- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 3
- on record
- MPG
- —
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2018 Kia Sorento
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- Owner complaints
- 248
- Complaints citing a crash
- 12
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
3 Recalls on Record
1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.
Safety recalls
3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 18V656000high
Steering issue
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.
Consequence
If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC167.
- 17V784000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Consequence
If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC159.
- 22V703000high
Trailer hitches
TRAILER HITCHES
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2018 Kia Sorento.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 15%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2018 Kia Sorento 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 15% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
The EPA holds no fuel-economy record for this model year.
The EPA does not publish a record for every model year.
Consumer complaints
248 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 248
- Total
- 12
- Crashes
- 11
- Fires
- 11
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE108
- OTHER33
- LIGHTING25
- STEERING23
- ELECTRICAL21
Serious Concerns
248 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 11 reports involve injuries. 12 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2018 Kia Sorento, newest first.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Unknown
- Drive type
- Unknown
- Engine
- 0L 0-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Unknown
- Seats
- 0
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.