IIHS Crash Test
Acceptable
MPG (up to)
19 City / 23 HWY
Horsepower
173
Seats
5
Front angle medium view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Mary C
Great family car, for all your needs for loading kids to groceries.
Great gas mileage, easy to handle, low maintenance as well as price. I love the jade green color. The hatchback comes in handy with 2 wheel drive. I recommend this as a family car. Great for leading items that normally would not fit in a car. I like how it is off the ground, not low like a car.
accountCircle Jennifer L
Very dependable. Okay on gas mileage. Nice car.
None really. A small issue with the fan. Needs to replace the motor. Than needs to drain the hoses. Otherwise no real issues with the car.
accountCircle Sarah B
Kia Sportage. An excellent car for a variety of uses.
The Kia Sportage is a perfect mid-size vehicle. It is tall enough that you can see up high over other traffic, but it is not difficult to actually get into. It has the perfect amount of space to haul/pack a variety of items. If you run out of room, it also has a roof rack for extra storage. The Kia Sportage is versatile for different terrains. I have driven and parked on muddy fairgrounds and have never been stuck. It drives well and accelerates and brakes easily. All of my passengers have commented on how 'smooth' the ride is. The only complaint about this brand is that the parts are expensive to fix. Also, my tire pressure gauge/mechanics are not always accurate. I have taken it to multiple places and nobody seems to understand why this feature does not operate correctly.
accountCircle Cynthia G
Performs beautifully. My husband says it is like a sled on wheels.
Haven't had any problems. We have serviced well with regular oil changes. Car has only experienced normal wear and tear and maintenance. Love my Kia. I have been very pleasantly surprised by Its performance. Twelve years old and still runs great. Currently have over 298, 000 miles on it. Looking forward to hitting 300, 000.
accountCircle Rebecca V
The Kia is reliable and made to last.
Very reliable, no major issues have ever occurred, just routine maintenance. It is a 2006 without bells and whistles, but the newest models have all the extras it has over 100, 000 miles and still going strong.
accountCircle Ian B
It is comfortable to drive and is not high maintenance.
Very dependable, drives well and is not a gas guzzler. I have been very happy with it even though it was previously owned. I will buy this kind of car again in the future.
accountCircle Christy L
My car is very dependable and very low maintenance.
Low maintenance, great mileage, very dependable. Repairs for the Sportage are affordable. My only complaint is the Sportage is not big enough.
accountCircle Mary E
A very good and reliable family car.
I love my Kia. Perfect for packing up groceries to grandkids. Good on gas and best of all it is paid off. Very comfortable and I love the color. Perfect car for living in Florida. I recommend a Kia Sportage for a really good and reliable family car. I would purchase another myself.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle David S
Gas saving, durable, consistent, spacy.
I like how reliable and sturdy my vehicle is. I dislike certain aspects such as the air conditioning and fuel consumption. Overall it's a good car but it's fairly old.
accountCircle Jessica C
Overall the Kia has been a dependable car with some minor issues.
My Kia was purchased pre owned from a dealership there were no blaring issues at first but a few months after our purchase we noticed the vehicle was having some electrical issues where the inside lights would flash on and off and the door locks would lock and unlock. We've done quite a bit of maintenance work to this vehicle, as far as ride and comfortability goes it is a very smooth riding vehicle and very easy to drive and park. The 4 wheel drive mechanism seems to be going out currently. Overall the car has been decent for the price we paid for it.
accountCircle Taylor D
No interesting details on my car, but it really is just super reliable.
This vehicle is 100% reliable, but struggles in cold weather with age. That is any car though! This vehicle has been through so much, and still runs great. In its 13 year life, it has 175k miles and has never needed any major repairs. I would highly recommend for a college student or mom or two or less.
accountCircle Eve E
Black exterior, grey interior. SUV shape and has a ton of room for road trips.
The ac is not the best during the summer here in phoenix. It is okay throughout the rest of the year, though. It is a very smooth driving car. They will last you for a lifetime, mine is on its last 199k miles, and still drives good. It does not go very fast at all, and takes a while to finally pick up speed. All of the door handles broke literally the same week, and I had to replace all including the whole driver’s door. Speakers could definitely have better quality. Also it is a gas eater.
accountCircle Megan M
Kia Sportage - basic but reliable.
My Kia Sportage is a reliable daily driver that has never given me any problems. With that said, it is pretty basic. There are not a lot of frills. It rides ok, but not a luxury ride by any means. It has cloth seats that require manual adjustment. It is good on gas and I have had no major maintenance costs.
accountCircle Karen F
It runs smoothly and has not had any trouble over the years.
The knobs are to big, no auto lock function. I would have liked on manual shift boot auto is all they had.
accountCircle Brenda M
More storage space than you realize.
It is a very economical, because the mileage is amazing. But there is not much leg loom front or back. The back seat is two pieces, and they fold down together for longer objects in back of car, or just fold down one section to slide in narrow, long, object!
accountCircle Jale H
Sporty, feminine car that is safe and reliable
The one thing I do not like about my car is the stereo system and how it is an older vehicle, so it does not have an aux outlet. I have to use a cassette aux for my car which I dislike since I am passionate about music.

Kia Sportage Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
LX
173 HP 21-21 MPG 5 Seats
car
EX
173 HP 21-21 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2006 Kia Sportage Owner Reviews

4.22
83 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 42%
4 stars 37%
3 stars 20%
2 stars 0%
1 star 0%
accountCircle greg M on March 23, 2021
A very reliable and long lasting vehicle.
Practical, reliable suv. I only wish it wasn't quite so lightweight so it would go thru snow a little better. It has been a very good vehicle.
accountCircle Noelle B on March 11, 2021
It drives very well for having over 140,000 miles on it.
I like that drives well with over 140,000 miles on it, and has nice storage space. I wish it had an aux cord for me to plug my phone into, or some alternative way to hook up my phone to the radio. I also wish that the censors didn't go out as often as they do or cost as much as they do.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Marie C.

My car is reliable, it is good on gas and I never had no major mechanical problems, still driving smooth for it is age. I will purchase another Kia Sportage again because I trust my car I can't go wrong.

likeFilled Grace G.

Compact but spacious size. 5-Passenger seating. Automatic. Good gas mileage. Ample trunk space. Style. Color. I like the layout of the front two seats. There is a lot of open space, so it does not feel crowded when there is a passenger.

likeFilled Linda V.

Nice SUV, reliable, drives nice. I like the style of it and the ability to tie items to the roof to haul things. It is a good car despite it being 14 years old. I like the sunroof on it also. The seats are upholstered nice.

likeFilled Sheila W.

It is easy to get in and out of. It is great on fuel. It has a lot of room for a family plus tons of cargo. Has enough cup holders and everything is within reach of the driver. It corners great and it smooth on the highway.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Marie C.

My car does not go on full speed when accelerated It needed more power & gear ratios, which it received in the newer models, but will Catch up eventually. Not touchy on the pedals at times may be due to it is age I believe.

dislikeFilled Grace G.

I have had some issues with the alternator of this vehicle as well as power steering. As I have owned it longer and longer, the windows operate slower and slower each time. Other than those things that come with age and use, I love it.

dislikeFilled Linda V.

The trunk is too small. There is not enough room in the car in general, but especially for hauling things in the trunk. The back seats can be folded down however if we have large items to bring home.

dislikeFilled Sheila W.

The seat are not comfortable the backs of the seats are designed for a taller person than me. The 06 I own radio does not work so travel is boring. I was told it is common for kids to have wiring problems.

Ranks #10 Compact SUV by Owners

The 2006 Kia Sportage has an average owner rating of 4.25 out of 5 which ranks it #10 of 19 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
4.54
2
car
4.52
10
car
4.22

Ranks #11 Compact SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2006 Kia Sportage has a combined MPG of 25 which ranks it #11 of 19 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
38 MPG
2
car
34 MPG
11
Tie
car
23 MPG

Is The 2006 Kia Sportage A Good Car?

Yes, but it is rusting very badly and I had to replace the starter. I like the way it handles and rides. The fold down seats and that the window from the back opens separate from the door if needed,... Read More
Catherine C.
Excellent car! I am absolutely loving it. I have never had a more reliable car in my life. Will continue to purchase Kia's.
Briana M.
It’s just okay. The wheel base is too narrow, it catches the wind too much, but it does get really great gas mileage.
Natasha R.

How Reliable Is The 2006 Kia Sportage?

For the most part it is. I have had to replace the starter and the driver door handle broke off during a very frozen time last year when I was pulling on the door to get it open. Other than that just... Read More
Catherine C.
Very reliable. I have had some issues with the car but they are all regular upkeep issues that you would expect after having the vehicle for over 5 years.
Briana M.
Pretty reliable, but makes me nervous when it’s really windy. I like the extra space in back of the seats for storage when traveling and the luggage rack on top
Nisha N.

Is The 2006 Kia Sportage A Good Value?

I have no idea what the Kia Sportage costs. I think I got a decent price when I bought it but do not remember when or exactly how much. I bought it used and have had it for about 4 and a half years. I... Read More
Catherine C.
I paid roughly 10,000 for my car which is an excellent deal. I bought the car used at 41k miles. I am currently at around 85k now.
Briana M.
I bought the vehicle second hand for $2500. I thought it was a really great deal. It’s really economical to keep maintenance up on it and handles very well
Carlo A.

Related Articles for 2006 Kia Sportage

From the Vehicle History blog

car
2019 Kia Sportage Review: Reliable Compact SUV With Reasonable Ownership Costs
car
2018 Kia Sportage Review: Unreliable Compact SUV With Expensive Repair Costs As It Ages
car
2009 Kia Sportage Review: An Excellent Budget-Friendly SUV, or It Was a Few Years Ago
car
2017 Kia Sportage Review: Unreliable Small SUV With Expensive Repair Costs
car
2007 Kia Sportage Review: An Affordable, Reliable, and Very Basic SUV

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2006 Kia Sportage camshaft position sensor location?

Answer: The 2006 Kia Sportage camshaft position sensor location is found by watching: https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=ibHQ_W_wcxI You will come into many issues with an engine. A gasket may be loose and that needs to...

2006 Kia Sportage: What is the size of the trunk and cargo space?

Answer: The 2006 Kia Sportage trunk size is listed as 23.6 ft3 and with the seat folded down it will be approximately 66.6 ft3. With the seats up the trunk space does not have much to offer and is about the same as the...

2006 Kia Sportage: What is the tire size and pressure, and wheel size?

Answer: The standard wheel size for the 2006 Kia Sportage is 16-inch silver aluminum wheels. The recommended tire pressure for both the front and rear tire iS30 psi. The tire size is P215/65r16.Your tire air pressure...

2006 Kia Sportage: What is the oil type and capacity?

Answer: The 2006 Kia Sportage oil type and capacity iS5w20 or 5w30 and 4.2 to 4.8 quarts. Your oil needs to be replaced eventually. Every 5,000 to 10,000 miles is a good rule of thumb. If You don't replace it, there...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test
(Not Rated)
*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety