":5,"frontal":4,"side":5,"rollover":4,"rollover_risk":0.147,"seats":5,"fcw":"Optional","ldw":"Standard","aeb":"Optional","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":null},{"desc":"SUV FWD","overall":5,"frontal":4,"side":5,"rollover":4,"rollover_risk":0.155,"seats":5,"fcw":"Optional","ldw":"Standard","aeb":"Optional","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":null}],"popularity":17,"headline":{"range":null,"mpg":26,"ncap":5,"complaints":50},"presskit_trims":[],"generated_at":"2026-09-11 05:01 UTC","sources":["EPA fueleconomy.gov","NHTSA recalls","NHTSA complaints","NHTSA NCAP","NHTSA investigations"]}