Diagsheet

Compact SUVs · 7 model years, 2014 to 2023

Toyota RAV4 vs Kia Sportage: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Sportage looks better on 5 and the RAV4 on 0, with 2 too close to call.

Toyota RAV4

Toyota RAV4

2,157 complaints · 18 recalls

Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

1,310 complaints · 12 recalls

Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026

Counts are not adjusted for sales. The more cars of a model there are on the road, the more complaints it draws, so the raw totals above say a lot about sales. Everything below compares shares of each model's own complaints, the mileage problems start at, recalls per model year and each model's years against its own median.

Scorecard

Measure, 2014 to 2023RAV4Sportage
Complaints that report a crash8.6%5.6%
Complaints that report a fire6.4%5.3%
Complaints that report an injury5.1%4.1%
Median miles when problems are reported28,00055,000
Recall campaigns per model year2.61.7
Do-not-drive recalls00
NHTSA investigations11

The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.

What owners complain about

The system RAV4 owners complain about most is electrical; for the Sportage it is engine. Complaints citing electrical make up 28% of all RAV4 complaints, against 15% on the Sportage. The Sportage leans the other way on engine: 48% of its complaints, against 17% for the RAV4.

Toyota RAV4Kia Sportage

Engine17%48%
Electrical28%15%
Transmission and drivetrain6.8%7.5%
Brakes8.7%5.3%
Fuel and propulsion6.8%5.6%
Structure7.5%4.0%
Airbags6.6%3.4%
Steering7.0%2.9%
Speed control4.3%4.2%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic0.4%8.1%

Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The most reported problems

The most reported problem on the RAV4 is dead battery (9.5% of its complaints). On the Sportage it is engine failure (21% of its complaints), against 0.6% on the RAV4.

ProblemRAV4Sportage
Engine stalls or loses power while driving8.6% 186most in 2018 · 37k mi15% 197most in 2017 · 70k mi
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early9.1% 196most in 2016 · 18k mi13% 175most in 2016 · 40k mi
Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing0.6% 1440k mi21% 273most in 2017 · 82k mi
Check engine light or misfire1.6% 3560k mi13% 166most in 2017 · 87k mi
Battery dies or the car will not start9.5% 204most in 2020 · 30k mi2.1% 2758k mi
Vehicle fire5.9% 127most in 2015 · 65k mi5.0% 65most in 2017 · 75k mi
Airbag warning light or recall6.6% 143most in 2020 · 23k mi2.8% 3726k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails6.8% 147most in 2020 · 45k mi2.5% 33most in 2023

Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.

When problems start

RAV4 owners report problems earlier. Half the RAV4 complaints that give a mileage come before 28,000 miles; for the Sportage the halfway point is 55,000. 70% of RAV4 reports and 46% of Sportage reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.

Toyota RAV4Kia Sportage

Under 25k47%33%
25k to 50k23%13%
50k to 75k15%18%
75k to 100k6.7%16%
100k to 150k6.6%17%
Over 150k2.5%2.9%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 991 for the RAV4 and 546 for the Sportage.

Worst and best years

The 2019 RAV4 draws 3.0 times the complaints of a typical RAV4 year for its age. The 2023 Sportage draws 3.9 times the complaints of a typical Sportage year for its age.

Toyota RAV4

Every RAV4 model year

Kia Sportage

  • Years to avoid: 2017, 2023 and 2024
  • Best years: none since 2016 is clearly better

Every Sportage model year

Toyota RAV4Kia Sportage

Each model year against its own model's median. RAV4: 2014 0.4, 2015 0.7, 2016 0.6, 2017 0.8, 2018 1.0, 2019 3.0, 2020 2.5, 2021 1.7, 2022 0.8, 2023 1.1. Sportage: 2014 0.8, 2015 1.0, 2016 1.0, 2017 3.3, 2018 1.5, 2019 0.7, 2020 1.9, 2021 0.7, 2022 0.8, 2023 3.9.2014 RAV4: 0.4 times its median2014 Sportage: 0.8 times its median'142015 RAV4: 0.7 times its median2015 Sportage: 1.0 times its median'152016 RAV4: 0.6 times its median2016 Sportage: 1.0 times its median'162017 RAV4: 0.8 times its median2017 Sportage: 3.3 times its median'172018 RAV4: 1.0 times its median2018 Sportage: 1.5 times its median'182019 RAV4: 3.0 times its median2019 Sportage: 0.7 times its median'192020 RAV4: 2.5 times its median2020 Sportage: 1.9 times its median'202021 RAV4: 1.7 times its median2021 Sportage: 0.7 times its median'212022 RAV4: 0.8 times its median2022 Sportage: 0.8 times its median'222023 RAV4: 1.1 times its median2023 Sportage: 3.9 times its median'231x

Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.

Recalls and investigations

The RAV4 draws more recalls: 2.6 campaigns per model year against 1.7 for the Sportage. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Toyota RAV4

18 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: equipment (3), tires (3) and steering (2).

  • 23V-734 (electrical) covers 5 model years
  • 14V-828 (equipment) covers 2 model years

Investigations

  • PE21005: Battery hold down bracket thermal events (closed, led to a recall)

Kia Sportage

12 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: service brakes, hydraulic (3), trailer hitches (2) and electrical (2).

  • 18V-907 (fuel system) covers 5 model years
  • 22V-051 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years

Investigations

  • DP22003: Loss of motive power (closed)

Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Crashes, fires and injuries

A larger share of RAV4 complaints report a crash: 8.6%, against 5.6% for the Sportage. Fire reports: 139 for the RAV4 and 69 for the Sportage. Complaints on file report 3 deaths in the RAV4 and 0 in the Sportage for these model years.

Toyota RAV4Kia Sportage

Report a crash8.6%5.6%
Report a fire6.4%5.3%
Report someone hurt5.1%4.1%

Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.

Questions

Is the Toyota RAV4 or the Kia Sportage more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Sportage looks better on 5 and the RAV4 on 0, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the RAV4 has 2,157 complaints and the Sportage 1,310 for the 7 model years from 2014 to 2023 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the RAV4 or the Sportage?

The RAV4 has 18 recall campaigns and the Sportage 12 across the 7 model years from 2014 to 2023 that both have on file. The RAV4 draws more recalls: 2.6 campaigns per model year against 1.7 for the Sportage.

What are the most common problems on the RAV4 and the Sportage?

The most reported problem on the RAV4 is dead battery (9.5% of its complaints). On the Sportage it is engine failure (21% of its complaints), against 0.6% on the RAV4.

More comparisons

Every comparison