2018 Ford Escape vs 2018 Kia Sportage
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2018 Ford Escape | 2018 Kia Sportage |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,791 | 163 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 3 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 173 | 133 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 25 | 7 |
| Fire reports | 5 | 12 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 23–26 | 21–25 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 81,000 mi | 22,250 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Escape | Kia Sportage |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,145 | 90 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 342 | 5 |
| Power Train | 269 | 18 |
| Electrical System | 53 | 29 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 42 | 11 |
| Steering | 32 | 9 |
| Service Brakes | 24 | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 8 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Check engine light | 556 | 23 |
| Overheating | 474 | 0 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 352 | 5 |
| Stalling | 157 | 11 |
| Vibration / shaking | 129 | 5 |
| Loss of power | 83 | 13 |
| Hesitation / surging | 56 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 21 | 0 |
2018 Ford Escape
2018 Kia Sportage
Compare all Ford Escape 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.