The Kia Sportage side marker uses a bulb size of 12961 for the lighting components located on the exterior of the vehicle. Data for the specific bulb requirements covers the range from 2017 to 2018.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The 168 bulb is an ANSI-standard miniature wedge type in the T10 form factor, rated at 12V and 4.9W, and it serves as the front side marker across the Kia Sportage from 2005-2016 and the rear side marker from 2005-2013.
The 12961 is a Philips-designated miniature wedge bulb, also in the T10 form factor, fitted with a W2.1x9.5d base and rated at 12V and 5W. It is specified for both front and rear side markers on the 2017-2020 Kia Sportage, but only on trims equipped with halogen capsule headlamps.
Although the 168 and 12961 share the T10 form factor, they carry different base designations and wattage ratings, and the specifications treat them as distinct, non-interchangeable parts across different model years.
The halogen capsule headlamp condition attached to the 12961 fitment for 2017-2020 indicates that headlamp type is a determining factor in side marker bulb selection for those years.
For the 2014-2016 rear side marker, the 168 bulb also carries the halogen capsule headlamp qualifier, meaning headlamp configuration influenced rear marker fitment before the transition to the 12961.
The 2357NA is a dual-filament bulb with a BAY15d bayonet base, rated at 12V with a 26.9W main filament and an 8W secondary filament. Its natural amber glass produces a colored output without the need for a tinted lens or housing.
The 2357NA is specified exclusively for the front side marker on the 1995-2002 Kia Sportage. Its BAY15d bayonet base is physically incompatible with the wedge-type sockets used in later model years.
The rear side marker on the 2000 Kia Sportage is specified as a 168 bulb with a production cutoff noted at 5/16/2000, indicating a mid-year fitment boundary within that model year.
The rear side marker on the 2001-2002 Kia Sportage uses the 12961 bulb, while the front side marker for those same years uses the 2357NA, meaning the front and rear positions required different bulb types simultaneously during that period.
The rear side marker specifications for the 1995-1997 Kia Sportage contain no listed bulb size, while the front side marker for those years specifies the 2357NA.