The Lemon Index2006 Kia Sportage.
The 2006 Kia Sportage is about average by owner complaints: 23 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 89, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 1 recall, and it gets 19 to 22 mpg combined. The best Kia Sportage year is 2010.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 111 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Kia Sportage year. 2006 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 40K to 111K miles on the car (92 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- airbags complaints mostly came at 57K–97K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 68K–129K miles
Recalls 1
- lights 2009
HUYNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 139,844 MY 2006-2007- SEDONA, SPORTAGE, SORENTO AND MY RONDO AND AMANTI VEHICLES.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Kia told dealers about
Kia sent dealers 31 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Muffler pipe drain ice accumulation in very low climate conditions may cause a no start engine
- This bulletin provides information relating to an engine hesitation or the illumination of the…
- TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover —
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
The electrical harness in my 2006 Kia Sportage had an electric melt down. At prox 72,000 miles. Dealer could not find or fix the problem- factory rep came and rewired the harness by replacing the melted wiring.
2006 Kia Sportage owner · NHTSA complaint 10292332
More owner reports
My brake lights kept blowing. Then I lost my cruise control. Then my esc light kept coming on. Then all my lights came on! It was a defective brake switch. Which should have been under recall, but ended up costing me $157.14!
NHTSA complaint 10275829
Quick answers
Is the 2006 Kia Sportage reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew 1.1× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 89; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Sportage year by this measure is 2010.
What are the most common 2006 Kia Sportage problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (26%), airbags (22%) and engine (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2006 Kia Sportage have?
1 safety recall (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2006 Kia Sportage get?
19 to 22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2006 Kia Sportage problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 40,000 and 111,700 miles. The middle report was at 72,000 miles, from 92 complaints.
Does the 2006 Kia Sportage have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2006 Kia Sportage cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2006 Kia Sportage have?
2.0L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl.
What Kia Sportage year is better than the 2006?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2022 and 2021.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works