The 2019 Kia Sorento is a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle covered by 4 EPA fuel-economy configurations. In NHTSA's records it has accumulated 433 owner complaints and 2 recall campaign(s). Of those complaints, 10 report a crash and 19 report a fire; 10 complaints report injuries totalling 16 injured people, and 0 deaths are recorded across all complaints for this model-year. The single most-reported component is Engine, named in 158 complaints (36.5% 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 2019 Kia Sorento SUV AWD 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 2019 Kia Sorento variants: 2019 Kia Sorento SUV FWD — 5★ 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 (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) that include the 2019 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 22V703000 — Trailer Hitches 19/09/2022
Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Consequence: A 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 inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Campaign 23V639000 — Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 15/09/2023
Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sorento vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and add additional water proofing to the camera harness, or replace the camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 8, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC282.
Owner Complaints (433)
Owners have filed 433 complaints about the 2019 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 | 158 | 36.5% |
| Unknown Or Other | 111 | 25.6% |
| Electrical System | 68 | 15.7% |
| Structure | 56 | 12.9% |
| Power Train | 51 | 11.8% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 24 | 5.5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 22 | 5.1% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 18 | 4.2% |
| Visibility/wiper | 16 | 3.7% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 3.2% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 3.2% |
| Service Brakes | 14 | 3.2% |
Complaints by Component — Visual
Bar length is proportional to the most-reported component for this model-year (Engine, 158 complaints).
By filing year, complaints peaked in 2024 with 107 filings. Owners filed 433 complaints in total across 9 calendar years in the database extract. Complaints involving a crash number 10 and those involving a fire number 19; 10 complaints report at least one injury.
EPA Fuel Economy
The EPA classifies the 2019 Kia Sorento as a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle and published ratings for 4 configurations (engine, transmission, drive and fuel combinations). Combined fuel economy spans 21–25 MPG; the median configuration returns 20 city / 26 highway / 22.5 combined MPG. Fuel types covered: Regular Gasoline.
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | Fuel | Combined MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 25 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 23 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 21 |
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 2019 Kia Sorento have?
NHTSA's complaints database held 433 complaints for the 2019 Kia Sorento when accessed in October 2026. The most-reported component was Engine with 158 complaints.
How many recalls affect the 2019 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) covering the 2019 Kia Sorento in the data accessed in October 2026, including campaign 22V703000 for Trailer Hitches.
What is the 2019 Kia Sorento's safety rating?
NHTSA gave the tested 2019 Kia Sorento SUV AWD an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with 5 stars for frontal crash, 5 for side crash and 4 for rollover resistance.
What MPG does the 2019 Kia Sorento get?
The EPA rated 4 configurations of the 2019 Kia Sorento. Combined fuel economy ranges from 21 to 25 MPG, with a median of 22.5 MPG (median city 20, median highway 26).