2007 Kia Sportage
by Rebecca Antioco - 09/07

Kia is the little car company that could, striving to shed its poor label by manufacturing reasonably priced but good quality vehicles and slapping them with an industry-leading warranty. Two years ago, the company redesigned its compact SUV, making it into the car-based utility vehicle that it is today. One that’s stylish, comfortable and affordable — but not cheap.

Sportage is available in two trim levels, LX (with either an inline four-cylinder engine or a V-6) or EX (V-6 only), as either front-wheel or four-wheel drive.

The four-wheel drive LX tested here came equipped with the adequate 173-horsepower V-6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission, which comes standard on all V-6 powered models. (Arizonans will want to choose this option, as air conditioning is not included on the most basic front-wheel, standard LX). Other notable standard features on this mid-level Sportage include power accessories, cruise control, split folding rear seats, and essential safety systems like traction control and electronic stability control. This tester also came equipped with the optional sport package ($900), which is mostly an appearance upgrade, but also gets you keyless entry and an alarm system as well as MP3 compatibility on the stereo. These are standard features on the EX, as are a sunroof, trip computer and heated outside mirrors. The EX’s luxury package will get you heated leather seating and an upgraded audio system.

Acceleration is decent, but I would skip the smaller 140-horsepower four cylinder; it’s likely to feel underpowered under heavy acceleration. Aptly, the handling has a sporty feel, zipping around corners with minimal body lean. The four-speed automatic transmission performs admirably, although not as well as the five-speed offered in many competing vehicles. Still, most drivers won’t complain. The cabin is adequately insulated from road noise on the highway and the overall feel is comfortable and on the sporty side.

Inside, the vehicle is well appointed, with cruise control, split folding rear seats, power accessories and variable intermittent wipers. Appointments are basic, yet attractive with comfortable cloth seats and well-laid out and intuitive audio and climate controls. In terms of storage space, the Sportage works well for hauling either kids or cargo. When the seats fold down flat (without removing the headrests), there is 67 cubic feet of cargo room.

Sportage comes with an impressive list of safety features, including traction and stability control, and earned the government’s highest five-star rating in both front and side impacts. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Sportage its second-highest “Acceptable” rating in both front and side impacts.

There are some crossover vehicles on the market today with more powerful engines or more attractive interiors. But in terms of value, the Sportage is hard to beat.