Model year 2018 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2018 Kia Sorento: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2018 Kia Sorento at 19–24 mpg combined across 7 versions. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 255 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

19–24

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Kia dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2018 Kia Sorento recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 3 safety recalls for the 2018 Kia Sorento, newest first.

Trailer hitches

NHTSA 22V703000 Reported Sep 19, 2022 Park outside

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC249)
Units affected: 70,887 (estimate)
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.
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Steering: Electric power assist system and 1 more component

NHTSA 18V656000 Reported Sep 21, 2018

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC167)
Components: Steering: Electric power assist system; Steering: Column
Units affected: 97 (estimate)
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.
Risk: If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Air bags: Side/window

NHTSA 17V784000 Reported Dec 8, 2017

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC159)
Units affected: 2,014 (estimate)
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Risk: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC159.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2018 Kia Sorento fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2018 Kia Sorento EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Sorento AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	19/25/22 mpg	$3,050	414
Sorento AWD	2.4L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	21/25/22 mpg	$3,050	397
Sorento AWD	3.3L 6-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	17/23/19 mpg	$3,550	465
Sorento FE AWD	3.3L 6-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	18/25/21 mpg	$3,200	434
Sorento FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	20/27/23 mpg	$2,900	397
Sorento FWD	2.4L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	21/28/24 mpg	$2,800	377
Sorento FWD	3.3L 6-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	18/25/20 mpg	$3,350	436

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2018 Kia Sorento crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2018 Kia Sorento NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2018 Kia Sorento SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	15%	Optional
2018 Kia Sorento SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	15.8%	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2018 Kia Sorento owner complaints

Owners have filed 255 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Sorento, most recently on Oct 6, 2026. 12 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 11 injured people and 1 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2018 Kia Sorento complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	107
Exterior lighting	38
Unknown or other	37
Electrical system	29
Steering	26
Fuel/propulsion system	13
Air bags	10
Power train	9
Structure: Body	9
Service brakes	8

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Kia Sorento model years

Kia Sorento by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2027 Sorento	23–37 mpg	—	—	5/5
2026 Sorento	23–37 mpg	2	9	5/5
2025 Sorento	23–36 mpg	4	135	5/5
2024 Sorento	23–37 mpg	2	51	5/5
2023 Sorento	24–37 mpg	4	165	4/5
2022 Sorento	24–37 mpg	9	227	4/5
2021 Sorento	24–37 mpg	5	275	4/5
2020 Sorento	20–25 mpg	1	140	5/5
2019 Sorento	21–25 mpg	2	434	5/5
2017 Sorento	19–24 mpg	4	808	5/5
2016 Sorento	19–24 mpg	8	1,258	5/5
2015 Sorento	20–23 mpg	3	743	5/5

All Kia Sorento years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2018 Kia models

2018 Kia Cadenza 2018 Kia Forte 2018 Kia K900 2018 Kia Niro 2018 Kia Optima 2018 Kia Rio 2018 Kia Sedona 2018 Kia Soul 2018 Kia Sportage 2018 Kia Stinger

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Kia.