Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
20 City / 25 -27 HWY
Horsepower
176 -260
Seats
5
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Michael G
Great Price, Performance, and Features.
Very happy with this vehicle. Pricing, features and performance, all great. Would definitely buy a newer model in the future.
accountCircle Erica Z
Comfy interior, perfect floor lighting at night, and plenty of space!
I love my Kia Sportage! The interior is really nice and comfortable. Having the volume control on the steering wheel helps when driving so I can focus on the road. At night, I can add extra light underneath the driver and passenger side. Even though I am not sure who would need to look at their feet, but it is a nice addition. My car drives smooth.
accountCircle Michelle J
Safe, reliable, high performance and very comfortable.
I love my Kia Sportage! The leather seats are so comfortable with great heated and cool seats. The dual climate control works great as well! I also like the wide front windshield that does not cause a blind spot on the driver side from the column being in the way of visibility. My vehicle also has a turbo engine and the performance on it is immaculate. The voice command, telephone and radio buttons on the steering wheel also makes driving this vehicle safe because you do not have e to take your eyes off the road from answering a call, changing the radio station or highering and lowering the volume. I will drive this car as long as it lets me.
accountCircle Alyssa M
Reliable, comfortable, perfect for a small family.
Lets start off with the pros of this vehicle. First and foremost, interior. The interior is all black and the seats are cloth. Very easy to clean. For someone who wants a car yet also wants an SUV this is perfect! It is very compact and yet very spacious on the inside. The rear seats fold down to extend the trunk space. It is also equipped with power windows and mirrors, Bluetooth and manual seat adjustments.
accountCircle cheryl h
It is a good value and i like that is it a SUV and goes well in the snow.
I like that it is a SUV. I like that it handles well. I like that it drives well in the snow. I do not like that it is white.
accountCircle Eric J
Our Kia Sportage is fantastic!
We bought the Sportage in 2012 and have almost 150,000 miles on it now. We have never had a major problem of any kind with that vehicle, and with normal maintenance it has been an incredibly reliable SUV. Without a doubt when it is time to finally replace this one, we're going to buy another Kia.
accountCircle Paula A
My Kia Sportage has been a wonderful driving experience.
It is sporty and very dependable. Very few mechanical issues since I have owned it. I like being able to use my phone hands free in the car. The only problem is that the screen is very small, but that is due to the year it was made. Overall I have been really happy with the car.
accountCircle Sydney H
I have never had any issues with it and it has over 180,000 miles on it!
I pretty much love everything about my car. I have had it for around 5 years now and I have 180,000 miles on it and have never had an issue.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle E.lOPEZ
ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED
2012 KIA SPORTAGE, 68,000 MILES....made a horrible noise, stopped to see what it was, nothing found...took to mechanic......engine needs to be replaced....period.....bought it 1 yo....repairs would be about $5000. Very upset that an 8 yr old car would have the engine go out and nothing covered by warranty.....now stuck will have to sell for JUNK....
accountCircle Katherine D
Front seat visibility and comfort.
Driver seat is too low for short people. Even when raised having hard time seeing road close to front of car. When in passenger seat having hard time seeing outside window, without raising myself up or leaning forward. I am 5 foot tall. Other than that vehicle performs well and quite reliable.
accountCircle Vanessa G
My Kia Sportage is a lemon.
It is such a lemon. It has so many problems with it. Some of the doors do not want to open sometimes and the check tire pressure light goes on all the time for no reason at all. It is so annoying and kind of scary at times. I need to get a new car as soon as possible!
accountCircle rachel A
The backward sensor is only working or on some of the time. You have to still check behind you when you are moving.
I like the interior. I don't like how the accelerator struggles to go at quick turns or after stops. I like the space in the trunk.
accountCircle Jentl P
Good family car, great on gas.
I love that the car has all wheel drive. I like the design of the car. It is a small SUV and very good on gas. I would purchase this make and model again in a newer year. I also like the size of the trunk. I wish that I had a keyless starter. As well as some of the other fancy features!
accountCircle Stephanie K
Okay car, good price, good drive.
AC had problems almost immediately but once fixed it was great, has been pretty reliable other than that though. The seats aren't leather so no matter what season the chairs are never too hot or too cold. The window on the right only goes up when you use the driver's side switch. Overall it's an ok car.
accountCircle Sarah D
You cannot start the car without your foot on the brake with is sometimes annoying.
I love the backup camera feature. The overall shape is compact and small for a crossover which is good. I wish it didn't have double sunroof.
accountCircle Rebecca S
Excellent fuel economy and family car.
Pretty good. I wish it had four wheel drive. Also would be nice to have a sunroof. Nice family vehicle.

Kia Sportage Models

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

car
Base
176 HP 23 MPG 5 Seats
car
LX
176 HP 23 MPG 5 Seats
car
EX
176 HP 23 MPG 5 Seats
car
SX
260 HP 22 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 Kia Sportage Owner Reviews

4.28
145 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 46%
4 stars 40%
3 stars 12%
2 stars 1%
1 star 1%
accountCircle Michelle J on June 9, 2021
Safe, reliable, high performance and very comfortable.
I love my Kia Sportage! The leather seats are so comfortable with great heated and cool seats. The dual climate control works great as well! I also like the wide front windshield that does not cause a blind spot on the driver side from the column being in the way of visibility. My vehicle also has a turbo engine and the performance on it is immaculate. The voice command, telephone and radio buttons on the steering wheel also makes driving this vehicle safe because you do not have e to take your eyes off the road from answering a call, changing the radio station or highering and lowering the volume. I will drive this car as long as it lets me.
accountCircle Ian K on May 21, 2021
Good product, just need to improve the little things.
Good gas mileage. Good amenities for trim level. Price was good. Internal window components have broken on one door. Cargo rails has paint chipping off. Go through tires regularly so not sure if it is because of the vehicle's handling characteristics or other factors but we are on our 4th set of tires.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Tessa W.

My Kia has a great leather interior, thoughtful features like heated and cooled seats, large beautiful sunroof that has the capability of being opened, great gas mileage (apron. 27 Mpg highway). It also has a spacious trunk.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Tessa W.

Some of the cons of my Kia are the outside design of the car. Because of the way that the hood is angled, many things fly onto the windshield and get stuck, requiring a lot of cleaning. Additionally, the back windshield was hard to see out of at first and required a lot of getting used to.

Ranks #9 Compact SUV by Owners

The 2012 Kia Sportage has an average owner rating of 4.23 out of 5 which ranks it #9 of 23 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
4.67
2
car
4.52
9
Tie
car
4.28

Ranks #6 Compact SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2012 Kia Sportage has a combined MPG of 30 which ranks it #6 of 23 other Compact SUVs.

1
Tie
car
32 MPG
1
Tie
car
32 MPG
6
Tie
car
27 MPG

Is The 2012 Kia Sportage A Good Car?

Yes, I love it! Good quality car for the price, it is drives really well and has an awesome turn radius. Zooms around well and is comfortable to sit in for long drives.
Caysa M.
Yes, comfortable to drive, easy on fuel. Good, sporty looking. This is the best front wheel drive snow getter I have ever had. I always carry chains for safety. Have never yet had to put them on.
Roger K.
Yes it is. This Kia has a very smooth ride, very dependable. Lots of room inside for all I need and a car seat. Lots of storage room in the rear. Radio has good features.
Krista S.
Yes very good. Great on gas up to 300+ miles. Smooth ride high sitting. Great mini SUV. Only issue I had was when I had to replace the gas switch made the car run a little ruff other than that... Read More
Lesley R.
Yes! It's reliable and safe. I haven't had to do much to it outside of regular maintenance. It is also spacious and perfectly sized for any size city
Jay N.

How Reliable Is The 2012 Kia Sportage?

Yes, it is reliable. I have had issues with the battery draining constantly but that wasn't a Kia problem, that was a problem caused by one of my repair people.
Caysa M.
Regular maintenance is all good with nothing gone wrong whatsoever. Really like the dependability of it.
Roger K.
It is very reliable. Good gas mileage as well. I have not had any problems at all with this car. I love driving it.
Krista S.
We feel it is very reliable, some of our trips to Idaho, over four Mt. passes and this unit is only a front wheel drive. Rear window noise is a true hassle, as they have to be kept up at highway... Read More
John M.
Only had a issue with the gas switch but to a recall I got it replaced and car is back running great now
Danielle M.
It is reliable! I have not had any problems with it. I just do regular maintenance and inspections. Great car.
Stephanie J.

Is The 2012 Kia Sportage A Good Value?

My dad bought it for me so I am not sure, I think maybe $32,000. I believe it is a good value yes and Kia is a great brand in general.
Caysa M.
23,000. We thought it was a good deal. We have taken several trips over into Idaho. Gone on down thru Oregon over to the coast and all around some scenic areas.
Roger K.
I bought my Sportage used from a Kia dealership. How am not sure how much it cost new I purchased it when it was 6 years old and it had low mileage. I paid $12,000.
Krista S.
$23,000 I think. Not a good value, a great value. Also a very easy care and upkeep, we haul all our around town fetch it home items. Sister-in law's Big Walker fits easily in the back as well.
Eric K.
About 22,000 with all taxes and fees I got mines used but in really good condition and got a discount
Ane S.
Mine was 35,000 dollars due to some upgrades like leather. It's a great value. I have navigation, seat warmers, leather, tons of space
Christopher N.

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From the Vehicle History blog

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why's my 2012 Kia Sportage instrument cluster not working?

Answer: A blown fuse causes the instrument cluster to stop working in the 2012 Kia Sportage. The instrument cluster in a vehicle is generally located directly above the steering wheel and displays important vehicle...

What are some of the 2012 Kia Sportage air conditioning problems?

Answer: The 2012 Kia Sportage air conditioning problems are fan is faulty and thermostat is loose. Being sweaty from the heat is never a good time. That's why the air conditioner needs to be working. You will face...

How do i perform the 2012 Kia Sportage oil life reset?

Answer: There are two methods to reset the oil life counter on a 2012 Kia Sportage. Depending on which trim You have You will need to do one or the other. The first way is to turn on the ignition but do not start the...

2012 Kia Sportage: What is the size of the trunk and cargo space?

Answer: The 2012 Kia Sportage has 26.1 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row of seats. If You choose to fold those seats flat then the cargo area increases to 54.6 cubic feet of area. This is pretty...

2012 Kia Sportage: What is the towing capacity including torque, payload, and tongue weight?

Answer: The 2012 Kia Sportage has a towing capacity of up to 2,000 pounds. This means that the tongue weight rating is 200 pounds for the vehicle. The payload capacity of the SUV is 1,230 pounds up to 1,340 pounds...

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

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety