Faults:

Check engine light came on. A minor oopsie that the dealer corrected!

General Comments:

This is a real SUV! Unlike those sissy little Rav 4's and CR-V 's! It has a rugged body on frame design, and it's ready for anything you can throw at it!

The interior is both classy and elegant. A definite grade above that of a CR-V or a Rav 4. Fit & Finish is also the quality of a Mercedes. Whatever bugs Kia originally had, they've smoothed them out nicely.

The car has reasonable pep, although it's a tad sluggish.

The interior is roomier than that of a CR-V or a Rav 4. It is extremely comfortable too.

The Sportage is also a very safe car, much safer than the CR-V and Rav 4. The Sportage has an advanced airbag system that also protects the knees.

The Sportage has an excellent stereo system, and the air conditioning works marvelously!

The seats are made of richly woven fabric, and feel exquisite.

Kia also stands behind their vehicle. Unlike the stingy warranties from Toyota and Honda, Kia offers 10 year coverage for the powertrain. I'm glad they do, because I plan on keeping this vehicle for a long time, and if anything happens, I won't have to choose between a bus pas or a hefty repair bill, unlike I would in the CR-V or Rav 4.

And did I mention the price? It's lower than that of the CR-V and Rav4 by quite a significant margin. It's an excellent value that I would highly reccomend.

I will definitely be buying another Kia!

Faults:

Nothing, this appears to be a well built little truck.

General Comments:

This is a recently purchased 2002 Sportage and has only covered 2000 kilometres to date, so these are first impressions.

Build quality is very good, body panels fit properly and paint finish is excellent.

If you are looking for a sports car then the Kia Sportage is not for you. It is slow off the line because the gear ratios are low and it's pulling a lot of weight. Once rolling and into third gear, and up, it is quite nimble and has plenty of torque. The 2.0 litre four loves to be revved and can easily reach, and cruise at, 140 kph without problem. It does not handle like a car because it is built on a truck chassis. You need to know how to drive to get the best out of this little beauty.

The manual 5-speed gearbox is surprisingly silky, one of the best I have ever encountered. The Sportage has a proper 4 wheel drive system that is easy to use, although the transfer case whines a little, this appears to be a normal trait. The steering has good road feel.

Yes, this truck is a little noisy and you have to be careful in cross-winds. Body roll is acceptable and it does suffer from a little understeer.

Fuel consumption is reasonable for this type of vehicle.

All in all I'm happy so far, but will have to see how long term reliability holds up.