2000 Kia Sportage EX 2.0
Summary:
Garbage
Faults:
Head gasket blew at 118,000 (replaced when I bought at 116,000).
Coils and wires replaced x2 during ownership 116000-127000.
Water leakage on back hatch.
Horrible corrosion (and I live in the South).
Thermostats x3 during time of ownership (not the cheap ones either).
General Comments:
Let's see, I bought this mini SUV with hopes that an import would be economical for my family (just traded in a 97 Taurus). The aesthetics are decent to say the best. Examples would include the placement of cupholders, the center console not locking in its retractable tract, and the back panel (inside) falling off the sheet metal hatch. Not to mention corrosion from the spare tire brackets.
The engine itself, is designed to be good on gas. However, it should be noted that the aluminum heads and steel block are NOT friends. Be ready to shell out for those gaskets. I personally don't like pulling the head off to change spark plugs, but it's in the design. The water pump and thermostat are located easily, but fail pretty consistently. The engine itself is slow to pick up, and causes some shuddering at higher speeds (highway).
Overall, the theory of the car is good, but in reality, nope. I would not suggest buying or even looking at this car. If you want a cheap mini SUV, consider domestic. If import is your thing, stay with the big two, Toyota or Nissan.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 5th May, 2011
15th Dec 2012, 15:49
You don't have to pull the head to change spark plugs. My god! No wonder people get suckered by mechanics! You merely remove the air intake. Geez, it's easy.
And to the owner whose 4wd stopped working: most of the time it's just the rubber vacuum lines that lead to the hubs. Replace them and everything is fine. Simple fix.
This really is a truck, it's not a delicate toy. It can take quite a lot of rough use, even with the relatively low powered engine. But remember, the world's benchmark for 4WDs is (was) the 4 cylinder Range Rover and the original American Jeep. You really don't need more power to do slow speed off roading. The Sportage actually does just fine in very rough conditions. Lying shops cause most of the dissatisfaction with Sportages. If you fix most things yourself, these vehicles are actually pretty good.
6th May 2011, 22:48
First off, I thought the big two were Toyota and Honda.
Second, my experience is that southern cars have plenty of corrosion. The humidity does that.