Kia Sportage Common Faults in the UK
NQ5, 2022+ — compact crossover SUV. Updated 6 October 2026.
This guide covers the NQ5, 2022+ only. Older Sportage generations have different engines and faults — for one of those, see how to check any car for known faults.
The NQ5 Kia Sportage (UK deliveries from 2022) shares the Hyundai Tucson's platform and engines, so faults are similar: 1.6 T-GDI oil consumption claims (largely resolved), PHEV battery cooling pump, and minor TPMS quirks. Kia's 7-year warranty covers most of the risk. Best-buy: 2023+. Worst: early 2022 PHEV.
91.0% of Kia Sportages registered in 2022 pass the MOT on the day (cars fixed during the test included), level with all cars registered in that year (91.2%). These are the cars this guide covers that were 3 to 12 years old when DVSA tested them in 2025, counted from 2,956 DVSA tests; a pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Counting every registration year DVSA holds for the Kia Sportage (2010–2022), which includes generations this guide does not cover, 80.5% pass on the day (cars fixed during the test included), from 32,024 tests.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0), a sample of the 2025 file (about one test in ten, from nine months). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a pass here (passed on the day); DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Compared against cars of the same registration years, because pass rates otherwise mostly measure how old a model's surviving fleet is.
See it by registration year and by mileage ↓No asking-price figure is shown: we give the median and middle 80% of asking prices only when at least 10 cars on Autoza qualify — here, Kia Sportage cars registered from 2022. The road tax line comes from GOV.UK's vehicle tax rate tables (2026/27 rates). The other quick-stats values are indicative editorial estimates aggregated from owner-forum sentiment, recall data and reliability surveys. We do not publish a UK price index, and no figure here should be quoted as one.
Best and worst years to buy
We name a year as a best or worst buy only where the DVSA MOT table further down does not rate it the other way.
Software refinements, PHEV battery cooling fixes implemented, infotainment matured.
2023 and 2024 cars are too new for the DVSA table below, so there is no MOT record behind them yet.
The plug-in hybrid reached the UK at the end of March 2022, and the first-year cars are the ones owners most often report battery thermal management issues on. How often it happens is not known.
Known faults — Kia Sportage NQ5, 2022+
How to read this list. Every item here is owner-reported: patterns that come up repeatedly with workshops, owner forums and reliability surveys. Those are worth checking on a viewing, but we hold no count of how many cars have each one, other than any survey share a card itself quotes. Treat an owner-reported item as a question to ask, not a fault this car has.
1.6 T-GDI oil consumption (shared with Hyundai)
- Symptoms
- Oil drop between services
- Years affected
- 2022
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Usually goodwill within 7-yr warranty; out of warranty engine rebuild £3,500+
- What to check before buying
- Dipstick at viewing; service history.
PHEV battery cooling pump
- Symptoms
- "Hybrid system" warning; reduced EV range
- Years affected
- 2022 PHEV
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Under warranty; £1,200+ otherwise
- What to check before buying
- PHEV battery health check (£30–£50 at Kia dealer).
TPMS sensor faults
- Symptoms
- "Tyre pressure" warning despite correct pressures
- Years affected
- All NQ5
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £80–£140 per sensor
- What to check before buying
- Visual check on dash — no warnings.
Front suspension bushings
- Symptoms
- Knocking on rough roads
- Years affected
- All NQ5 — 50,000+ miles
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £250–£400
- What to check before buying
- Rough-road test drive.
Infotainment freeze (early models)
- Symptoms
- Touchscreen unresponsive
- Years affected
- 2022
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under software update
- What to check before buying
- Test infotainment thoroughly.
Kia Sportage MOT results by year and mileage
Measured from DVSA’s own MOT test records for tests carried out in 2025, not from owner reports.
By registration year
Against all cars registered in the same year, the MOT pass rate for the Sportage was lower in 2 and level in 8 of the 10 registration years from 2013 to 2022 with enough tests to measure. The widest gap below is 2013 registrations: 65.5% against 71.9% for all cars registered that year.
Pass rate here: passed on the day, cars fixed during the test included. Rows: every Kia Sportage DVSA tested in 2025, by registration year (2013–2022), all engines and fuels together. 2013–2021 registrations are older generations of the Sportage than this guide covers, shown for comparison; the guide’s own cars start in 2022. A registration year cannot separate two generations exactly when one replaced the other part-way through a year.
| Registered | Sportage | All cars that year | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20222,956 tests | 91.0% | 91.2% | −0.2 level |
| 20212,719 tests | 89.0% | 90.1% | −1.1 level |
| 20201,913 tests | 86.9% | 88.7% | −1.8 lower |
| 20193,435 tests | 85.9% | 86.9% | −1.0 level |
| 20183,579 tests | 84.9% | 84.5% | +0.4 level |
| 20173,980 tests | 81.6% | 82.2% | −0.6 level |
| 20164,047 tests | 79.2% | 79.4% | −0.2 level |
| 20152,358 tests | 75.8% | 76.7% | −0.9 level |
| 20142,057 tests | 75.4% | 74.3% | +1.1 level |
| 20131,856 tests | 65.5% | 71.9% | −6.4 lower |
By mileage at the test
Against cars of the same age on the same mileage, the pass rate for the Sportage was higher in 1, lower in 2 and level in 2 of the 5 mileage bands with enough tests. How other models compare at the same mileage.
Show the table by mileage (5 bands)
| Mileage | Sportage | Same age and mileage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20k–40k6,381 tests | 89.3% | 89.7% | −0.4 level |
| 40k–60k7,610 tests | 84.6% | 84.1% | +0.5 level |
| 60k–80k6,958 tests | 79.7% | 78.6% | +1.1 higher |
| 80k–100k5,007 tests | 72.4% | 73.9% | −1.5 lower |
| 100k–120k2,397 tests | 65.5% | 69.9% | −4.4 lower |
Only a major or dangerous defect fails an MOT. A minor defect is recorded on the certificate and the car still passes, and an advisory is not a failure at all.
We don’t give a recall count for the Kia Sportage: whether a recall applies depends on the individual car. Check the one you are looking at by entering its registration on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall checker, and see how to check a car for known faults for the other free checks.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0), a sample of the 2025 file (about one test in ten, from nine months) (3,459,000 tests). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a pass here (passed on the day); DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Odometer readings below 100 or above 400,000 miles are discarded as misreadings, and cars under three years old are excluded because no MOT is yet due. Sampled from nine months of 2025 (January, February, April, May, July, August, September, October and November). Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Registration years shown are cars 3 to 12 years old when tested; the smallest rests on 1,856 tests. A gap is called level when it is under one percentage point or inside the 95% sampling margin for that number of tests. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Who this car suits — and who should look elsewhere
Family buyers wanting Kia's 7-year warranty for peace of mind.
Buyers needing premium badge.
Alternatives to consider
If the Kia Sportage doesn't suit, these comparable models are worth a look in the UK market:
Kia Sportage: questions buyers ask
What are the most common faults on a used Kia Sportage in the UK?
The NQ5 Kia Sportage (UK deliveries from 2022) shares the Hyundai Tucson's platform and engines, so faults are similar: 1.6 T-GDI oil consumption claims (largely resolved), PHEV battery cooling pump, and minor TPMS quirks. Kia's 7-year warranty covers most of the risk. Best-buy: 2023+. Worst: early 2022 PHEV.
What is the best year to buy a used Kia Sportage in the UK?
Best-buy years: 2023, 2024. Software refinements, PHEV battery cooling fixes implemented, infotainment matured.
What years of Kia Sportage should I avoid in the UK?
Worst years: 2022 (PHEV). The plug-in hybrid reached the UK at the end of March 2022, and the first-year cars are the ones owners most often report battery thermal management issues on. How often it happens is not known.
How much does a used Kia Sportage cost in the UK in 2026?
This page gives no figure at the moment: Autoza quotes asking prices only when at least 10 qualifying cars are advertised with a price — here, Kia Sportage cars registered from 2022. Prices vary by mileage, region and trim, so compare several adverts of the same year and mileage band before negotiating.
What is the road tax (VED) on a Kia Sportage in the UK?
Annual road tax (VED): £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
What real-world fuel economy does a Kia Sportage achieve on UK roads?
Typical real-world consumption: 38–45 mpg 1.6 T-GDI petrol; 1.6 hybrid 43–50 mpg.
How does a Kia Sportage compare to its rivals?
Strong alternatives in the UK: Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai J12, Toyota RAV4, Skoda Karoq. Choose based on dealer network in your area, parts availability, and your priorities (running cost vs. cabin quality vs. badge).
Who is the Kia Sportage most suitable for?
Family buyers wanting Kia's 7-year warranty for peace of mind.
Who should NOT buy a Kia Sportage?
Buyers needing premium badge.
Is the PHEV battery cooling pump on the Kia Sportage a serious problem?
Owner-reported, frequency unknown: PHEV battery cooling pump comes up in owner forums and workshop reports for the Kia Sportage, but how often it happens is not known, so treat it as a question to ask rather than a fault every car has. Symptoms: "Hybrid system" warning; reduced EV range. Years affected: 2022 PHEV. Indicative repair cost in the UK: Under warranty; £1,200+ otherwise. What to check before buying: PHEV battery health check (£30–£50 at Kia dealer).
Check these next
The guide above is about the Kia Sportage as a model. These are about the car in front of you.
- Browse Kia Sportage listings on AutozaEvery one listed now.
- Check any car by its registrationFree: its MOT history, tax status and any open recall, from a number plate.
- Work out the road tax for the SportageVehicle tax (VED) by registration date, CO2 and list price.
- Work out the monthly paymentExamples for a car loan or hire purchase by price, deposit, term and APR.
- What is your Sportage worth?A price range from dealers' asking prices for comparable cars.
Looking to buy a Kia Sportage in the UK?
Search Autoza listings filtered by year, mileage, and region. Every dealer page shows the business name, address and contact details, so you can check the business before you enquire.