Faults:

At the moment I am writing this review, nothing went wrong with the Sportage, of which I am a proud owner.

General Comments:

Well here I am again for my 3rd review. After my Honda Concerto, Peugeot 206 and 207 review, I decided to write a review about the Kia Sportage.

First of all, I am happy I ditched the French brand Peugeot, their service is expensive and they don't follow the contract rules that they claim when you buy your car, That's why I ditched the brand and gave an Asian company a try.

I was looking for a cheap car, in which my entire family could sit, and in which I could carry the needed luggage. And the car needed to be powerful enough to stick in the ass of a BMW. My answer was a Kia Sportage SUV 2.0 litre.

Why did I choose this car? For the reasons stated above, the price and dealer's 7 year guarantee was enough to give it a try.

Performance of the car :

Here I am, I have driven 1000 km's with that car since I bought it, and now I can write about it. Lets start with the engine. Under the heavy hood of the car, you will find the 16V engine 2.0 litres capable of 100 kw, 136 for the V6 engine with 136 kw. As the car is a diesel, I must say that the engine has power enough to pull this monster forward on the road, and by the word road I mean ANY road, even mountainous roads are a piece of cake for the engine. It delivers a strong torque in all the 5 gears, and even on the 6th gear it delivers wonders. I use the 6th gear for economical driving.

With a full tank of diesel you can count on 800 km's with that SUV. Everything above or under the 800 depends in the way you drive and where you drive.

The space in that wagon is wonderful! Even with the drivers seat fully back, the passenger behind him will enjoy the space.

The car is filled with spaces, in which you can put your stuff, like a sunglass holder and various other can holders.

That car has electrical socket of 12 volt in the front and at the back + a cigarette lighter.

It is delivered with a wonderful 50 x 4 stereo MP3 player. The acoustics are wonderful, and it all sounds loud and clear; even the people on the street will look at you when you pass by.

My version has tinted windows at the back and rear back, and the window of the trunk can be opened.

The only disappointment about that car is that the driver's seat could have been able to get higher, and also the steering wheel. Sometimes you would feel discomfort while driving if you are a huge guy like me. Your knee would get stuck in a corner, or you might stick it there to get a proper driving position.

When you have a passenger on your side, and you are shifting gears, you will get against his leg in the 5ft and 6th gear. Now I wish there were all were girls on my side. A higher arm rest would have compensated the driving position.

Sometimes I think those Asian cars are designed for small people. WAKE up, Europeans are HUGE!!!

The seats are very comfortable, and in the expensive models you have warming seats.

The mirrors of my version are fully electrical, and you have a central lock for all doors.

Faults:

No problems yet, except that OE tires are very worn for the mileage and do not provide much traction in mud or wet grass.

General Comments:

I bought a 4-cylinder FWD model as an economical car with space to carry "stuff" and decent ground clearance. Easier entry / exit, more comfortable seating position, and better view of the road are bonuses of the higher stance than my previous car.

The 2-liter 4-cylinder engine is heavily taxed in a vehicle this size. Although the cruise control holds its speed very well, this involves frequent down-shifts, high revs, and less-than-optimum fuel mileage. With the cruise turned off, I let speed droop a bit on the uphills and go a bit over on the downhills, resulting in 8 liters per 100KM on a recent trip.