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Kia Sportage HybridModel year report

2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid Problems

Compared with other Kia Sportage Hybrid years

Too new to compare

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
11filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
—no mileage reported
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
42 mpgcombined, 1.6L 4-cyl · hybrid FWD · 41 city / 44 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 11 consumer complaints for the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid. The part named most often is brakes, with 3 complaints (27% of the total), followed by electrical system (3) and engine (3). Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 16 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 13 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Brakes: “I purchased brand new 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid end of may 2026 from a Kia dealership rairdon Kia in burlington, wa. It has less than 2,000 miles currently and there is a squeaking noise from the brakes. I called the Kia dealers (in renton, wa as well as burlington, wa) and they said that unless it is a manufacturer defect it is not covered. I can not imagine having brakes making squeaking noise just within two months of purchasing brand new vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #11756427, filed 2026-08

Electrical system: “On October 21, 2026, while driving my 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid LX (approx. 3780 miles), smoke started coming from the steering wheel / steering column area. There was a burning electrical smell. / No warning lights came on. I pulled over, turned the vehicle off, and exited. There was no open flame and no one was injured. The LX trim does not have a heated steering wheel, so a heating element fault is ruled out. The smoke appears to come from an electrical component inside the steering column (clock spring, combination/turn-signal switch, or column wiring). …”

NHTSA complaint #11772744, filed 2026-10

Engine: “Vehicle experiences intermittent stalls when accelerating at freeway speeds. This is my second NHSTA report on this vehicle. Kia replaced the engine to try to fix the problem but it persists.”

NHTSA complaint #11766698, filed 2026-09

Forward collision avoidance: “As the vehicle ahead of me began braking, I attempted to slow down accordingly. Despite applying the brake pedal, my vehicle did not decelerate as expected. The brake went down to the floor without resistance. I attempted harder braking, but the vehicle continued moving forward. During this incident, the forward collision warning system activated and issued audible alerts. Unfortunately, I was unable to stop before making contact with the vehicle ahead.”

NHTSA complaint #11770930, filed 2026-10

Complaints by year filed

This model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.

202611
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Sportage Hybrid · SUV AWD★★★★★5 / 5554 · 16.9% risk
Sportage Hybrid · SUV FWD★★★★★5 / 5554 · 16.9% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2026 model year: forward collision warning standard on some versions, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard on some versions.

Neighbouring years: 2025: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Sportage Hybrid AWD1.6L 4-cyl · hybrid6-speed automatic353635$1,900
Sportage Hybrid FWD1.6L 4-cyl · hybrid6-speed automatic414442$1,600

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 16 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 16 bulletins →

Other model years of the Kia Sportage Hybrid

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202611—1542—Too new
202514—0543—Too new
20242319,8320543—Too new
202310015,0001—43Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Too new

All Kia Sportage Hybrid model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid have?

NHTSA recorded 11 consumer complaints for the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid as of Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 3 complaints (27% of the total), followed by electrical system with 3.

Has the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid 5 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid get?

The EPA rates the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid (Sportage Hybrid FWD, 1.6L 4-cyl · hybrid) at 42 mpg combined, 41 city and 44 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.