Kia Sportage: common problems, best years and what to check
Dependable family SUV with a long warranty; QL onwards is excellent value. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Kia Sportage a good used buy?
Best buy
2016–2021 QL 1.6 GDi or 1.7 CRDi; 2022+ HEV
Avoid
SL with rear subframe rot
Who it suits: Families wanting a dependable SUV with a long, transferable warranty.
What's good
- 7-year warranty transfers to the next owner
- Good reliability
- Roomy and well equipped
- Hybrid versions are economical
What's not
- SL can rust around the rear subframe
- Petrol versions are thirsty
- Not exciting to drive
- Early DCT automatics can judder
By the numbers
- #15 most common model on UK roads, with about 373k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 46.0k cars still licensed.
- 2011 cars survive 7% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2008 cars survive 26% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- The most expensive common fault: DPF / EGR on short trips (up to £1,000).
Kia Sportage common problems by generation and engine
Kia Sportage SL (2010–2015) · SUV
How to spot it: 10 plate to 15 plate. Sharp, wedge-shaped body with Kia's 'tiger nose' grille.
1.7 / 2.0 CRDi (D4FD / D4HA, diesel, 2010–2015)
Reliable
- DPF / EGR on short trips£300–£1,00060k+
1.6 GDi (G4FD, petrol, 2010–2015)
Fine
Faults on any SL (2010–2015) engine
- Rear subframe corrosion£300–£9008+ yrs
Kia Sportage QL (2016–2021) · SUV
How to spot it: 16 plate to 21 plate. Headlights pushed high up beside a bulging bonnet and a separate low grille.
1.6 GDi / 1.6 T-GDi (G4FD / G4FJ, petrol, 2016–2021)
Reliable
- Carbon build-up (direct injection)£300–£60060k+
1.7 / 2.0 CRDi (48V mHEV from 2018) (U2 / R, diesel, 2016–2021)
Strong
- DPF£300–£1,00060k+
Faults on any QL (2016–2021) engine
- 7-year warranty may still apply — check transfer—under 7 yrs/100k
Kia Sportage NQ5 (2022–) · SUV; HEV/PHEV
How to spot it: 22 plate onwards. Boomerang-shaped LED daytime lights cutting into a black mesh grille.
1.6 T-GDi HEV / PHEV / mHEV (Smartstream G1.6T, hybrid / petrol, 2022–)
Modern and well-equipped
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Kia Sportage years
How many Kia Sportages from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2011. Years that fall off the road faster: 2009, 2010 — check these harder.
Kia Sportage MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Kia Sportages pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 55% | 57% | 107k miles |
| 2009 | 55% | 58% | 103k miles |
| 2010 | 57% | 59% | 106k miles |
| 2011 | 59% | 61% | 109k miles |
| 2012 | 59% | 63% | 103k miles |
| 2013 | 61% | 66% | 95k miles |
| 2014 | 69% | 69% | 87k miles |
| 2015 | 71% | 72% | 79k miles |
| 2016 | 75% | 75% | 73k miles |
| 2017 | 79% | 78% | 65k miles |
| 2018 | 82% | 81% | 54k miles |
| 2019 | 83% | 84% | 45k miles |
| 2020 | 84% | 86% | 38k miles |
| 2021 | 85% | 87% | 32k miles |
| 2022 | 89% | 89% | 25k miles |
| 2023 | 92% | 92% | 23k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm4.15 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3.65 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.69 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.16 per 100
- Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play1.6 per 100
- Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements1.57 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.5 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too high1.47 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm26.69 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick15.93 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear12.41 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened11.02 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn9.59 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt4.68 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn4.54 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm3.18 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Kia Sportage have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All QL engines | chain | durable | £600–£1,200 |
Kia Sportage running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Kia Sportage ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Electric: always compliant.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Electric / hybrid
Kia Sportage vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Sportage | 373k | 13–25 | 491 l | 2016–2021 QL 1.6 GDi or 1.7 CRDi; 2022+ HEV |
| Hyundai Tucson | 227k | 11–25 | 513 l | 2018–2020 TL 1.6 GDi manual or 2021+ HEV |
| Nissan Qashqai | 646k | 13–22 | 430 l | 2018–2021 J11 1.3 DIG-T manual |
| Ford Kuga | 354k | 15–28 | 475 l | 2013–2019 Mk2 2.0 TDCi manual; 2020+ FHEV |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 316k | 16–30 | 520 l | 2016+ Mk2 2.0 TDI 150 |
| Skoda Karoq | 87k | 13–25 | 521 l | 1.5 TSI |
What to check when buying a used Kia Sportage
- Check remaining 7-year warranty
- Inspect rear subframe on SL
- QL 1.6 GDi manual = simplest
Kia Sportage FAQ
›Is the Kia Sportage reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2016–2021 QL 1.6 GDi or 1.7 CRDi; 2022+ HEV. Avoid: SL with rear subframe rot.
›What is the Kia Sportage MOT pass rate?
77% of Kia Sportages passed their MOT first time in 2025 (266,248 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.
›What are the most common Kia Sportage problems?
The costliest known faults are DPF / EGR on short trips; DPF; Carbon build-up. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Kia Sportage have a timing belt or chain?
All QL engines: chain.
›What is the best year Kia Sportage to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2011, 2012, 2013 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Kia Sportage cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.6 GDi/T-GDi 35–42 mpg; 1.7/2.0 CRDi 45–52 mpg; 1.6 HEV 45–50 mpg. Insurance groups 13–25. A minor service is about £170–£240 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Kia Sportage?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Kia Sportage ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.