Is the Hyundai Tucson more reliable than the KIA Sorento?

Slightly, yes. Both have a good standing and the same 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. The Tucson has lower annual repair cost, a 10% chance of a major repair against 11%, and fewer recalls. The Sorento has fewer owner complaints per car sold.

Which has more recalls, the Tucson or the Sorento?

The Sorento. Federal recall records show 43 recalls across nine model years for the Sorento and 23 for the Tucson. Run the VIN of any used car you consider and confirm the recall work was completed before you buy.

Which costs less to repair?

The Tucson. Independent repair-cost data estimates $426 a year for the Tucson and $533 for the Sorento. Over five years, that is roughly $535 saved. Shop-visit frequency is the same for both, at 0.3 unscheduled visits a year.

Do the Tucson and Sorento both burn oil?

Both do, according to owner complaints. Tucson owners report losing a quart every 1,000 miles or worse around 70,000 to 85,000 miles. Sorento owners report oil loss with no warning light, with failures between 90,000 and 116,000 miles. Keep records of oil checks on either one.

Which has more crash-linked complaints?

The Tucson in its main problem areas. Service brakes have 15 crash-linked complaints and forward collision avoidance has 12. The Sorento has 6 in its electrical system and 3 in its power train, and none in steering or exterior lighting.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sorento: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Hyundai Tucson

Good

Kia Sorento

Good

Shoppers get a slight reliability edge with the Hyundai Tucson over the KIA Sorento. The Tucson costs less to repair and has far fewer recalls. Owners do file more complaints per car sold on the Tucson, and its brake and collision-system problems carry more crash-linked complaints.

How Do the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sorento Generations Compare?

Third-generation Sorento (UM) years ran 2016 to 2020, with a facelift in 2019. That puts 2018 to 2020 in the older design, and 2019 is among its weakest years. The fourth generation (MQ4) began with the 2021 model year and ran through 2023. Its first year, 2021, is also on the weak list, which fits the start of a new design. A facelift followed for 2024, and 2024 is one of the strongest years. The 2026 model has had the least time to collect complaints, so treat its clean record as early. Most used shoppers will be choosing between the 2021 to 2023 cars and the 2024 refresh.

Verdict

The Hyundai Tucson is more reliable than the Kia Sorento, scoring 73/100 vs 71/100.

A slight edge goes to the Tucson, not a clear win. Both have a good standing and the same 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. The Tucson is cheaper to repair, has a lower chance of a major repair, and has far fewer recalls across the same nine model years. The Sorento gets some ground back with fewer owner complaints per car sold, and its engine failures tend to show up later, between 90,000 and 116,000 miles. That keeps the gap small.

Key Differences

1Hyundai Tucson costs $107 less per year to repair
2Hyundai Tucson has 20 fewer total recalls
3Hyundai Tucson scores 2 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

4Hyundai Tucson

—

1Kia Sorento

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sorento: Which Is More Reliable?

Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sorento at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Hyundai Tucson	Kia Sorento
Reliability Score	73/100	71/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	23	43
Complaints per 10k Sold	8.9	7.4
Annual Repair Cost	$426/yr	$533/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	10%	11%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	4 (4 tied)	1 (4 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sorento?

Oil loss is the shared worry. On the Tucson, it shows up around 70,000 to 85,000 miles, and a brief low-oil light may be the only warning. On the Sorento, it usually arrives with no light at all and ends in knocking or a highway stall between 90,000 and 116,000 miles. The Tucson's other trouble is safety systems: forward collision braking that fires with nothing ahead, and brake faults. Those areas carry 12 and 15 crash-linked complaints. The Sorento has none in brakes or collision systems. Its odd spots are headlights that cut out at night and steering that sticks, neither crash-linked.

Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sorento common problem areas comparison
Component	Hyundai Tucson	Kia Sorento
ENGINE	1.9Low	1.4Low
POWER TRAIN	1.3Low	1.5Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.1Low	1.1Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1Very Low	1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	1.1Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.5Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.4Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
TRAILER HITCHES	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sorento?

Independent repair-cost data puts the Tucson at $426 a year and the Sorento at $533. That gap is $107 a year, or about $535 over five years. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, so neither sends you to the shop more often. The chance that a repair is major is 10% for the Tucson and 11% for the Sorento. The difference comes from what each repair costs, not how often you go.

How Does Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sorento Reliability Compare by Year?

Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sorento year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Hyundai Tucson	Kia Sorento	Edge
2026	80/1004R / 3C	80/1004R / 0C	Tie
2025	75/1006R / 251C	75/1008R / 72C	Tie
2024	77/1004R / 87C	79/1002R / 35C	Kia Sorento
2023	75/1002R / 142C	70/1007R / 120C	Hyundai Tucson
2022	66/1003R / 433C	66/10010R / 171C	Tie
2021	78/1001R / 58C	66/1006R / 217C	Hyundai Tucson
2020	73/1001R / 153C	71/1001R / 115C	Hyundai Tucson
2019	68/1001R / 349C	64/1002R / 383C	Hyundai Tucson
2018	68/1001R / 362C	68/1003R / 232C	Tie

Best years to cross-shop: The 2021 Hyundai Tucson scored 78/100 and the 2024 Kia Sorento 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 Tucson vs the Kia Sorento?

Pick the Tucson if you want the lower running cost and fewer recalls. Target 2021, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2019 and 2022, its weakest. Check the service history for oil top-ups, since consumption can start around 70,000 miles. Test the forward collision system and the brakes on a highway drive, because those are the areas with the most crash-linked complaints. Pick the Sorento if you want a midsize body and are more worried about crash-linked brake or collision-system faults than about engine risk. Target 2024, one of its strongest years. Avoid 2019 and 2021, its weakest. Skip any example with a thin oil-change record, because owners report engine failures between 90,000 and 116,000 miles, and some say Kia refused coverage once the warranty ended. Ask for proof of any headlight or steering repairs. Check that the headlights stay on in Auto mode at night.

Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sorento: Common Questions

Is the Hyundai Tucson more reliable than the KIA Sorento?: Slightly, yes. Both have a good standing and the same 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. The Tucson has lower annual repair cost, a 10% chance of a major repair against 11%, and fewer recalls. The Sorento has fewer owner complaints per car sold.
Which has more recalls, the Tucson or the Sorento?: The Sorento. Federal recall records show 43 recalls across nine model years for the Sorento and 23 for the Tucson. Run the VIN of any used car you consider and confirm the recall work was completed before you buy.
Which costs less to repair?: The Tucson. Independent repair-cost data estimates $426 a year for the Tucson and $533 for the Sorento. Over five years, that is roughly $535 saved. Shop-visit frequency is the same for both, at 0.3 unscheduled visits a year.
Do the Tucson and Sorento both burn oil?: Both do, according to owner complaints. Tucson owners report losing a quart every 1,000 miles or worse around 70,000 to 85,000 miles. Sorento owners report oil loss with no warning light, with failures between 90,000 and 116,000 miles. Keep records of oil checks on either one.
Which has more crash-linked complaints?: The Tucson in its main problem areas. Service brakes have 15 crash-linked complaints and forward collision avoidance has 12. The Sorento has 6 in its electrical system and 3 in its power train, and none in steering or exterior lighting.

More Hyundai Tucson comparisons

Hyundai Tucson vs Honda CR-V reliability Hyundai Tucson vs Toyota RAV4 reliability Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Rogue reliability Hyundai Tucson vs Mazda CX-50 reliability Hyundai Tucson reliability by year Hyundai Tucson years to avoid

More Kia Sorento comparisons

Kia Sorento vs Hyundai Santa Fe reliability Kia Sorento vs Ford Edge reliability Kia Sorento vs Chevrolet Blazer EV reliability Kia Sorento vs Nissan Rogue reliability Kia Sorento reliability by year Kia Sorento years to avoid

Decided between Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sorento? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sorento

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.

See incorrect data? Report an issue