2023 Kia SPORTAGE HYBRID
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2023 Kia SPORTAGE HYBRID has 154 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: i had a number of systems suddenly cut out on me. the dealership thinks it was a fuse or fuses that went bad. they affected the car's following systems: * primary instrument cluster (left side) * forward collision avoidance-assist w/car, pedestrian and cyclist detection * advanced collision avoidan.
154
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
1.9x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ELECTRICAL
32 complaints- • I had a number of systems suddenly cut out on me. The dealership thinks it was a fuse or fuses that went bad. They affected the car's following systems: * Primary Instrument Cluster (Left side) * Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist w/Car, Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection * Advanced Collision Avoidan
- • This is a heads up, not an incident report. On this vehicle there is a push button starter on the center console. Page 6-11 of the owner’s manual has a warning that reads, “Never press the ENGINE START/STOP button while the vehicle is in motion. This would result in loss of directional control and b
- • On March 1, 2023, approximately 5 days after purchasing the vehicle, when turning the vehicle on at approximately 8:00 pm, the screen stated that "A possible condition with your Hybrid Control Unit/Low DC-DC Converter has been detected. A full system check is recommended to be done soon. Please con
“I had a number of systems suddenly cut out on me. The dealership thinks it was a fuse or fuses that went bad. They affected the car's following systems: * Primary Instrument Cluster (Left side) * Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist w/Car, Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection * Advanced Collision Avoidan”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
25 complaints- • I had a number of systems suddenly cut out on me. The dealership thinks it was a fuse or fuses that went bad. They affected the car's following systems: * Primary Instrument Cluster (Left side) * Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist w/Car, Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection * Advanced Collision Avoidan
- • While on a 65 mph enforced highway, cruise control was turned on via the button on the steering wheel. The digital cruise control set itself at 110 mph and the vehicle began to accelerate to match the speed. Aside from turning on the cruise control, no other buttons on the steering wheel were pushed
- • While driving, the car came to an abrupt stop. Lights and alarms flashed stating "Do not drive" "hybrid system malfunction". Car could not be driven. Had I been on the highway, which I just exited, I could have been dead with how suddenly the car stopped without prior warning. The warning came when
“I had a number of systems suddenly cut out on me. The dealership thinks it was a fuse or fuses that went bad. They affected the car's following systems: * Primary Instrument Cluster (Left side) * Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist w/Car, Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection * Advanced Collision Avoidan”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
23 complaints- • On March 1, 2023, approximately 5 days after purchasing the vehicle, when turning the vehicle on at approximately 8:00 pm, the screen stated that "A possible condition with your Hybrid Control Unit/Low DC-DC Converter has been detected. A full system check is recommended to be done soon. Please con
- • While I was driving on an 82-degree Fahrenheit day, my engine overheated. I got 2 different alerts for an overheating engine and sent it to the dealership. The vehicle has no damage and the overheated engine was very sudden and without notice.
- • While driving, the car came to an abrupt stop. Lights and alarms flashed stating "Do not drive" "hybrid system malfunction". Car could not be driven. Had I been on the highway, which I just exited, I could have been dead with how suddenly the car stopped without prior warning. The warning came when
“On March 1, 2023, approximately 5 days after purchasing the vehicle, when turning the vehicle on at approximately 8:00 pm, the screen stated that "A possible condition with your Hybrid Control Unit/Low DC-DC Converter has been detected. A full system check is recommended to be done soon. Please con”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
18 complaints- • While driving 30-40 mph most of the Advanced Driver Assistance System warning lights came. The check engine light, service light, etc also came on. There was a notice that kept flashing do not drive vehicle. This has happened on three occasions. There were zero issues prior to this. On one occas
- • When starting car from behind stopped, the car would not speed up when pressing gas pedal and felt like stalling, but slamming on gas pedal jolted car to speed up again. If there were cars around, this could have been very dangerous. Car is in the shop now for mechanics to determine exact cause.
- • The part of the sunroof that moves when opening, spontaneously exploded while on the highway. Nothing hit the car to cause the explosion. Glass rained down on me. The car has 5,000 miles on it and there were no other cars around me that could've caused debris to hit my car. There is a huge hole in t
“While driving 30-40 mph most of the Advanced Driver Assistance System warning lights came. The check engine light, service light, etc also came on. There was a notice that kept flashing do not drive vehicle. This has happened on three occasions. There were zero issues prior to this. On one occas”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
15 complaints- • This is a heads up, not an incident report. On this vehicle there is a push button starter on the center console. Page 6-11 of the owner’s manual has a warning that reads, “Never press the ENGINE START/STOP button while the vehicle is in motion. This would result in loss of directional control and b
- • As I was driving my 2023 KIA Sportage SX Prestige at 70+mph on highwy, suddenly "Hybrid System Failure" appeared on the dash along with evey other lights you can think of. I lost power and steering and only by the grace of God was able to safely get to the side of the road and stop. Car was at KIA d
- • On June 9, 2023, the owner purchased a brand-new 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid from Quirk Kia Braintree. Over the next six months, the owner regularly drove the car between work and home, accumulating approximately 4,500 miles. However, in early January 1st 2024, the owner noticed that the check engine
“This is a heads up, not an incident report. On this vehicle there is a push button starter on the center console. Page 6-11 of the owner’s manual has a warning that reads, “Never press the ENGINE START/STOP button while the vehicle is in motion. This would result in loss of directional control and b”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 154 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ELECTRICAL: I had a number of systems suddenly cut out on me. The dealership thinks it was a fuse or fuses that went bad. They affected the car's following systems: * Primary Instrument Cluster (Left side) * Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist w/Car, Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection * Advanced Collision Avoidan
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: I had a number of systems suddenly cut out on me. The dealership thinks it was a fuse or fuses that went bad. They affected the car's following systems: * Primary Instrument Cluster (Left side) * Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist w/Car, Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection * Advanced Collision Avoidan
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: On March 1, 2023, approximately 5 days after purchasing the vehicle, when turning the vehicle on at approximately 8:00 pm, the screen stated that "A possible condition with your Hybrid Control Unit/Low DC-DC Converter has been detected. A full system check is recommended to be done soon. Please con
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: While driving 30-40 mph most of the Advanced Driver Assistance System warning lights came. The check engine light, service light, etc also came on. There was a notice that kept flashing do not drive vehicle. This has happened on three occasions. There were zero issues prior to this. On one occas
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Kia SPORTAGE HYBRID — Year Comparison
How does 2023 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 154
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 4
- Injury reports
- 1
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2023 Kia SPORTAGE HYBRID