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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  Do NOT buy if you drive in rain or snow - 2002 Kia Sportage
  By Lori - November 1 - 6:46 pm

  Its a 4x4, bt extremely dangerous to drive in rain or snow, doing below speed limit. The backend slides out constantly, regardless of having new tires because of it being a light weight vehicle. When problems arose w/ an oil leak, the dealer blamed express lube. I was given an attitude by the dealer. They were very expensive. When 4x4 wasnt working, th car was in shop for 3 days, returned unfixed and had to drop it back off for 3 mere days! I replaced the fan belts, alternator and starter. Another annoying fact, it would gt stuck in reverse all the time. I would have to roll a little in reverse, then put in drve for it to go forward from a parked position. It was very noisy w/ the soft top. Catalytic converter smelled going uphill, dlr sd normal

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  Best of both worlds - 2009 Kia Sportage
  By Happy - October 31 - 7:03 pm

  Have had vehicle a little over a month and am very pleased, has plenty of power and good fuel economy. Have used it to move daughter to school and hauled the needed goods well. I love the color and it always gets comments. I am tall and heavy and it is a joy to get in andout of, I think I made a good buy for me.

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  Sportage - 2013 Kia Sportage
  By fred medlin - October 31 - 6:15 am

  Great buy

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  Happy Man - 2002 Kia Sportage
  By happyman - October 30 - 2:00 am

  I love this vehicle. 1999 Model Year. Bought it w/42,000 miles. Found that Prv owner brought it in for an electrical issue when doing lemon check, but no other issues. Fun to drive. Cant wait to take its top off!! These vehicles are hard to find used.

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  Mix if good and bad - 2007 Kia Sportage
  By ken90004 - October 22 - 2:59 pm

  After six years and 65,000 miles, we are sending off the last payment. It is nice to have a vehicle that outlasted the loan. Still under extended b-2-b for another 35,000 miles, so we can pay ourselves. This car will give you peave of mind One only issue we had a the A/C stopped working. It ended up being a loose bolt. We even towed a light pop-up with this, with no issues. Its been a great vehicle. Peppy off the line but slow on the highway. Good in the rain and snow. But the gas mileage is terrible for such a small engine. One of our better buys .

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  Rocking the 2017 Kia Sportage - 2017 Kia Sportage
  By Cheryl - October 21 - 7:48 am

  I am 61 and finally decided to buy my 1st new car. Looked on line and on the road. Decided it was between Land Rover and Kia Sportage. The Kia Sportage had better visibility and that Panoramic Sunroof!!! I went on the Kia Motorsports web page and built my own. There werent any near me that I wanted. It had to be white, with that Panoramic Sunroof. I found 2 at Peoria Kia in Arizona. I called and had one put on hold. I booked a flight, they picked me up at the airport in my new Sportage. Wow Kia has amazing style, features and good power for a 4 cylinder. I formerly had a Honda Ex V6 Accord. UPDATE: The only problem I have experienced is a BIG ONE!! :( BLIND SPOTS :( The side view mirrors and that area.

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  Nizzies - 2001 Kia Sportage
  By Phiedens - October 20 - 10:00 am

  I have a sportage EX 4wd I used to have an Jeep Cherokee, and I like the sportage better. Does surprisingly well off road. Great interior. Good sound system. Has turned out to be very reliable. Best warranty youll get. Good visibility. Poor power, could have a little more room. Great mileage

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  Have I really become a Kia fan??? - 2008 Kia Sportage
  By dmblystone14 - October 15 - 12:57 am

  To be fair this is actually my girlfriends car but I drive it almost as much as she does. Everything about this car is average: the interior, the exterior, the performance. Nothing impressive. But I have actually become a Kia fan because of the reliability. Weve had this thing on several long road trips with no problems. Other than maintenance items and a transmission fluid change at 45k miles due to hard shifting this thing has never let us down. I have a rear-wheel drive V8 and am looking for an 4WD SUV for winter. I just might get a KIA Sportage of my own.

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  Lucys Kia - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By Robert Gayle - October 12 - 10:43 pm

  We tried all the big name small sport utes. This vehicle fit our needs perfectly. With the v6 it handles, and rides very well. We got the EX model mainly it was the only one with the upgardes we wanted. It has all the fetures we had in our 15yr old Mazda 929 trade in, and a few more.The leather seats are comfortable,rear seats have all kinds of room we didnt expect. Their is a Toyota RAV4 in the family and this thing has more creature comfort than we expected. The cargo area is much better than we expected. When we decided to purchase a new vehicle we tried the Tribute,Escape,Honda,Suziki,Chevy.what a disapointment.The tribute & Escape are a bad joke. KIA IS THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.

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  Happy so Far! - 2011 Kia Sportage
  By flea_1008 - October 11 - 2:15 pm

  I finally had to say goodbye to my 01 Subaru Impreza RS. At 165 horsepower, I didnt want to lost much on the "fun" factor for my new ride. Test drove a 1.6 Soul, and it was very underpowered. Tried the Sportage and was pleasantly surprised. Love the good gas mileage (27 mpg)and loads more cargo space. Also love the styling. I went w/ the base model because wanted something new/reliable and good on gas. Ill miss the AWD in my Subaru, but if you want the higher level models have AWD. Cant beat the value on the manual 6speed and the awesome warranty. Kia had some great incentives and low APR as well. I think this is a car Ill have for many years to come.