Most common 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid problems
Share of the 45 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Sorento Hybrid complaints by model year
Best Sorento Hybrid years: 2024. Years to avoid: 2025, 2023. Compare all years →
2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid recalls (2)
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail.
Remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026.
Electrical system › Body control module › Software
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Sorento, 2025 Sorento Hybrid, and 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. A software error in the Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) may cause a loss of low beam headlights and taillights.
Remedy: Dealers will update the BDC software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 21, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC331.
What 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid owners say
Engine & cooling all 24 →
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The message "Check Fluids. Fluids Are Low" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to restart but failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that an inverter coolant component had sustained a hole from a pebble or a bug, causing the coolant leak. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,000.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, and the vehicle decelerated to 35 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence and was later towed to the local dealer. While at the dealer, the cause of the failure was not determined, and the failure had self-corrected. The vehicle was retrieved; however, approximately 1,500 miles late,r the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,300.
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to exceed 30 MPH. The contact pulled over to the side of the road to avoid other vehicles. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,386.
On June 5, 2025, I was driving my 2025 Kia Sorento. I proceeded to get onto the highway from an on ramp. At that moment, the engine stalled. The car would not accelerate. I could not go faster than 20-25 mph. This was a huge safety risk to me, to my passengers, and to others on the highway. Eventually I exited the highway and drove home very slowly, since the car would not accelerate beyond 20-25 mph. I was pressing the gas pedal as far down as it would go. I even tried turning off the car and restarting it. The check engine light was on. The car was towed to a Kia dealer. The Kia mechanics noted that the fault log in the car's computer system noted that the stalling/failure to accelerate event did occur, but that they were unable to reproduce it, even after several attempts driving it around in various conditions. …
Fuel & propulsion system
Around [redacted] the car was suddenly unable to accelerate properly. When pushing the accelerator, the engine would rev only after a long lag, would rev significantly higher than normal without shifting, and the acceleration response was dramatically less than usual. It felt as if the engine simply had no power, or at times almost as if something were resisting the engine. It made it nearly impossible to accelerate past roughly 40mph and the response in acceleration from the pedal was very unpredictable. A mechanic was able to replicate the issue and it was initially attributed to the high pressure fuel pump. Roughly a week after the pump was replaced in early August 2024, the issue occurred again and was again replicated by the dealer and attributed to the fuel sensor, which was replaced. The issue then re-occurred on June 14, 2026. …
I purchased a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid from Dulles Kia. Since I've owned it, I've had the same problem three times - my car randomly goes into limp mode while I'm driving. It doesn't matter what speed I'm going. The car just starts slowing down on its own, won't let me accelerate, and the RPMs start surging up and down. It's terrifying. The first time it happened, it was towed to Fayetteville Kia. They couldn't even recreate the problem. They redownloaded some software and sent me on my way. The second time it happened, it was taken to Herson's Kia in Rockville. This time they were able to recreate it. They told me it was the fuel pump and replaced it under warranty. Now it's happened again - this time while I was on vacation in Ocean City, Maryland. I was stranded with my two dogs, one of which is my service animal. I had to arrange a tow and find a last-minute hotel out of pocket. …
2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl turbo hybrid | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 36 / 36 / 36 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl turbo hybrid | 6-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 34 / 34 / 34 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid a good car?
Based on 45 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2025 Sorento Hybrid rates avoid: 4.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sorento Hybrid at the same age. It is one of the Sorento Hybrid years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid?
The engine & cooling — 24 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (18) and fuel & propulsion system (16).
How many recalls does the 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid, the most recent from January 26, 2026 (instrument cluster/panel). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Sorento Hybrid?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025 and 2023. See the full Kia Sorento Hybrid years comparison.
At what mileage do 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 11,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.