2000 Kia Sportage EX review from North America
"Bargain car, bargain price, bargain performance"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
No problems as of yet.
General comments?
I'm a fan of Sport Compact Cars... so what am I doing driving a KIA?? LOL. Well beggars couldn't be choosy since the 2000 Kia Sportage was a Christmas present (received in December 2003)... and a GOOD GIFT it has been.
Like I said I like Sport Compact Cars, and I enjoy spirited driving every once in a while. I've driven cars like 2001 Volkswagen GTi VR6, 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T, 1996 Mitsubishi Galant S, and 1994 Nissan Sentra XE. The Kia is not a sport compact car and it shows during acceleration... 0-60 12.1, but once up to speed the Sportage can keep up with the pace. I've left people on the highway SLACK JAWED that their car was beaten by a stock Kia Sportage. What I'm trying to say... I LIKE THIS CAR / SUV. I'm one of those lucky who is not experiencing any problems. So far I've racked up about 10,000 problem free miles with the Sportage.
What I don't like about the Kia Sportage is when the 4WD drive system is off, it's RWD (Rear Wheel Drive). RWD is OK when the roads are dry. Once the road is wet or covered with snow, 4WD MUST BE ON. Otherwise, the 4WD system has kept the Sportage going forward in rain, and snow.
What I am not satisfied with a stock KUMHO 798 tires, they lose GRIP TOO QUICK. I will be replacing them with Yokohama AVID Touring tires (80,000 mile warranty) instead.
I'll keep you posted
mflogistics@yahoo.com
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 DOHC 16v 130hp Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 35000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 45000 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Sentra |
| Date of Entry | 29th March, 2004 |