Model year 2023 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2023 Kia Sorento: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2023 Kia Sorento at 24–37 mpg combined across 7 versions. NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 165 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
4
EPA combined mpg
24–37
NHTSA overall rating
4/5
Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT
NHTSA lists this vehicle as SORENTO HYBRID, SORENTO PHEV.
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.
2023 Kia Sorento recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 4 safety recalls for the 2023 Kia Sorento, newest first.
Visibility: Defroster/defogger/HVAC system: Fan/motor and 1 more component
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.
Remedy
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.
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.
Remedy
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.
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.
Remedy
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.
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.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2023 Kia Sorento fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination; electric figures are in MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). 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.
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.
2023 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.
2023 Kia Sorento NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2023 Kia Sorento HEV SUV AWD
4 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
15.9%
Standard
2023 Kia Sorento HEV SUV FWD
4 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
15.9%
Standard
2023 Kia Sorento PHEV SUV AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
Standard
2023 Kia Sorento SUV AWD
4 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
15.9%
Standard & Optional
2023 Kia Sorento SUV FWD
4 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
15.9%
Standard & 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.
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2023 Kia Sorento owner complaints
Owners have filed 165 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Sorento, most recently on Oct 21, 2026. 4 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 7 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2023 Kia Sorento complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Electrical system
48
Engine
48
Unknown or other
43
Power train
28
Fuel/propulsion system
17
Service brakes
13
Vehicle speed control
13
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings
10
Steering
9
Visibility/wiper
8
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
