repaired · 2026 Q1
Trailer hitches
Park outsideRisk. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
2020 Kia SportageProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 171 owner complaints about the 2020 Kia Sportage, most often about the engine. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 22V-703 the manufacturer reports only 29% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 11, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2020 Kia Sportage has problems
171 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
81Engine8 crash/fire/injury
20Electrical system4 crash/fire/injury
11Structure
9Engine and engine cooling
9Steering
8Fuel/propulsion system
7Service brakes
6Forward collision avoidance
6Service brakes, hydraulic
3114 other systems8 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 81 | 8 |
| Electrical system | 20 | 4 |
| Structure | 11 | 2 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 9 | 1 |
| Steering | 9 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 3 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 6 | 2 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 6 | 1 |
| 14 other systems | 31 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2020 Kia Sportage recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2023 Q1
Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Park outsideRisk. An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.
Best & worst years
2020 vs. every other Sportage year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sportage median. How we score
'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2020 Kia Sportage safety ratings
2020 Kia Sportage SUV FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Standard
- Lane departure warning: Standard
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2020 Kia Sportage, and the recalls they led to.
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module FiresOpen
- Loss of Motive PowerNo recall
In owners' words
What Sportage owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
car and Jen was replaced October 2025 for engine failure 10 months later the engine begin stalling and not accelerating on the highway or on any road so we brought it to our dealership to get it looked at a code came up, which said the engine was in failure. no oke will cover the engine and kia…
My vehicle experienced a catastrophic engine failure, losing power on the roadway. The vehicle is currently located at the Kia dealership, and I have been provided a formal Repair Order showing an active Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1326. Kia Corporate and the dealership are currently denying…
On Saturday, XXX, while driving on XXX in [XXX], my 2020 Kia Sportage (2,4 L engine, 152,245 miles) suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power. The vehicle actively entered Limp Home Mode at high speed, dropping velocity rapidly and creating an immediate traffic hazard that my husband and…
Own a 2020 Sportage?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.