2000 Kia Sportage Review (continued)
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Walkaround

It's so cute! That's the typical reaction when someone looks at a Kia Sportage for the first time. And it is, although we're not sure that cute is necessarily the image buyers want to project with their rugged, adventure-seeking sport-utility vehicles. No worries with the Sportage, because this little SUV has its own rugged charm. Its sleek lines and contemporary, proportionate styling could also be labeled downright pretty.

The design of the Sportage is functional as well. Short front and rear overhangs are among the reasons the Sportage offers better off-road capability than other small SUVs, such as the Honda CR-V and the new Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute.

Interior Features

One of the best attributes of the Kia Sportage is the space it affords front-seat occupants. Front legroom (44.5 inches) is generous, and headroom (39.6 inches) is phenomenal. The Sportage is roomier up front than some larger SUVs. Isuzu's Rodeo, for example, gives front seat passengers 42.1 inches of legroom and 38.9 inches of headroom. While the Sportage's rear seat has limited legroom (31.3 inches), it still offers 37.8 inches of headroom, making the accommodations more tolerable for tall passengers.

When it comes to hauling cargo, the Sportage holds its own. There is 25.8 cubic feet of space with the rear seat up and more than twice as much (54.4 cubic feet) with the seat folded. That's not bad for a small SUV.

Beyond the room, there are other nice touches inside the Sportage. The top of the center console slides forward to provide a comfortable armrest. Both front bucket seats recline, and the driver's seat has adjustable lumbar support. The optional leather upholstery package ($900) has full leather seat coverings, not just leather inserts. As mentioned, power windows, locks and mirrors are standard on the least expensive model.

Sportage also offers a safety first. In addition to dual front airbags, it comes equipped with a smaller airbag intended to protect the driver's left knee and leg.

The well-proportioned greenhouse allows good visibility in all directions. Controls are well placed and easy to operate, and instruments are easy to read. The air conditioning in our test vehicle cooled the cabin is short order on warm Southern California afternoons. The test truck also featured Kia's straightforward, easy-to-tune AM/FM/CD stereo. While both air and the CD are standard on the EX, they added $900 and $475, respectively, to the bottom line on our 4x4 base model.

We used the Sportage the way most buyers will: going shopping, getting around town and taking co-workers to lunch. The fact that its spare tire carrier locks out of the way when fully opened is a blessing when you are loading groceries or baggage through the rear door. The copious interior space ensured that our colleagues were comfortable on the way to and from the local lunch spot. Just be sure to assign the shorter passengers to the rear seat.