Overview & Reviews

The Kia Sportage has never been one for small evolutionary changes. Originally a cheap, poorly made penalty box followed by a solid, yet utterly forgettable bargain-price SUV, today's Sportage is now a stylish and well-rounded compact crossover SUV. In human terms, the Kia Sportage has gone from a baboon to a Neanderthal and then George Clooney in the span of 15 years.

While the second-generation Sportage might be a cost-effective but rather uninspired used car choice, the current version stands out from the crowd in more ways than just looks. Thanks to its excellent build quality, stronger performance and generous array of features, it's far and away the most appealing Sportage yet. This third-generation Kia model remains on the small side among compact crossovers, however, and as such is a better choice for singles or those with small families.

Current Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage is available in LX, EX and SX trim levels. The LX and EX have a 2.4-liter making 182 horsepower, while the SX gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine making an impressive 260 hp. All Sportages come with a six-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive offered as an option.

Standard equipment for the Sportage LX includes alloy wheels, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a sound system with satellite radio, a CD player and an iPod/USB audio interface. Stepping up to the upper trims gets you bigger wheels, LED running lights, keyless entry, a telescoping wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated seats, leather upholstery, a rearview camera, a navigation system and Kia's Uvo voice activation system. Optional features include power-folding sideview mirrors, a panoramic sunroof, a navigation system, leather upholstery, ventilated front seats and keyless ignition and entry.

The Sportage's interior features attractive styling. And though there is quite a bit of hard plastic, it's well-textured and build quality is good. Passengers and driver alike benefit from well-contoured seats and adequate head- and legroom. The rear seat comfortably accommodates two average-size adults, and the seatback reclines but doesn't slide. In terms of cargo capacity, the Sportage comes up a bit short in cargo space, too, offering a maximum of 26.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 54.6 cubes with the 60/40-split-folding seats laid flat. Bigger competitors boast as many as 73 cubes.

On the road, the Kia Sportage lives up to its name with its sharp steering and athletic handling that make it more engaging than most other compact crossovers. The downside is that taut suspension tuning means a bit of a stiff-legged ride over rough pavement and washboard highways. Power from the four-cylinder engine is simply adequate, but at least the automatic transmission shifts smoothly and quickly. The SX's engine delivers a healthy dose of acceleration and is a worthy alternative to the V6s and four-cylinder turbos found in competing crossovers.

Used Kia Sportage Models
The current Kia Sportage debuted in the 2011 model year and represents the third generation in the model's history. Trim levels and powertrains mirrored the current version with a few exceptions. Up through 2013 there was a base model that came only with a six-speed manual gearbox. Tweaks for 2012 brought improved handling, additional sound insulation (for a quieter cabin) and the introduction of the Uvo voice activation system. Also, these Sportages lack the newest version's updates, which include refreshed styling, a more powerful (182 hp versus 176 hp) 2.4-liter engine, improved navigation and sound systems, rear-seat air vents and updated Uvo telematics services.

The previous, second-generation Kia Sportage was launched for 2005 and ran until 2010. Considerably different from the previous generation, this Sportage featured a new unibody platform shared with the Hyundai Tucson (just as the current model does). Compared to the current Sportage, though, this generation was a bit bigger in interior size but far plainer both in design and interior material quality. There were no significant changes made during this generation.

There were two trim levels: LX and EX. Both trims are equipped with a healthy list of standard amenities, such as alloy wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories, tinted glass and a six-speaker CD stereo. Satellite radio as well as auxiliary and USB audio jacks were added for 2009.

The LX was powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine capable of 140 hp. It came standard with a five-speed manual transmission, and a four-speed automatic was available as an option. Most Sportages with this engine were front-wheel drive, though Kia did offer all-wheel drive on manual transmission-equipped models. As an upgrade for the Sportage LX and standard on the EX, Kia offered a 173-hp 2.7-liter V6. It came standard with the automatic transmission and could be had with front-drive or all-wheel drive.

This Sportage might not have looked too big from the outside, but the interior had plenty of headroom and legroom, both in the front and the back. The rear seats split and folded flat for a level cargo floor and a maximum of 67 cubic feet of storage. Fit and finish was OK and materials quality was on the cheap side. Safety was a strong suit for this Sportage, with strong crash scores and a full complement of airbags, stability control and four-wheel antilock disc brakes.

In reviews, our editors found that this Sportage did few things poorly, but it failed to stand out in a segment where its competitors did things exceptionally well. Its dull styling and drab cabin did it no favors, while both its engines were unimpressive from both a power and fuel economy standpoint.

The Kia Sportage started life in 1995 as a body-on-frame compact SUV. Though it was one of the first such vehicles of its kind, it was too small and underpowered to compete with the roomier, more carlike mini-utes that Honda, Subaru and Toyota rolled out shortly thereafter. The base Sportage came with a meager 94-hp, 2.0-liter SOHC four-cylinder. Rear-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission were standard. Kia also offered a part-time 4WD version of the base trim. The 4x4 Sportage came with a twincam 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 139 hp. A better-equipped EX trim came standard with 4WD and the more powerful engine. A four-speed automatic transmission was an option on all 4WD models.

Kia eliminated the single-cam engine in 1997, leaving all trims equipped with the twincam engine, now rated for 130 hp. That same year, Kia began offering the four-speed automatic on 2WD models.

In 1998, Kia added a two-door convertible to the Sportage lineup. It was available with both drivetrains (2WD and 4WD). After that, there were no more significant changes to the Kia Sportage, only minor face-lifts and interior modifications. The final year of production was 2002. Buyers should generally avoid these early models, as they weren't able to match the levels of comfort, performance and fit and finish offered by competing models of the same time period.

User Reviews:

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  2005 Kia Sportage - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By Mark Dearborn - July 15 - 12:56 pm

  If you are looking for an affordable, spacious, fuel efficient and fun to drive SUV, the Sportage is the one. We were looking for more room yet not a SUV that would take up two parking spots. We got the 6 cylinder ( a must) completely loaded with all options (leather, 6 cd, amp, subwoofer, sunroof etc) except 4WD for less than 22K. It sits up high enough for the feel of a SUV yet drives like a car. The 100,000 mile limited warranty is a plus. My wife loves this vehicle as everyday transportation to and back from work.

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  Loving the new model! - 2011 Kia Sportage
  By Blair - July 10 - 10:00 am

  The 2011 Sportage has come far from its predecessors. I am a middle school administrator, and each morning, one of my students is dropped off by a parent driving one of the early Sportages. I look past that older one to my brand new one sitting in the parking lot, and I cant believe they wear the same label. I drove an 06 for three years and only got rid of it because my lease was up. I bought a high mileage accord because I didnt want a payment, but after a year and a half, I decided it was time for something new. I checked out the Soul but decided it was too small. I saw the new designs for the Sportage last spring and decided it was worth the wait.

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  love my kia - 2001 Kia Sportage
  By bigmac - June 28 - 10:00 am

  I love everything about my kia especially the turning radius and the in town handling.

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  Great Economical SUV - 2006 Kia Sportage
  By kia4me - June 27 - 12:06 am

  Great vehicle. Gas use is higher than expected, but still good. Comfortable and quiet. Does not have sports car like acceleration, but I did not expect it. A great purchase for me and my family.

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  Great vehicle so far - 2008 Kia Sportage
  By Denise - June 12 - 4:06 am

  We just bought our new suv a few days ago and we love it. We test drove the mazda 3, chev malibu and the honda civic but ended up buying an suv. It was less expensive than any of the other vehicles with just as many or more features.

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  Kia Sportage 2005 - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By notimeoff - June 1 - 9:10 pm

  The Sportage is a pleasure to own and drive. The service from my local dealer is great. Plenty of power with the v6. The 4 cylinder I test drove had a lackluster motor.

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  my brand new suv - 2006 Kia Sportage
  By shelly - May 29 - 9:13 pm

  I absolutely love my Kia Sportage. The only downside is the lack of power when going up the hill, but putting that aside, I cannot find any other issues.

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  From Prius to Sportage love it - 2017 Kia Sportage
  By RepSoccrMom - May 26 - 3:16 am

  I love this car. Its quiet and really comfortable. Im getting roughly 28 mpg driving in Eco mode with relatively fast acceleration. It feels luxurious. Its been 6 mos and I still really love the car. The only thing that I dont like is that there isnt a automatic window washing for the back window. Because there is a hood over the back window, the gas station sponges wont clean the whole window because it doesnt fit.

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  Love this little SUV! - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By Jaxnurse - May 20 - 7:43 pm

  Bought this only a week ago for my teenage daughter, but have driven it enough to say that I absolutely love it. Its fun to drive, very perky for a 4 cyl. Its a basic model, so had a keyless remote installed for $100, but thats OK. I dont miss the bells and whistles at all, as its got all you need. The stereo is nice, the AC kicks, the steering is tight and it brakes on a dime. I feel this car is save for my daughter, and that says a lot. Im thinking of buying one for myself next year when I get rid of my Nissan!

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  Features & Price are Hard to Ignore - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By Landenberg, PA - May 7 - 5:16 pm

  Absolutely fun to drive! Solid handling, quiet, and decent performance. We traded in a 97 Sportage EX for a new 05. We never had any problems with the 97 after 8 years and 60k miles and it wasnt half the car of the 05 Sportage. We looked at a Rav4 to replace the 97 but decided to take a look at the new Sportage just to see what it was like. I would have shelled out the cash for a Rav4 but after driving the 05 Sportage, I was sold. The features and accessories are better than the Rav and for a price thats impossible to beat. The Rav4 is a great car but I felt like I would have been throwing money away to buy one. Look past the Kia logo and do your homework. I think youll be sold too.