2025 Kia Sportage
Plug-in hybrid Hybrid Gas Compact SUV
The 2025 Kia Sportage is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid, hybrid and gas compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sportage Hybrid FWD, is EPA-rated at 43 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 69 complaints, most often about unknown or other. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Range | kWh/100mi | Charge (240V) | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sportage Plug-in Hybrid | Plug-in hybrid | AWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo + 67 kW AC PMSM | 36 | 35 | 35 (55 MPGe blended) | 34 mi electric | 40 | 2 h | $1,800 |
| Sportage Hybrid FWD | Hybrid | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo + 270V Li-Ion | 42 | 44 | 43 | — | — | — | $1,450 |
| Sportage Hybrid AWD | Hybrid | AWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo + 270V Li-Ion | 38 | 38 | 38 | — | — | — | $1,650 |
| Sportage FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 25 | 32 | 28 | — | — | — | $2,250 |
| Sportage X-pro | Gas | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 23 | 30 | 26 | — | — | — | $2,400 |
| Sportage AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 23 | 27 | 25 | — | — | — | $2,500 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (1)
Electrical System
highProblem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and 2024-2025 Sportage vehicles equipped with a 4.2" screen and a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness accessory. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Risk: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the tow hitch harness control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC359. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 31, 2025.
Owner complaints
69 complaints filed
7 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 6 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2024: 1 · 2025: 39 · 2026: 29
Most-cited components
- Unknown Or Other — 24
- Electrical System — 19
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 11
- Power Train — 9
- Engine — 6
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
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Compare the 2025 Sportage with
Other Sportage model years
2027 Sportage
0 recalls · 1 complaints
A2026 Sportage
1 recalls · 32 complaints
C2024 Sportage
3 recalls · 98 complaints
F2023 Sportage
7 recalls · 299 complaints
B2022 Sportage
1 recalls · 46 complaints
C2021 Sportage
2 recalls · 50 complaints
C2020 Sportage
2 recalls · 160 complaints
C2019 Sportage
2 recalls · 69 complaints
F2018 Sportage
3 recalls · 162 complaints
F2017 Sportage
4 recalls · 399 complaints
C2016 Sportage
2 recalls · 130 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 48667, 48098, 48097, 48065, 48102, 48096). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.