Model year 2016 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2016 Kia Sportage: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2016 Kia Sportage at 21–23 mpg combined across 4 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 134 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

2

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.

2016 Kia Sportage recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2016 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.

2016 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.

2016 Kia Sportage EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Sportage AWD2.4L 4-cylAutomatic 6-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular19/26/22 mpg$3,050401
Sportage FWD2.4L 4-cylAutomatic 6-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular21/28/23 mpg$2,900376
Sportage SX AWD2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 6-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular19/25/21 mpg$3,200420
Sportage SX FWD2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 6-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular20/26/22 mpg$3,050407

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.

2016 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.

2016 Kia Sportage NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2016 Kia Sportage SUV AWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars15.5%No
2016 Kia Sportage SUV FWD4 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars17.4%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.

2016 Kia Sportage owner complaints

Owners have filed 134 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Sportage, most recently on Oct 13, 2026. 8 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 8 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2016 Kia Sportage complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Engine62
Service brakes, hydraulic30
Unknown or other18
Electrical system16
Fuel/propulsion system9
Power train8
Service brakes7
Vehicle speed control7
Air bags5
Steering4

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
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 Sportage24–41 mpg015/5
2026 Sportage24–42 mpg1405/5
2025 Sportage25–43 mpg1745/5
2024 Sportage25–43 mpg31105/5
2023 Sportage25–43 mpg73095/5
2022 Sportage21–26 mpg1465/5
2021 Sportage21–26 mpg2545/5
2020 Sportage21–26 mpg21645/5
2019 Sportage21–25 mpg2715/5
2018 Sportage21–26 mpg31655/5
2017 Sportage21–26 mpg44035/5
2015 Sportage21–23 mpg21465/5

All Kia Sportage years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2016 Kia models

2016 Kia Cadenza2016 Kia Forte2016 Kia K9002016 Kia Optima2016 Kia Rio2016 Kia Sedona2016 Kia Sorento2016 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.