1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 1997 Kia Sportage
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee | 1997 Kia Sportage |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 991 | 181 |
| Recall campaigns | 3 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 105 | 10 |
| Investigations | 7 | 4 |
| Crash reports | 112 | 32 |
| Fire reports | 17 | 5 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–16 | 18–19 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 118,811 mi | 82,500 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Jeep Grand Cherokee | Kia Sportage |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 254 | 25 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 163 | 19 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 150 | 16 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 81 | 56 |
| Fuel System, Other | 117 | 1 |
| Electrical System | 56 | 21 |
| Air Bags | 36 | 39 |
| Structure | 61 | 10 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 97 | 35 |
| Vibration / shaking | 36 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 19 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 18 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 17 | 7 |
| Steering problems | 14 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 13 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 6 | 0 |
1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
1997 Kia Sportage
Compare all Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Kia Sportage years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.