2008 Kia Sportage: Not Bad, For a Rental Car
Recently I was assigned to attend a press event in Utah. Fall was in full swing and I hadn't spent much time in that part of the country, so I decided to come in a couple of days early, rent a car and drive around.
It was pouring rain when I arrived in Salt Lake. I had reserved a compact car, but I was planning to drive through some canyons at higher elevations and I heard it might snow. So I asked to upgrade to a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. My choices were a 2008 Toyota Rav4 and a 2008 Kia Sportage. I was pretty familiar with the Toyota, but I hadn't driven the Kia much, so I opted for that.
The model I got was an LX V6 4WD. And although Kia offers an extensive options list, my rental was pretty bare bones. The car had power locks and windows, but it didn't have keyless entry, which slowed me down quite a bit when trying to get in and out of the rain. Consequently, I ended up a lot wetter than I might have been if I could have just hit a button instead of fumbling with the key.
The Sportage's handling through winding mountain passes was decent for a compact SUV. But even with the V6, the motor had a hard time producing enough power and torque to make it up the steep grades -- although switching over to the manual shift option helped. I didn't encounter snow, but there was plenty of rain, and traction was good in the wet thanks to the Sportage's 4WD system.
My overall take is that the Kia Sportage is fine around town. It offers a comfortable and attractive interior, a good amount of cargo space and relatively sporty handling for its class. But the powertrain is pretty wimpy. So if you tackle tough terrain on a regular basis, the Sportage isn't the right choice. Also, fuel economy is only average for its class; EPA fuel economy estimates for the 2008 Kia Sportage LX V6 4WD are 17 mpg city, 21 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined. The V6 4WD Rav4, by comparison, gets 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined.
Kia is offering a few incentives on the 2008 Sportage right now, including a $3,000 rebate and special financing for as low as 1.5% APR. Check out our incentives page for more information.
- Posted by
- Laura Burstein October 15, 2008, 11:00 AM
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- 2008 Kia Sportage, Compact SUV, Incentives, Rebates, Rental Cars
This is one case when if given the choice, I'd actually opt for the Grand Vitara! Especially with the new engine options. The I4 vitara makes a few hp less than the v6 Sportage/Tuscon!
-Cj
Hey this gives me an idea for edmunds/inside line! A section on rental cars! Other than the traditional Honda/Toyota offerings, what to rent!
It'll help people choose the "Dark Horse" cars for a bit less money and still have a good trip!
-Cj