The 1996 Kia Sportage is a vehicle that came with a 2.0L 4-cyl engine. At 30 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Special Purpose Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.0L 4-cyl |
| Transmissions | Manual 5-spd, Automatic 4-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 16–17 city / 20–22 highway / 18–19 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,550–$3,700 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 468–494 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 3 configurations: Sportage 2WD, Sportage 4WD |
| Age | 30 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls covering the 1996 Kia Sportage. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle may "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A microswitch on the rear hatch lock cylinder can malfunction causing the power door locks to unlock inadvertently.
Risk: Should this occur, security from unwanted intrusion into the vehicle is lost.
The accelerator pedal assembly could bind or stick during operation.
Risk: This condition can cause the accelerator to hold the throttle partially open, resulting in loss of vehicle control increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Owners have filed 57 complaints about the 1996 Kia Sportage with NHTSA. 12 reports involved a crash and 3 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 27 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 8 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1996 Kia Sportage. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly c
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners, which are designed to lock into place once fully attached, are utilized in various
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in various Kia models are strictly intended for ?one time use?. Though not
Kia: all models. Article provides information relating to the improved durability of bulb life for rear combination bulb; rear stop lamp/tail lamp bulb utilized on multip
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 2 defect investigations covering the 1996 Kia Sportage.
Fuel tank leakage
A safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.review of the warranty data revealed elevated tank leakage experience in vehicles produced from june 1999 to october 2000.analysis of complaints and warranty claims identified multiple causes and origins of fuel tank assembly leakage.the majority of com
Safety belt buckle malfunction
By letter dated august 25, 2002, Kia advised NHTSA that the subject vehicles will be recalled.specific corrective action to be taken by Kia has not been reported to NHTSA at this time.the safety recall program has been assigned campaign no. 02v-216.
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 1996 Sportages that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 1996 Kia Sportage; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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