How to decode a 2010 Kia Sportage VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2010 Kia Sportage VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the first three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which uniquely identifies the manufacturer, vehicle type, and the country of manufacture. Specifically, for the 2010 Kia Sportage, the WMI “KND” signifies that the vehicle was produced by Kia Corporation, which is located in Seoul, South Korea. This particular WMI also indicates that the vehicle is classified as a Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV), revealing its design to serve various passenger and cargo transportation needs. Furthermore, the geographical identifiers point to the vehicle’s assembly in Seocho-Gu, a district within Seoul. Thus, the WMI provides essential information about the vehicle’s origin, manufacturer, and vehicle type at a glance.

List of WMI Codes for a 2010 Kia Sportage

WMI: KND

Model Years Covered: 1995, 1997-2002, 2005-2024
Example VIN: KNDKH3A30A7703425
Manufacturer Name: Kia Corporation
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Seoul
State or Province: Seocho-Gu
Country: South Korea

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2010 Kia Sportage VIN

These characters correspond to components like:

Engine type
Transmission
Model or trim
Body style
Gross vehicle weight range

Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 2010 Kia Sportage:

Known VDS for a 2010 Kia Sportage
KH3A3	KG3A3	KGCA3	KGCA4	KG3A4	KHCA3

Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.

Character 9 is the “check digit” in a 2010 Kia Sportage VIN.

Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.

10th Character in the 2010 Kia Sportage VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
A	2010

11th Character in the 2010 Kia Sportage VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2010 Kia Sportage Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
7	Gwangju		South Korea	Kia Motors Corporation	KNDKH3A30A7703425

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2010 Kia Sportage

The final 6 characters in a 2010 Kia Sportage’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Kia Sportage’s VIN below:

How to find a 2010 Kia Sportage’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 2010 Kia Sportage is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Kia Sportage, typically where it meets the windshield. The VIN can be located here and seen from outside the vehicle.
Open the driver-side door and examine the door post (where the door latches when it is closed). It’s common to find the VIN on a sticker or a plate in this area.
Look under the hood at the front of the engine block. VIN numbers are often stamped onto the metal of the engine.
Inspect the rear wheel well. You might be able to see the VIN looking above the tire.
Consult the vehicle’s title, registration, or insurance papers. Your Kia Sportage’s VIN will be listed on all official vehicle documents.

What info can a 2010 Kia Sportage VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, such as 2010, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
Body Class: The classification offers information that the vehicle is a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV), indicating the size, utility, and design of the vehicle.
Engine Specifications: Details like a V-Shaped engine configuration, displacement in liters (2.7L), cubic inches (164.76 CI), or cubic centimeters (2700.0 CC), along with having 6 cylinders, which underscore the vehicle’s powerplant characteristics.
Drive Type: The VIN identifies the drive type as 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4, providing insight into the vehicle’s drivetrain capabilities, hinting at potential off-road or all-weather driving suitability.
Fuel Type: The VIN denotes the primary fuel type as gasoline, which helps in understanding the vehicle’s energy requirement and possibly its fuel efficiency and environmental impact.
Safety Features: Safety components like curtain airbags in the 1st and 2nd rows, front airbags for both the driver and passenger, and side airbags for first-row occupants, indicating a focus on occupant safety through multi-directional impact protection.
Manufacturing Information: The VIN indicates that the vehicle was manufactured in Gwangju, South Korea by Kia Motors Corporation, providing a glance at its geographical origin and the manufacturer responsible for its production. This could have implications for parts availability and repair considerations.

Don’t have your 2010 Kia Sportage’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2010 Kia Sportage

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)
Curtain Air Bag Locations	1st and 2nd Rows
Displacement (CC)	2700.0
Displacement (CI)	164.76410905577
Displacement (L)	2.7
Doors	4
Drive Type	4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Engine Configuration	V-Shaped
Engine Number of Cylinders	6
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)
Model	Sportage
Model Year	2010
Plant City	Gwangju
Plant Company Name	Kia Motors Corporation
Plant Country	South Korea
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Series	GLS
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type	Direct
Vehicle Descriptor	KNDKHCA3*A7
Vehicle Type	Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle
Sample_VIN	KNDKHCA33A7705542