2000 Kia Sportage EX review from North America

1st year dealer replaced front hub seals. Kia built with only one seal and should been two. The redesigned and had two seal hubs for the replacement. Problem with one seal is moisture is sucked into the hub during cooling and the hub rusts out.

Approximately 150.000 miles had to replace the front drive shaft.

Approximately 186,000 miles had to replace the fuel pump.

This car had many hard miles as a delivery vehicle with only normal maintenance except for the items listed as problems. I removed the rear seat and often had 1500lb loads. I got 65k miles on OEM tires, then replaced with BFG's and got 105k on the first set. I really loved driving this vehicle especially after putting on the BFG's. Although the car leans like the tower of Pisa it stuck to the road like glue.

At 188k miles and oil changes every 8k - yep 8k - still going 1/2 qt between changes. Never failed to start. Plowed through 10 - 12 inches of snow like it wasn't there.

Then on 8/14/08 some stupid a** kid running from the police about 60mph rear ended my little baby shoving it into my wife's Subaru and shoving it into the rear of my 97 T&C. She expired a brutal death having served proudly and faithfully for almost 10 years.