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:

• 

  Why pay big bucks - 2006 Kia Sportage
  By Clint - April 30 - 10:30 am

  I have compared this SUV with all the others and the big bucks do not get you anything better. If buyers would give a look and try, they will buy the Kia. The workmanship and performance are very very good. I get 23mpg city and 27mpg highway. Keep it at 55 mph - I have hit 29.2mpg.

• 

  What a great value - 2006 Kia Sportage
  By mcrews - April 29 - 5:16 am

  What a turn around for the Sportage. Amazing attention to ergonomics. Just bought Black/black leather XE for my 18 year old daughter. No more worries! The same eguipment level from Honda or Toyota is $6k more and doesnt have the warranty.

• 

  The New Sportage - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By Adam Fay - April 17 - 2:03 am

  Probably the best handling compact SUV Ive ever driven compared to the Escape, Element, etc. Excellent fit and finish that Id expect from a European manufacturer. Stereo sounds great and all the controls are well marked and within easy reach. Headlights and fogs are very bright. 2.7 liter V-6 has a nice little low end grumble and decent pick-up off the line. More cargo space than I know what to do with. Excellent car for the money and a bargain for $21,000 with all the equipment mine has. Love it and planning on keeping it until it turns into dust, probably a very long time from now. Whod of thought 10 yrs ago Kia could build an SUV like this?

• 

  Great for a small! SUV - 2006 Kia Sportage
  By KIAGreat - March 31 - 2:13 pm

  I like our new SUV so much because it is safe and has a huge interior space. I tried lots of SUVs before such as Cherokee, Liberty, etc. My knees always stuck into front seats when I sit at back seat. This SUV has lots of space, has great safety features, has great warranty and it is cheap. This SUV is not meant to be a great outdoor giant but if you have kids and you live in a city, it is great. We live in Minneapolis so driving with my newborn in winter with 4WD will be more safer.

• 

  Big SUV feel - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By MattH - March 12 - 11:40 am

  We were looking for a used SUV, when we stumbled upon this one. It had just come out, but it immediately caught our attention. Most of the suvs we had driven in the small segment, felt just that, small. But this surprised us with its solid feel, and impressive craftsmanship. We are somewhat brand conscious people, so this SUV really had to win us over to get past the KIA name. But we have had it well over a year, and it still performs wonderfully. I fully expect it to out live its 10 year warranty.

• 

  Love my Kia - 2008 Kia Sportage
  By Nicole - March 6 - 12:50 am

  I purchased my Kia in 02/09. I was 9 months pregnant and was having a VERY hard time getting the infant car seat in and out of the back seat of my 04 honda ex coupe, so I was just looking around for a 4door vehicle at least. Well, there was an ad for brand new kias for 12,900. I had looked at the crvs but even used were way out of my budget. I test drove the KIA and told them what I could afford. I love my Kia. It is SO roomy. With having a new baby I have lots of stuff. My only complaints were not having a keyless entry being standard and sometimes large hills give my 4cyl a run for its money. LOL. I really love it, its a alot of car for a low price and an awesome warranty!

• 

  Love my Sportage! - 2008 Kia Sportage
  By kcarson - March 5 - 5:50 am

  I have always been a Toyota guy but when looking to trade out of my aging Toyota 4Runner I thought I owed it to myself to do a little research. At every turn I ended up right back on Kia’s door step. With a lot of reluctance I decided to give the Sportage a test drive. That’s all it took. The ride and handling of this vehicle coupled with the overall price and warranty (standard mind you) and a resale value that now stood up to the big dogs it was a no brainer. I would have to say to Kia , keep up the great work! Your hard work and attention to quality and detail is now starting to get the recognition it deserves

• 

  Fuel mileage dissapointing but nice SUV with lots of option - 2011 Kia Sportage
  By kds5 - February 11 - 3:22 am

  Weve had our 2011 Sportage for about 6 months and we pleased with almost everything. Traded in a Lexus IS250 that got 29-32 mpg for more room and mileage that ranges from 22-33 on the sticker. Driving very conservatively in "ECO" mode with reg fuel only gets us about 19.8 combined highway and city. If we use premium fuel with no ethanol we up that about 4 mpg. Using premium on the highway only we can get about 26.5. Now has about 8500 miles so should be broken in by now. Other than that, the car is loaded with options comparable to our Lexus. We like the nav better and it updates with Satellite vs buying a disc. Enjoying it overall and looks great, just disappointed in the fuel.

• 

  Still pleased two years later - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By Albet - February 1 - 8:56 am

  Very satisfied with this generation of the Sportage. Outstanding safety features, comfortable and reliable. Tremendous on an off-surface. Although I was going to have my teenage son drive my older American sedan, Ive become more comfortable with him driving the Kia. Now if they would only come up with a hybrid version.

• 

  Took a little getting used to but really happy - 2012 Kia Sportage
  By igibbons - January 31 - 9:08 pm

  After 14 years of driving small hatchback cars, I made the leap into a compact SUV. Im a long time Hyundai owner and they never failed me, so I credited Kia with the same reliability. The interior of the sportage looks classy and sleek, even at the base model. I have the 6 speed manual and the pickup is great, you do have to hit 4-5000 rpms for max power but its got some kick. The cargo space fits my surfboard and bike so Im set. I just had to get used to "more car" and less visibility...but now that Im comfortable I really like it. I average 23 mph in city driving. I would recommend it to a friend hands down. Did I mention its pretty fast as well.