2020 Kia Sportage problems and complaints
Owners have filed 162 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Sportage. The most-reported areas: Engine (75), Unknown Or Other (31), Electrical System (19).
Key takeaways
- 162 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 11 involve a crash, 12 a fire, 8 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 75 | 46% |
| Unknown Or Other | 31 | 19% |
| Electrical System | 19 | 12% |
| Service Brakes | 12 | 7% |
| Structure | 10 | 6% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 9 | 6% |
| Steering | 8 | 5% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 | 4% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 4% |
| Hydraulic | 6 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 3% |
| Power Train | 3 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Kia Sportage SUV FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2020 Kia Sportage SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-10-12
Rod Bearing failure June 29,2026 with prior Kia manufacturer recalls June 19,2023: (1.) SC206, HECU fire Recall, a serious safety recall regarding the Hydraulic Electronic Control unit. The circuit board can short out and cause an engine bay fire even when the vehicle is parked. (2.) SC249B (Tow Hitch Harness Fire Reca...
Engine - filed 2026-09-27
My daughter's 2020 Kia Sportage S was purchased September 22, 2025 from a Nissan Dealership with 96,574 miles on it. It dove great. She used it less than 20 miles per day on residential streets to get to and from work and to church on Sunday. It was not used for interstate or freeway driving. By June of 2026, we not...
Power Train - filed 2026-09-06
High oil consumption burning a quart of oil every 500-600 miles.
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More for the 2020 Kia Sportage
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.