All generations and engines together · 273,913 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 62k
Middling among small SUVs, by age and by mileage. Watch suspension and lights & electrics. A fair used buy, provided its MOT history has no repeating suspension advisories.
Split by first-registration year. Cars registered in a changeover year can belong to either generation.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
Cars with the 1.6 T-GDI petrol paired to the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic (DCT) can shudder or judder when moving off from a stop, most noticeable in traffic or on hills. Kia has a technical procedure for it: dealers run a judder test, update the transmission software, and if that doesn't cure it they replace the dual clutch assembly under warranty. It tends to surface anywhere from a few thousand miles to 60k or so; outside warranty, a clutch pack replacement runs into four figures.
The 1.7 and 2.0 CRDi diesels are prone to blocked diesel particulate filters and carbon build-up in the EGR valve, especially on cars used mainly for short urban runs that never get the exhaust hot enough for a full regen. Symptoms are a DPF or check-exhaust light, rough running, and eventually limp mode. A forced regen or EGR clean is £100-£300; a replacement DPF or EGR valve is £500-£1,200 depending on the part and labour.
Some CRDi diesel owners report a rattle from the front of the engine for a second or two on cold starts, which disappears as soon as oil pressure builds. Owners and independent mechanics point to the chain tensioner's ratchet losing its hold overnight, so the chain runs slightly slack until oil reaches it. Sticking to the correct oil grade and keeping to service intervals seems to keep it in check for most cars; a small number have needed tensioner or guide parts replaced. Kia hasn't put out a public TSB for it, so it's going on owner reports rather than an acknowledged fault.
A long-running forum complaint: creaking or knocking from the front suspension over speed bumps and rough surfaces, usually traced to anti-roll bar end links, sway bar bushes, or the top strut mounts working loose. The measured MOT data for this class backs up that suspension is the standout fault area for small SUVs generally, and the Sportage isn't an exception. Fixes are cheap when caught early (£50-£150 for links or bushes) but left alone they can wear into the strut top mounts, which costs more.
Owners regularly report the auto stop-start system disabling itself or refusing to engage, usually blamed on the battery never reaching the state of charge the ISG logic wants, made worse by lots of short trips. A weak battery, a poor earth/ground connection, or an uncalibrated battery sensor after a battery swap are all cited causes, and opinion is split on whether it's a real fault or just the system doing what it's designed to do on cars that are rarely driven far. A battery sensor reset or a proper AGM battery replacement (£150-£250) usually sorts it.
A batch of newer Sportages (petrol models fitted with a mechanical vacuum pump for brake assistance) were the subject of a UK recall after Kia found the pump's internal filter could block, or the drive gear could fail, cutting brake assistance and increasing stopping distances. If buying a car covered by the recall, check it's had the work done: it's a straightforward free dealer fix, but only relevant to affected build dates and engines.
Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.
Saveable checklistThe physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.
These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.
The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.
These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.
The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.
These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.
The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.
These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.
Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 130,912 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Same segment (Small SUVs), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.
Head to head with the other popular cars in its class on reliability and common faults.