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2023 Kia Sorento

Plug-in hybrid Hybrid Gas Compact SUV

202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratings
F
Safety Signal
54 / 100
FSafety Signal · 54 / 100
4Recalls · 2 critical
156Complaints · owner reports
4★Crash rating · NHTSA overall
37 mpgFuel economy · best combined
⚠️
Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

The 2023 Kia Sorento is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid, hybrid and gas compact SUV with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sorento Hybrid FWD, is EPA-rated at 37 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 156 complaints, most often about electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombRangekWh/100miCharge (240V)Annual fuel*
Sorento Plug-in HybridPlug-in hybridAWD1.6L 4-cyl turbo + 67 kW AC PMSM353334 (52 MPGe blended)32 mi electric433.4 h$1,850
Sorento Hybrid FWDHybridFWD1.6L 4-cyl turbo + 270V Li-Ion393537———$1,700
Sorento Hybrid AWDHybridAWD1.6L 4-cyl turbo + 270V Li-Ion363334———$1,850
Sorento FWDGasFWD2.5L 4-cyl242926———$2,400
Sorento FWDGasFWD2.5L 4-cyl turbo222925———$2,500
Sorento AWDGasAWD2.5L 4-cyl232524———$2,600
Sorento AWDGasAWD2.5L 4-cyl turbo222724———$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

Out of factory warranty soon?

The 2023 Kia Sorento is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (4)

Electrical System

critical
39,536 vehicles

Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.

Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.

NHTSA campaign 25V649000 · reported Sep 25, 2025 · Kia America, Inc.

Back Over Prevention

high
144,979 vehiclesHybrid onlyPlug-in hybrid only

Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.

NHTSA campaign 23V610000 · reported Aug 31, 2023 · Kia America, Inc.

Equipment

high
50,517 vehicles

Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sorento vehicles. The air bag warning labels on the driver and front passenger sun visors may detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: A detached air bag warning label will not warn occupants about the risks of air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver and front passenger sun visors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 10, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC277.

NHTSA campaign 23V579000 · reported Aug 15, 2023 · Kia America, Inc.

Trailer Hitches

critical
Park outside70,887 vehiclesHybrid onlyPlug-in hybrid only

Problem: 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.

Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 22V703000 · reported Sep 19, 2022 · Kia America, Inc.

Owner complaints

156 complaints filed

4 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 7 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2022: 2 · 2023: 30 · 2024: 47 · 2025: 33 · 2026: 44

Most-cited components

  • Electrical System — 47
  • Engine — 44
  • Unknown Or Other — 38
  • Power Train — 25
  • Forward Collision Avoidance — 17
“While driving my 2023 Sorento plug-in hybrid a msg appeared that Charging Stopped Check Cable. When you stop the car and try to drive it will not go into any gear, msg says Shifting Conditions Not Met and Unplug Vehicle to Start and the wheels are locked up (E-brake) and needs a tow truck with dollies in order to load.…”Dec 3, 2025 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report
“When trying to accelerate from a standing stop, there is a one or two second delay, once the accelerator pedal is depressed, before the car moves. Extremely dangerous when pulling out into traffic. I had it back to the dealership to address this problem but they found nothing wrong. I guarantee you , the problem contin…”Dec 21, 2024 · Engine · NHTSA owner report
“1. First incident occurred on 10/29/24. My wife pulled into driveway and placed car into Park. When she shifted to reverse, the transmission didn't respond and the car revved to a very high RPM when she took foot off of brake, no foot on gas. Unable to shift it to go forward or backward. She then turned car off, back o…”Dec 11, 2024 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆16%
SUV AWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆16%
SUV FWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆16%
SUV FWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Other Sorento model years

A

2027 Sorento

0 recalls · 0 complaints

B

2026 Sorento

2 recalls · 5 complaints

D

2025 Sorento

4 recalls · 125 complaints

B

2024 Sorento

2 recalls · 47 complaints

F

2022 Sorento

9 recalls · 221 complaints

F

2021 Sorento

5 recalls · 263 complaints

B

2020 Sorento

1 recalls · 134 complaints

C

2019 Sorento

2 recalls · 426 complaints

D

2018 Sorento

3 recalls · 252 complaints

F

2017 Sorento

4 recalls · 801 complaints

F

2016 Sorento

8 recalls · 1,248 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 47222, 45538, 45555, 46065, 46066, 46072, 46073). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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