Is the Hyundai Kona more reliable than the KIA Sportage?

No. The Sportage leads by a large gap. It has 5.3 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, while the Kona has 13.4. The Kona's complaints include engines that cut out while driving and transmissions that fail early. The Sportage still has serious issues, so check the specific year.

Which has more recalls, the Kona or the Sportage?

The Sportage has more. Federal recall records show 28 recalls for the Sportage and 16 for the Kona across 9 model years each. More recalls do not mean worse reliability on their own. The Sportage still has the lower complaint rate per car sold.

Which Kona and Sportage model years should I avoid?

For the Kona, avoid 2019 and 2020, which rank weakest. For the Sportage, avoid 2023 and 2018. The newest years rank well for both, but they have had little time to collect complaints, so treat that standing as unproven.

What is the cruise control problem on the Sportage?

Some Sportage owners report cruise control setting itself to 110 mph and surging forward. The down button does nothing, and only shutting the car off clears it. Most reports come within weeks or months of purchase. Owners say dealers called it a known problem and advised against using cruise control.

Do Kona engines have a serious problem?

Engine trouble is the Kona's biggest complaint area. Owners report power cutting out while driving, sometimes at highway speed, and cars that will not restart. Others report coolant loss without a warning light. Two owners say the oil drain plug fell out on the highway, and the engine lost its oil.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Hyundai Kona vs Kia Sportage: Reliability Compared

Hyundai Kona

Good

More Reliable

Kia Sportage

Good

The KIA Sportage comes out well ahead of the Hyundai Kona on reliability, with far fewer owner complaints per car sold. The Kona's engine cutouts and coolant faults hold it back, though the Sportage has serious cruise control and engine oil problems of its own.

How Do the Hyundai Kona and Kia Sportage Generations Compare?

Older generations account for most of what a shopper will find in either lineup. The Kona's first generation (OS) ran from 2018 through 2023, with a facelift in 2021. The second generation (SX2) began in 2024, so those cars have the least complaint history. The Sportage's fourth generation (QL) covered 2017 through 2022, with a facelift in 2020. The fifth generation (NQ5) began in 2023, and that first year ranks among the weakest. A Sportage from 2018 is a fourth-generation car and also ranks weak.

Verdict

The Kia Sportage is more reliable than the Hyundai Kona, scoring 75/100 vs 65/100.

Reliability favors the Sportage by a large gap. The deciding fact is the complaint rate: the Kona draws 13.4 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 5.3 for the Sportage, even though the raw totals are close. The Sportage has more federal recalls, and its problems are serious. Still, the Kona's power loss while driving, coolant leaks, and early transmission failures show up far more often relative to how many were sold. A buyer who wants fewer surprises should lean Sportage.

Key Differences

1Hyundai Kona has 12 fewer total recalls
2Kia Sportage scores 10 points higher in reliability
3Kia Sportage has 8.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

1Hyundai Kona

—

3Kia Sportage

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Hyundai Kona vs Kia Sportage: Which Is More Reliable?

Hyundai Kona vs Kia Sportage at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Hyundai Kona	Kia Sportage
Reliability Score	65/100	75/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	16	28
Complaints per 10k Sold	13.4	5.3
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	1	8

What Are the Common Problems With the Hyundai Kona and Kia Sportage?

Cars that lose power or fail to move define the Kona's complaints. Engines cut out at highway speed, coolant disappears with no warning light, and transmissions fail on cars with only a few thousand miles. Horns also fail again after replacement. Sportage complaints are different in kind. Engines run low on oil and lock up, and cruise control can set itself to 110 mph. Front rotors warp early. The Sportage has crash-linked reports in power train, which the Kona lacks, and it has more crash-linked reports in brakes and speed control.

Hyundai Kona vs Kia Sportage common problem areas comparison
Component	Hyundai Kona	Kia Sportage
ENGINE	4.5Average	1Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	3.3Average	0.9Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.8Low	0.8Very Low
POWER TRAIN	1.6Low	0.4Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	0.3Very Low
STEERING	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.1Very Low
TRAILER HITCHES	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Hyundai Kona vs Kia Sportage Reliability Compare by Year?

Hyundai Kona vs Kia Sportage year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Hyundai Kona	Kia Sportage	Edge
2026	67/1002R / 4C	83/1003R / 4C	Kia Sportage
2025	74/1000R / 21C	82/1002R / 44C	Kia Sportage
2024	68/1003R / 50C	78/1004R / 83C	Kia Sportage
2023	66/1002R / 68C	67/1009R / 257C	Kia Sportage
2022	64/1002R / 115C	79/1001R / 39C	Kia Sportage
2021	63/1001R / 102C	76/1002R / 34C	Kia Sportage
2020	57/1002R / 140C	69/1002R / 139C	Kia Sportage
2019	55/1004R / 224C	74/1002R / 63C	Kia Sportage
2018	69/1000R / 66C	68/1003R / 147C	Hyundai Kona

Best years to cross-shop: The 2018 Hyundai Kona scored 69/100 and the 2022 Kia Sportage scored 79/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Hyundai Kona vs the Kia Sportage?

Pick the Sportage if you want the lower complaint rate and plan to keep the car for years. Skip the 2023 and 2018 model years, which rank weakest. The 2025 and 2026 years rank best, but they are new and have had little time to collect complaints, so do not treat them as proven. Keep every oil change receipt, because owners say Kia denied engine claims over maintenance records. Test the cruise control before you buy. Pick the Kona if you find one priced well below a comparable Sportage and you can verify its history. Avoid the 2019 and 2020 model years, which rank weakest. The 2018 ranks among the strongest. Ask for proof of cooling system service, check that the oil drain plug is secure, and test the transmission at low and highway speeds. If you are looking at a Kona Electric, ask how the 12V battery has behaved.

Hyundai Kona vs Kia Sportage: Common Questions

Is the Hyundai Kona more reliable than the KIA Sportage?: No. The Sportage leads by a large gap. It has 5.3 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, while the Kona has 13.4. The Kona's complaints include engines that cut out while driving and transmissions that fail early. The Sportage still has serious issues, so check the specific year.
Which has more recalls, the Kona or the Sportage?: The Sportage has more. Federal recall records show 28 recalls for the Sportage and 16 for the Kona across 9 model years each. More recalls do not mean worse reliability on their own. The Sportage still has the lower complaint rate per car sold.
Which Kona and Sportage model years should I avoid?: For the Kona, avoid 2019 and 2020, which rank weakest. For the Sportage, avoid 2023 and 2018. The newest years rank well for both, but they have had little time to collect complaints, so treat that standing as unproven.
What is the cruise control problem on the Sportage?: Some Sportage owners report cruise control setting itself to 110 mph and surging forward. The down button does nothing, and only shutting the car off clears it. Most reports come within weeks or months of purchase. Owners say dealers called it a known problem and advised against using cruise control.
Do Kona engines have a serious problem?: Engine trouble is the Kona's biggest complaint area. Owners report power cutting out while driving, sometimes at highway speed, and cars that will not restart. Others report coolant loss without a warning light. Two owners say the oil drain plug fell out on the highway, and the engine lost its oil.

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How we score the Hyundai Kona and Kia Sportage

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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