The 2013 Kia Sorento is a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle covered by 7 EPA fuel-economy configurations. In NHTSA's records it has accumulated 982 owner complaints and 5 recall campaign(s). Of those complaints, 23 report a crash and 44 report a fire; 22 complaints report injuries totalling 33 injured people, and 0 deaths are recorded across all complaints for this model-year. The single most-reported component is Engine, named in 497 complaints (50.6% of the total). The sections below reproduce the underlying records in full: crash-test ratings, every recall campaign with its NHTSA campaign number, complaint counts by component, and EPA fuel-economy figures for each configuration.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
NHTSA tested the 2013 Kia Sorento SUV FWD under its 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars; "Not rated" means NHTSA did not publish a score for that test for this variant.
| Test | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | ★★★★☆ |
| Frontal crash — overall | ★★★★☆ |
| Frontal crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — passenger | ★★★★☆ |
| Side crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side pole crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover resistance | ★★★★☆ |
NHTSA also rated other 2013 Kia Sorento variants: 2013 Kia Sorento SUV AWD — 4★ overall. The table above shows the most completely rated variant.
Electronic stability control was fitted as standard equipment on the tested variant, and NHTSA records no safety recall investigation rating adjustments for it.
Recall Campaigns (5)
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) that include the 2013 Kia Sorento. Each campaign below shows the official NHTSA campaign number, the affected component, and the manufacturer's own summary, consequence and remedy statements as published by NHTSA. To check whether a specific vehicle is covered, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.
Campaign 18V907000 — Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, and Fittings 19/12/2018
Summary: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Campaign 20V750000 — Engine 02/12/2020
Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Consequence: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
Campaign 17V224000 — Engine and Engine Cooling:engine 31/03/2017
Summary: Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Consequence: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Campaign 15V626000 — Power Train:automatic Transmission 06/10/2015
Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Consequence: Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.
Campaign 23V652000 — Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module 25/09/2023
Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Consequence: 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 replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Owner Complaints (982)
Owners have filed 982 complaints about the 2013 Kia Sorento with NHTSA. Complaint counts are not sales-adjusted — higher-selling vehicles naturally attract more complaints — but the breakdown by component shows where owners report problems most often.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 497 | 50.6% |
| Electrical System | 116 | 11.8% |
| Structure | 91 | 9.3% |
| Unknown Or Other | 89 | 9.1% |
| Service Brakes | 89 | 9.1% |
| Exterior Lighting | 70 | 7.1% |
| Power Train | 69 | 7.0% |
| Air Bags | 60 | 6.1% |
| Hydraulic | 54 | 5.5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 34 | 3.5% |
| Seats | 33 | 3.4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 25 | 2.5% |
Complaints by Component — Visual
Bar length is proportional to the most-reported component for this model-year (Engine, 497 complaints).
By filing year, complaints peaked in 2019 with 146 filings. Owners filed 982 complaints in total across 15 calendar years in the database extract. Complaints involving a crash number 23 and those involving a fire number 44; 22 complaints report at least one injury.
EPA Fuel Economy
The EPA classifies the 2013 Kia Sorento as a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle and published ratings for 7 configurations (engine, transmission, drive and fuel combinations). Combined fuel economy spans 20–24 MPG; the median configuration returns 20 city / 26 highway / 22 combined MPG. Fuel types covered: Regular Gasoline.
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | Fuel | Combined MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22.5 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Manual 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 20 |
Showing the 5 most common configuration groups of 7 EPA configurations.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls and safety ratings databases and EPA FuelEconomy.gov dataset, accessed October 2026. See our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2013 Kia Sorento have?
NHTSA's complaints database held 982 complaints for the 2013 Kia Sorento when accessed in October 2026. The most-reported component was Engine with 497 complaints.
How many recalls affect the 2013 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) covering the 2013 Kia Sorento in the data accessed in October 2026, including campaign 18V907000 for Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, and Fittings.
What is the 2013 Kia Sorento's safety rating?
NHTSA gave the tested 2013 Kia Sorento SUV FWD an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, with 4 stars for frontal crash, 5 for side crash and 4 for rollover resistance.
What MPG does the 2013 Kia Sorento get?
The EPA rated 7 configurations of the 2013 Kia Sorento. Combined fuel economy ranges from 20 to 24 MPG, with a median of 22 MPG (median city 20, median highway 26).