Is the KIA Sportage more reliable than the Nissan Murano?

No, the Murano holds a slight edge, though both rate good. The Sportage has far more recalls and crash-linked complaints, including engine failures and cruise control that surges. The Sportage does cost less to repair and visits the shop less often, so the difference is small.

Which has more recalls, the Sportage or the Murano?

The Sportage has far more. Federal recall records show 28 recalls across nine Sportage model years. The Murano has 5 across eight model years. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before buying either one.

Which costs less to repair, the Sportage or the Murano?

The Sportage costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $462 a year for the Sportage and $507 for the Murano. The Sportage also averages 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.5, and its repairs are less often major.

What is the cruise control problem on the KIA Sportage?

Owners report cruise control setting itself to 110 mph, with the down button doing nothing. Turning cruise off and on brings the same setting back, and only shutting the car off clears it. Most reports come within weeks or months of purchase, and some crashes are linked to it.

What goes wrong most often on the Nissan Murano?

The forward collision warning is the top complaint. The light comes on, the system shuts itself off, and adaptive cruise control stops working until the car is restarted. The fault returns intermittently. Reports mention no crash. Brake failures and passenger airbag shutoffs are rarer but more serious.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Kia Sportage vs Nissan Murano: Reliability Compared

Kia Sportage

Good

More Reliable

Nissan Murano

Good

Reliability tilts slightly to the Nissan Murano over the KIA Sportage. The Sportage has more crash-linked faults, like cruise control surging. Both models rate good, and the Sportage costs less to repair each year, so the gap is narrow.

How Do the Kia Sportage and Nissan Murano Generations Compare?

Redesign years are the soft spot for each car. The Sportage's fourth generation (QL) covered model years 2017 to 2022, with a facelift in 2020. The fifth generation (NQ5) began in 2023, and 2023 is one of its weakest years. The Murano's third generation (Z52) ran from 2015 to 2024, with minor updates in 2020. Its fourth generation (Z53) arrived in 2025, and 2025 is among its weakest years. For most used shoppers, that puts the Murano choice in the long third generation and the Sportage choice in the fourth generation or the new fifth.

Verdict

The Nissan Murano is more reliable than the Kia Sportage, scoring 79/100 vs 75/100.

Only a slight edge separates these two, and it goes to the Murano. Both rate good. The tilt comes from severity and recalls. The Sportage has 28 recalls across nine model years against 5 for the Murano, plus engine failures and runaway cruise control in its complaints. The Murano's filings are fewer and milder, mostly a collision warning that keeps shutting off. Murano complaint counts have no sales data behind them, so the margin stays small. The Sportage wins on repair cost and shop visits.

Key Differences

1Kia Sportage costs $45 less per year to repair
2Nissan Murano has 23 fewer total recalls
3Nissan Murano scores 4 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Kia Sportage

—

2Nissan Murano

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Kia Sportage vs Nissan Murano: Which Is More Reliable?

Kia Sportage vs Nissan Murano at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Kia Sportage	Nissan Murano
Reliability Score	75/100	79/100
Years Tracked	9	8
Total Recalls	28	5
Total ComplaintsRaw count — varies with sales volume	810	134
Annual Repair Cost	$462/yr	$507/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.5/yr
Major Repair Risk	11%	14%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	6

What Are the Common Problems With the Kia Sportage and Nissan Murano?

Severity and spread set these two apart. Sportage engines run low on oil between changes, then knock, tick, or lock up, and most end in replacement. Cruise control can set itself to 110 mph. Front rotors warp early. Every one of its top five areas has crash-linked reports, with 10 each for service brakes and speed control. The Murano's biggest group is a forward collision warning that lights up and disables itself, with no crash mentioned. Its crash-linked reports are fewer: a brake pedal sinking to the floor, a lurch forward after shifting into Drive, and a passenger airbag that switches off. Speed control is not among its main problem areas.

Kia Sportage vs Nissan Murano common problem areas comparison
Component	Kia Sportage	Nissan Murano
ENGINE	151	—
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	122	24
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	134	8
POWER TRAIN	62	6
SERVICE BRAKES	53	9
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	37	4
STEERING	31	4
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	14	21
AIR BAGS	21	5
STRUCTURE	25	—
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	10	4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	13	—
LANE DEPARTURE	9	2
VISIBILITY	10	—
TRAILER HITCHES	9	—
VISIBILITY/WIPER	5	4
SEATS	4	—
SEAT BELTS	—	2
SUSPENSION	—	2
EQUIPMENT	—	2

Raw complaint counts aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports. Counts vary with sales volume.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Kia Sportage or Nissan Murano?

Lower running costs go to the Sportage. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $462 a year against $507 for the Murano, which adds up to about $225 saved over five years. It also needs fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.2 a year against 0.5, and a repair is less likely to be major, 11% against 14%. The Murano costs more on every measure, though the dollar gap is small.

How Does Kia Sportage vs Nissan Murano Reliability Compare by Year?

Kia Sportage vs Nissan Murano year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Kia Sportage	Nissan Murano	Edge
2026	83/1003R / 4C	82/1000R / 1C	Kia Sportage
2025	82/1002R / 44C	74/1002R / 14C	Kia Sportage
2023	67/1009R / 257C	82/1000R / 6C	Nissan Murano
2022	79/1001R / 39C	82/1000R / 5C	Nissan Murano
2021	76/1002R / 34C	82/1000R / 14C	Nissan Murano
2020	69/1002R / 139C	74/1002R / 41C	Nissan Murano
2019	74/1002R / 63C	77/1001R / 39C	Nissan Murano
2018	68/1003R / 147C	82/1000R / 14C	Nissan Murano

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Kia Sportage scored 79/100 and the 2023 Nissan Murano scored 82/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Kia Sportage vs the Nissan Murano?

Pick the Murano if you want fewer serious faults and drive a lot on highways. Its main nuisance is a collision warning that turns itself off, which disables adaptive cruise until you restart the car. Target 2018 or 2021, its strongest years. Avoid 2025 and 2020, its weakest. Check that the passenger airbag light behaves on a test drive. Pick the Sportage if lower repair bills and fewer shop visits matter most. Avoid 2023 and 2018, its weakest years. The newest years rate well, but they have had little time to collect complaints, so do not treat them as proof. Ask for full oil change records, because owners report Kia denying engine claims over maintenance paperwork when oil changes were done outside the dealer. Test the cruise control before you buy, since dealers have told owners not to use it after the 110 mph surge.

Kia Sportage vs Nissan Murano: Common Questions

Is the KIA Sportage more reliable than the Nissan Murano?: No, the Murano holds a slight edge, though both rate good. The Sportage has far more recalls and crash-linked complaints, including engine failures and cruise control that surges. The Sportage does cost less to repair and visits the shop less often, so the difference is small.
Which has more recalls, the Sportage or the Murano?: The Sportage has far more. Federal recall records show 28 recalls across nine Sportage model years. The Murano has 5 across eight model years. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before buying either one.
Which costs less to repair, the Sportage or the Murano?: The Sportage costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $462 a year for the Sportage and $507 for the Murano. The Sportage also averages 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.5, and its repairs are less often major.
What is the cruise control problem on the KIA Sportage?: Owners report cruise control setting itself to 110 mph, with the down button doing nothing. Turning cruise off and on brings the same setting back, and only shutting the car off clears it. Most reports come within weeks or months of purchase, and some crashes are linked to it.
What goes wrong most often on the Nissan Murano?: The forward collision warning is the top complaint. The light comes on, the system shuts itself off, and adaptive cruise control stops working until the car is restarted. The fault returns intermittently. Reports mention no crash. Brake failures and passenger airbag shutoffs are rarer but more serious.

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How we score the Kia Sportage and Nissan Murano

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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