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2016 Kia Sportage

Gas Compact SUV

202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratingsCompare
C
Safety Signal
70 / 100
CSafety Signal · 70 / 100
2Recalls · 2 critical
130Complaints · owner reports
5★Crash rating · NHTSA overall
23 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 2016 Kia Sportage is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sportage FWD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 130 complaints, most often about engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Sportage FWDGasFWD2.4L 4-cyl212823$2,700
Sportage AWDGasAWD2.4L 4-cyl192622$2,850
Sportage SX FWDGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo202622$2,850
Sportage SX AWDGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo192521$2,950

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

Out of factory warranty soon?

The 2016 Kia Sportage is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

critical
Park outside126,747 vehicles

Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 K900 and 2014-2016 Sportage vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.

Risk: An engine compartment 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 install a new fuse for the HECU circuit board, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 22, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC227.

NHTSA campaign 22V051000 · reported Feb 2, 2022 · Kia Motors America

Fuel System, Gasoline

critical
71,653 vehicles

Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

NHTSA campaign 18V907000 · reported Dec 19, 2018 · Kia Motors America

NHTSA investigations

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module — Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (open)

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

Opened Nov 17, 2023 · action AQ23002

Engine — Loss of Motive Power (closed)

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

Opened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023 · action DP22003

Owner complaints

130 complaints filed

8 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 8 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2016: 2 · 2017: 7 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 16 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 56 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 5

Most-cited components

  • Engine — 58
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 31
  • Unknown Or Other — 18
  • Electrical System — 17
  • Fuel/Propulsion System — 9
“I WAS DRIVING 60MPH ON HIGHWAY 225 WHEN THE OIL LIGHT FLASHED ON THEN OFF AND THEN I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE WHOLE CAR SHUT DOWN AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO AN EXIT AND INTO A BUSINESS (DONUT TIME) IN PASADENA, TX. THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO CRASH INTO THE BUSINESS. I STOPPED SHORT OF B…”Aug 24, 2018 · Engine · NHTSA owner report
“MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING OUR 2016 KIA SPORTAGE THAT WE HAD BOUGHT ON 05/23/2018 (JUST MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT THE DAY BEFORE) TO MYRTLE BEACH SC, WE HEARD A POP, I LOST FUNCTION TO THE GAS, PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POPPED THE HOOD TO FIND FIRE FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WE GRABBED WHAT WE COULD OUT OF…”Jul 2, 2018 · Structure · NHTSA owner report
“SUNROOF EXPLODED ON I10 FREEWAY AT 65 MPH CAR BEHIND GOT GLASS FRAGMENTS”Jan 8, 2018 · Unknown Or Other · 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 FWD★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Compare the 2016 Sportage with

2016 Toyota RAV42016 Honda CR-V2016 Chevrolet Equinox2016 Nissan Rogue

Other Sportage model years

A

2027 Sportage

0 recalls · 1 complaints

A

2026 Sportage

1 recalls · 32 complaints

A

2025 Sportage

1 recalls · 69 complaints

C

2024 Sportage

3 recalls · 98 complaints

F

2023 Sportage

7 recalls · 299 complaints

B

2022 Sportage

1 recalls · 46 complaints

C

2021 Sportage

2 recalls · 50 complaints

C

2020 Sportage

2 recalls · 160 complaints

C

2019 Sportage

2 recalls · 69 complaints

F

2018 Sportage

3 recalls · 162 complaints

F

2017 Sportage

4 recalls · 399 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 36327, 36335, 36328, 36336). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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