2005 Kia Sportage First Drive

SAN FRANCISCO - Dictionary.com defines a bargain as "something offered or acquired at a price advantageous to the buyer." And it's a word we Americans love, as is well documented by the number of superstores dotting the landscape and our affinity for "supersizing" it. Lots more food for just a few additional pennies? You bet! And no worries about that expanding waistline - the gym down the street offers a membership for only $19.00 per month, and a whole new wardrobe can be bought at Wal-Mart for less than it costs to fill up your gas tank.But what makes us really smile are the big-ticket bargains, and one of the best examples is the 2005 Kia Sportage. When Kia first stepped onto the North American stage more than ten years ago, it was a company that offered only two, poorly built vehicles, one of which was the Sportage SUV. However, over the years Kia added more models to its lineup, joined forces with fellow Korean automaker Hyundai, and implemented an outstanding 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty program for all of its cars and SUVs. Kia has come a long way, and nowhere is the company's improvement better exemplified than in the 2005 Sportage.

Lineup

Kia offers the Korean-built Sportage in three main trim levels: LX, LX-V6, and EX. The least expensive model is the LX with front-wheel drive, which includes a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The base price for the LX is $16,490, including a $590 destination charge. Power door locks, windows, and mirrors; a six-speaker sound system with a CD player; a tilt steering wheel; a flat-folding front passenger seat; and a reclining 60/40 folding rear seat come standard. Also included are roof rails, rear privacy glass, 16-inch alloy wheels, an eight-way adjustable driver's seat, and a front skid plate. Air conditioning is an $800 option on LX models with front-wheel drive and the five-speed manual, and is standard equipment for all other models. Also optional is a Sportmatic four-speed, manually interactive, automatic transmission for $1,600. Four-wheel drive is available for $2,000 and includes the automatic transmission. Other options include carpeted floor mats ($75), a cargo tray ($75), a rear spoiler ($150), and a trailer hitch ($340). Next up is the LX-V6, priced at $19,090, which includes manual air conditioning and the Sportmatic automatic transmission. The LX V6 also adds a 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine, cruise control, 235/60 B.F. Goodrich Traction T/A tires, and a metallic finish to the center of the instrument panel. Four-wheel drive capability can be added for $1,200; otherwise, LX-V6 options mirror those on the LX. Topping the list of Kia Sportage models is the EX V6, which comes with a power sunroof, heated and color-keyed side mirrors, foglights, and body-color fender flares and body side moldings. Also standard are an MP3 player, keyless entry, an anti-theft alarm, a trip computer, a cargo cover and cargo net, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The front-wheel drive 2005 Kia Sportage EX V6 is priced at $20,589; the four-wheel-drive system requires a $1,400 premium. Also offered is the EX Luxury Package, which for $1,300 provides leather upholstery, heated front seats, a six-disc CD changer, a subwoofer, a Homelink universal garage door opener, and body-color bumpers.What's more impressive is the long list of standard safety features. In an effort to make the 2005 Kia Sportage safe for all passengers, each model comes complete with front airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags, front and rear side-curtain airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, a stability control system, and a traction control system. That's a lot of security for a starting price of less than $17,000.

Powertrain

Motivating the 2005 Kia Sportage is one of two powertrains. Base models have a 2.0-liter, dual overhead cam (DOHC), four-cylinder engine that uses Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) to produce 140 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 136 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm. Fuel mileage for a front-wheel drive Sportage with the little four banger and the manual transmission is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway; heavier four-wheel drive models and front-wheel drive models equipped with the automatic transmission travel 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg out on the open road.The majority of Sportages will be equipped with the 173-horsepower V6. The more potent 2.7-liter, DOHC six-cylinder reaches its maximum horsepower at 6,000 rpm, peaks at 178 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm, and is only available with the Sportmatic transmission. As expected with a bigger engine, fuel mileage suffers a bit, with the front-wheel drive 2005 Kia Sportage achieving 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway; four-wheel drive models require a gallon every 19 miles in the city and every 23 on the highway. During an afternoon of driving both front- and four-wheel drive models under a variety of conditions, we noted a disappointing 17.1 mpg. On the plus side, a relatively large 17.2-gallon fuel tank extends the cruising range, and the extra 33 horsepower and 42 lb.-ft. of torque bring the tow rating up to 2,000 pounds, 500 more than with the four-cylinder engine.

Interior

Kia engineers have obviously been reading books like Time-Life's How to Build a Better SUV and one of amazon.com's best sellers, Johnny's Guide to Automotive Ergonomics. Drivers and passengers are treated to supportive, firm seats with enough side bolstering to give them some shape. A rotary knob used to adjust the tilt of the seat bottom works as intended, though a lever would be preferred. Even the rear seat, often flat and narrow in small suvs, has a comfortable position accented by a handy reclining feature, a fold-down center armrest, adjustable headrests for three passengers, and three-point seatbelts for center passengers. However, the hard front seatbacks will wipe the smiles off of the faces and skin off the knees of long-legged rear seat passengers. Thanks to its height and a well-placed hip point, getting in and out of the Sportage doesn't require any climbing or jumping, and the rear doors open wide for easy access. Head, leg, shoulder, and hip room measurements are on par with others in the small SUV segment, suggesting that smaller passengers should be comfortable, though tall or large adults might find the accommodations to be a bit tight. The 2005 Kia Sportage's 103.9 cubic feet of passenger room ranks it near the best in the class.Once inside, the driver faces a thoughtfully constructed gauge cluster and instrument panel. Included are a large tachometer and a trip computer that tracks travel time and distance, average miles-per-gallon, and fuel range. Stability control and four-wheel drive lock controls have been placed left of the steering wheel, and power door lock and power mirror controls are located on the driver's door, exactly where most people will expect them to be. Decorating those controls is an attractive alloy trim, which also adorns the door handles, shift plate, and surrounds the center instrument panel. Within that instrument panel are the climate and audio units, the latter of which plays cassettes, CDs, and MP3s through six speakers. Controls for the stereo are basic knobs and buttons, so there's no challenge in tuning or adjusting the volume. Similarly, the climate system consists of three main rotary knobs that manage temperature, fan direction, and fan speed. It's a basic, logical setup connected to a system that quickly heats and cools the interior.

Storage

In addition to being well laid out, the interior offers plenty of storage space. In front of the instrument panel are two of the 2005 Kia Sportage's eight cupholders, with the remaining six located in the doors and rear center armrest. Other storage in the passenger area includes nets on the backs of the front seats; small cubbies in the center console; an adjustable, lined front center armrest with dual compartments; an overhead console that features a sunglass holder and maplights; and storage pockets built into all four doors. The total cargo area behind the rear seats is 23.6 cubic feet (in comparison, the Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape offer about 29 cubic feet of cargo room), but that expands to 66.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded (68.3 for the RAV4 and 66.3 for the Escape). Since the rear seatbacks are constructed of hard plastic, a durable cargo floor is provided when the seats are folded. Kia calls these "drop & fold" rear seats; using a simple lever on the back of the seats, the rear seat cushion moves forward and down into the footwell as the seatback comes down to fold nearly flat, and the headrests do not need to be removed. It's simple and makes efficient use of cargo space.Adding to the utility are a cargo light, a soft cargo cover, a liftgate handle, and a storage cubby located under the cargo floor (with a temporary spare tire located under the cubby). The rear liftgate features separate releases for the both the door and the window, allowing for quick and easy access. While hard, shiny plastic is used in the cargo area, much of the rest of the interior is dressed in hard plastic with a tasteful matte finish, giving it a more upscale look. Soft touches are delivered via the padded door and center armrests, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and soft cloth seating material. For those who prefer cowhide, there's the EX Leather Package that covers both the seats and door inserts.

Exterior

With styling that is reminiscent of a Honda Pilot from the front and a Jeep Grand Cherokee from the rear, the 2005 Kia Sportage is an attractive SUV. The large Kia badges and distinct side profile give the Sportage a unique character that stands out from the small SUV crowd, aside from its close resemblance to the Hyundai Tucson, on which the Sportage is based. Affixed to the top of the 2005 Kia Sportage is a pair of rails that serve as the base for the optional roof rack. The top of the rear bumper features a black step pad that offers grip when access to the roof is necessary, and in the case of the EX, also prevents the painted bumper from being scratched. Short front and rear overhangs keep the body length down to 171.3 inches, with a wheelbase of 103.5 inches. Ground clearance measures 7.7 inches for all models; that's about one inch more than four-wheel drive Toyota RAV4 models, and about three-tenths of an inch lower than both the all-wheel drive Honda CR-V and the four-wheel drive Ford Escape.

Driving

Despite almost eight inches of clearance and an available full-time four-wheel drive system, the 2005 Kia Sportage has not been designed to be a hard-core rock crawler. Whereas the previous Sportage was built with its body bolted to a separate frame, as found with most trucks and serious off-road vehicles, the new Sportage features unibody construction, common in most cars and small SUVs. Unibody vehicles incorporate the body and frame into one welded unit, and the result is a smoother ride and a relatively low curb weight; however, they are less capable of rugged off-roading. But, most shoppers considering the Kia Sportage will be looking for an SUV that gets through the snow or maybe out to a remote camping spot, and based on our afternoon jaunt through some Northern California sand dunes, we'd say that the Sportage is up to that kind of light duty use. When especially sticky situations do arise, however, there is a button on the dash that locks the center differential, equally dividing power to the front and rear wheels. The four-wheel drive lock function operates at speeds up to 20 mph, after which power reverts back to the front wheels. Steering is courtesy of a variable assist rack and pinion setup that requires little effort in parking lots yet offers more feedback on the highway. The brakes, a four-wheel, front vented and rear solid disc antilock setup equipped with electronic brake force distribution, are responsive and well-modulated. The 2005 Kia Sportage rides on a fully independent suspension, with MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link system in the rear. Front and rear stabilizer bars are standard on all models. Kia engineers claim to have tuned the suspension so that it best combines tight handling with low NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels. The idea is that as handling improves, comfort and interior noise levels suffer, and vice versa. As a result, the Sportage provides a comfortable, fairly quiet ride, though it has a tendency to roll and plow a bit when pushed in the corners. Since this is an SUV, the handling draws no complaints and the low NVH levels are welcome. With brakes, steering, and suspension systems that meet or exceed the standards in the class, that makes the uninspired powertrain the weakest link, especially considering the competition. When comparing four-cylinder engines, the Honda Element and CR-V both offer an extra 20 horsepower, the Jeep Liberty an extra 10 horsepower, and the Toyota RAV4 an extra 21 horsepower. In regards to the V6, the Chevrolet Equinox boasts 12 more horsepower, the Ford Escape another 27 horsepower, and the Jeep Liberty packs in an additional 37 horses. And many of these vehicles combine equal or better fuel economy with higher curb weights. While the Sportage provides enough grunt for the daily commute, an injection of power is needed to make it feel as lively as some of its competitors. The manually-interactive automatic transmission helps out a bit by allowing the driver to hold gears longer and keep the revs up, resulting in a more entertaining ride.

Wrap-up

After taking a three-year hiatus, the Sportage is back with a new platform, new interior and exterior designs, new powertrains, new standard and optional items, and a host of new safety features. The only real negative relates to engine power, though all but the speed racers amongst us will likely be satisfied. Best of all is that Kia has brought it to the table with a starting price south of $17,000. Ahh, you've got to love a bargain.

Specifications

Test Vehicle: 2005 Kia Sportage EX V6 Engine Size and Type: 2.7-liter V6 Engine Horsepower: 173 at 6,000 rpm Engine Torque: 178 lb.-ft. at 4,000 rpm EPA Fuel Economy: 19 city and 23 highway Observed Fuel Economy: 17.1 mpg Curb Weight: 3,521 lbs. Max. Cargo Capacity: 66.6 cubic feet Max. Towing Capacity: 2,000 lbs. Max. Seating Capacity: 5 Competitors: Chevrolet Equinox, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Honda Element, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Liberty, Kia Sorento, Mazda Tribute, Mitsubishi Outlander, Saturn VUE, Subaru Forester, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Suzuki XL-7, Toyota RAV4

FAQs

What's the difference between the 2005 Kia Sportage and the 2005 Hyundai Tucson? None of the sheetmetal is shared between the two models, the front and rear fascias differ, and the rear side windows are different. The instrument panels and standard/optional features are also different. Under the skin, both vehicles are built off of the same platform, though they come from separate assembly lines. And Kia engineers claim that the suspension has been specially tuned for a sportier, firmer feel versus the Hyundai Tucson.What conditions led to a 17.1-mpg observed fuel economy? Our driving time in the 2005 Kia Sportage was limited to about 150 miles in the greater San Francisco area. Our route took us through city traffic, out on the highway, through some twisty back roads, and briefly over some hard-packed sand dunes. While there were instances of aggressive driving to find the vehicle's limits, the Sportage was operated as it would be by the average driver. Using the trip computer, we noted that instantaneous fuel economy fluctuated between the mid-16- and mid-17-mpg range. Is the 2005 Kia Sportage a good buy? For drivers who seek a bit of excitement in their vehicle or good gas mileage, the Sportage isn't the best bet. But for those who want a well-priced, competent, and comfortable vehicle that comes with a killer warranty and lots of safety features, the Sportage is definitely worth considering.

Photos courtesy of Kia Motors America