1997 Kia Sportage EX 2wd review from North America

Everything!!! I bought the car brand new in early Jan '97. By the end of Feb. it started going into the shop. The check engine light is now my best friend, because it is always there for me with its warm amber glow. They have replaced sensors, wiring harnesses, belts, yet no problem ever goes away.

The car jerks so much I think I am prepared for rodeo bull riding. The air bag control unit went out at 45,000 miles - it cost 1800 big ones if you want to fix it.

There is an awful vibration noise due to a heat shield and poor exhaust system. The A/C has been worked on numerous times. My RPM's will climb to 4000 while I am at a stop light.

Boy do the jobs like it when they pull up next to you and they think you are gunning your engine, but really the car is doing by itself.

I have probably had the car in the shop 20 times. Oh yeah, my driver seatbelt will unfasten all the time. Combine that with the defected airbag and I am sure my family will be millionares when I die.

The quality of the interior material is awful. The seats get stains mysteriously from the air. The paint quality on joints and other hidden places is crap. My clutch went out at 50,000 miles.

CRAP CRAP CRAP.

There are numerous sexually transmitted diseases that I would rather have than owning my Sportage. But, when it is worth nothing you cannot sell it and end up with another vehicle. When it was under warranty nothing ever got fixed. Now that my warranty is gone, I do have an extended warranty, but it seems to cover one or two bolts in the car, because they have yet to pay for any of the 3000 bucks of repairs. If the CEO ever came to my home town, I would chain myself to my bed to keep me from doing anything I would regret!

By the way... I own a 96 Toyota Camry that has yet to be in the shop. I am now Toyota for life.