1995-2002 Kia Sportage: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

A compact sport-utility vehicle, the Sportage was the second product offered in the U.S. market by Kia, a Korean manufacturer. After Hyundai, Kia was South Korea's second-largest vehicle maker, and Sportage was the first South Korean SUV sold in the U.S. Designed as an enclosed passenger vehicle, not based on a pickup truck, Sportage aimed squarely at U.S. buyers who sought a roomy vehicle for their active lifestyles. The SUV went on sale in January 1995, only in Western and Southern states that had Kia dealerships. Four-wheel-drive Sportages used a 2.0-liter dual-overhead-cam engine, which produced 130 horsepower. Rear-drive models got a single-cam 2.0-liter engine, rated at 94 horsepower. Only a 5-speed manual transmission was available in the 2WD version, but 4WD Sportages could be equipped with an optional 4-speed automatic. The part-time 4-wheel-drive system was intended only for use on slick surfaces. Rear antilock brakes operated only in 2-wheel-drive mode. Power steering was standard. At first, the Sportage had little direct competition, apart from the Suzuki Sidekick and its Geo Tracker equivalent. Within a couple of years, Toyota and Honda would be giving Kia some serious competition.