Model year 2025 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2025 Kia Sportage: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2025 Kia Sportage at 25–43 mpg combined across 6 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 74 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

1

EPA combined mpg

25–43

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

NHTSA lists this vehicle as SPORTAGE HYBRID, SPORTAGE 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.

2025 Kia Sportage recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2025 Kia Sportage, newest first.

Trailer hitches and 1 more component

NHTSA 25V874000 Reported Dec 17, 2025
Filed by
Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC359)
Components
Trailer hitches; Electrical system: Instrument cluster/panel
Units affected
5,046 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Remedy
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

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

2025 Kia Sportage 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.

2025 Kia Sportage EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombElectric rangeFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Sportage AWD2.5L 4-cylAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular23/27/25 mpg—$2,700361
Sportage FWD2.5L 4-cylAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular25/32/28 mpg—$2,400317
Sportage Hybrid AWD1.6L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomatic 6-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular38/38/38 mpg—$1,750235
Sportage Hybrid FWD1.6L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomatic 6-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular42/44/43 mpg—$1,550206
Sportage Plug-in Hybrid1.6L 4-cyl turbo plug-in hybridAutomatic 6-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular Gas and Electricity / Electricity36/35/35 mpg
84 MPGe on electricity		34 mi$1,90055
Sportage X-pro2.5L 4-cylAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular23/30/26 mpg—$2,600344

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.

2025 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.

2025 Kia Sportage NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid SUV AWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%Standard & Optional
2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid SUV FWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%Standard & Optional
2025 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid SUV AWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—Standard & Optional
2025 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid SUV FWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—Standard & Optional
2025 Kia Sportage SUV AWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%Standard & Optional
2025 Kia Sportage SUV FWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%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.

2025 Kia Sportage owner complaints

Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Kia Sportage, most recently on Oct 21, 2026. 9 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 8 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2025 Kia Sportage complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Unknown or other25
Electrical system19
Engine9
Power train9
Steering8
Vehicle speed control8
Forward collision avoidance: Adaptive cruise control7
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking7
Service brakes7
Fuel/propulsion system5

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
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
2016 Sportage21–23 mpg21345/5
2015 Sportage21–23 mpg21465/5

All Kia Sportage years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2025 Kia models

2025 Kia Carnival2025 Kia EV62025 Kia EV92025 Kia K42025 Kia K52025 Kia Niro2025 Kia Seltos2025 Kia Sorento2025 Kia Soul2025 Kia Telluride

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.