Vehicle Overview
The Kia Sportage is a compact SUV that competes with other small SUVs, such as the Jeep Compass and Ford Escape. Because Kia and Hyundai share corporate parentage, the Sportage is related to Hyundai’s Tucson.
The Sportage is offered with front- or four-wheel drive in LX, LX V6 and EX V6 trim levels.
New for 2009
The 2009 Kia Sportage gets a revised front end and redesigned taillamps; the SUV also now has standard satellite radio, with three months of free service, plus a standard USB input for MP3 players and an optional iPod integration unit.
Exterior
For 2009, the Sportage gets a new front end, which includes redesigned headlamps, a new bumper and grille, and redesigned taillamps.
Twin roof bars are integrated into sloping D-pillars, which are outlined by black moldings. The top-hinged tailgate contains a flip-up window, and the spare tire mounts under the floor.
Built on a 103.5-inch wheelbase, the unibody Sportage measures 171.3 inches long and 66.7 inches tall. The Sportage is slightly smaller than the Escape and Compass.
- Available 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels
- Standard power mirrors (heated on EX V6)
- Optional rear spoiler
- Sunroof (EX V6)
- Fog lamps (optional on LX V6, standard on EX V6)
- Front windshield de-icer (EX V6)
Interior
The Sportage seats up to five and has a height-adjustable center console. There’s 103.9 cubic feet of passenger space, which is more than the Escape and less than the Compass.
With Kia’s Drop & Fold rear seating system, the seat cushion lowers and the backrest folds flat, yielding 66.6 cubic feet of cargo space, which beats both the Escape and Compass. To accommodate long items, the backrest of the front passenger seat folds down.
- Standard cloth seats; optional leather upholstery (EX V6)
- Standard air conditioning (excluding base LX with manual transmission)
- Standard satellite radio and USB jack for MP3 players
- Standard power windows, locks and keyless entry
- Standard cruise control
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob optional on LX V6, standard on EX V6
- Heated front seats optional on EX V6
Under the Hood
A five-speed manual gearbox is standard in the base four-cylinder, and a four-speed automatic is available. All V-6 models come with the automatic. The Sportage is available with two different drivetrains.
- 140-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 136 pounds-feet of torque
- 173-hp, 2.7-liter V-6 with 178 pounds-feet of torque
- Five-speed manual transmission (standard on LX)
- Four-speed automatic transmission (optional on LX, standard on LX V6 and EX V6)
- Standard front-wheel drive
- Optional full-time four-wheel drive (all trim levels)
Safety
Standard safety features include:
- Front-seat-mounted side airbags
- Side curtain airbags that cover all seating rows
- Four-wheel antilock brakes
- Traction control
- Electronic stability control
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