Model year 2015 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2015 Kia Sportage: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2015 Kia Sportage at 21–23 mpg combined across 6 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 146 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

21–23

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.

2015 Kia Sportage recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2015 Kia Sportage, newest first.

Service brakes, hydraulic: Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: Control unit/module

NHTSA 22V051000 Reported Feb 2, 2022 Park outside

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC227)
Units affected: 126,747 (estimate)
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.
Remedy: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Engine and 1 more component

NHTSA 18V907000 Reported Dec 19, 2018

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC172)
Components: Engine; Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Units affected: 71,653 (estimate)
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.
Remedy: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

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

2015 Kia Sportage 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.

2015 Kia Sportage EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Sportage AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-spd	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	19/24/21 mpg	$3,200	422
Sportage AWD	2.4L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	19/26/22 mpg	$3,050	402
Sportage FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	20/26/23 mpg	$2,900	394
Sportage FWD	2.4L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	21/28/23 mpg	$2,900	376
Sportage SX AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	19/25/21 mpg	$3,200	420
Sportage SX FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	20/26/22 mpg	$3,050	407

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.

2015 Kia Sportage 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.

2015 Kia Sportage NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2015 Kia Sportage SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	15.5%	No
2015 Kia Sportage SUV FWD	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	17.4%	No

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.

2015 Kia Sportage owner complaints

Owners have filed 146 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Sportage, most recently on Jul 7, 2026. 7 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 5 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2015 Kia Sportage complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	84
Service brakes, hydraulic	27
Unknown or other	25
Electrical system	17
Fuel/propulsion system	7
Air bags	5
Power train	5
Vehicle speed control	5
Exterior lighting	3
Service brakes	3

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 Sportage model years

Kia Sportage by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2027 Sportage	24–41 mpg	0	1	5/5
2026 Sportage	24–42 mpg	1	40	5/5
2025 Sportage	25–43 mpg	1	74	5/5
2024 Sportage	25–43 mpg	3	110	5/5
2023 Sportage	25–43 mpg	7	309	5/5
2022 Sportage	21–26 mpg	1	46	5/5
2021 Sportage	21–26 mpg	2	54	5/5
2020 Sportage	21–26 mpg	2	164	5/5
2019 Sportage	21–25 mpg	2	71	5/5
2018 Sportage	21–26 mpg	3	165	5/5
2017 Sportage	21–26 mpg	4	403	5/5
2016 Sportage	21–23 mpg	2	134	5/5

All Kia Sportage years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2015 Kia models

2015 Kia Cadenza 2015 Kia Forte 2015 Kia K900 2015 Kia Optima 2015 Kia Rio 2015 Kia Sedona 2015 Kia Sorento 2015 Kia Soul

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.