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2021 Kia Sportage problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
63% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 Kia Sportage are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 2 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 60%).
Does the 2021 Kia Sportage have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 32 of 51 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Sportage concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%), and the largest group is filed under engine (23). For comparison, the 2020 scores 56% and the 2022 scores 52%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2021 compares with other Kia Sportage years
Of the 13 Kia Sportage years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the 7th-best on engine and transmission share (63%). The worst is the 2012 (88%), the best the 2023 (35%). By volume, the 2021 drew 53 complaints (32 drivetrain), against 161 for the 2020 and 46 for the 2022.
Kia Sportage years to avoid and best years →
2011 Sportage problems · 2012 Sportage problems · 2013 Sportage problems · 2014 Sportage problems · 2015 Sportage problems · 2016 Sportage problems · 2017 Sportage problems · 2018 Sportage problems · 2019 Sportage problems · 2020 Sportage problems · 2021 · 2022 Sportage problems · 2023 Sportage problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Kia Sportage
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2021 Kia Sportage said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 32 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Kia Sportage engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Kia Sportage, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 Kia Sportage? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2021 Kia Sportage have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 32 of 51 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Sportage concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Kia Sportage?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Kia Sportage is engine: 23 of 53 complaints (43%) name it, followed by engine and engine cooling (6) and electrical system (6). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2021 Kia Sportage reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 63% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Kia Sportage years we score, it ranks 7th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Kia Sportage?
No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Kia Sportage, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Kia Sportage years are better?
Among the Kia Sportage years we track, the 2023 (35%), the 2022 (52%) and the 2016 (54%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2021 (63%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/kia-sportage
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.