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2009 Kia Sportage Quality Review

July 13, 2009

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

groceries fit fine behind the rear seats, but there's little room for large objects
ConsumerGuide

the engine gets snarly at high rpm
Cars.com

an almost quantum improvement in both appearance and texture
Kelley Blue Book

An upgraded interior helps the smallish 2009 Kia Sportage compete with a higher class of vehicles.

According to ConsumerGuide, "legroom is adequate, and headroom is generous...both the leather and the cloth seats are comfortable, with good side-bolster support.” Cars.com reports that "the Kia Sportage seats up to five." Kelley Blue Book notes that "Kia Sportage seating position is appropriately upright and, while the standard sunroof encroaches slightly on rear-seat headroom, most adults will find either front or rear seating to be generous," adding that "the fifth passenger's area, in the center of the rear seat, is somewhat marginal."

ConsumerGuide notes that "groceries fit fine behind the rear seats, but there's little room for large objects," and "the Kia Sportage rear seats fold easily in one motion to form a flat load floor." Cars.com reports that "with the 'Drop and Fold' rear seating system, the seat cushion lowers and the backrest folds flat, yielding 66.6 cubic feet of cargo space."

Kelley Blue Book praises the "quality plastics, with an almost quantum improvement in both appearance and texture." ConsumerGuide reports "dashboard control dials have rubber grips, literally a nice touch," going on to note "for interior materials, [Kia] Sportage is a cut above Honda CR-V and is slightly upscale of Tucson." Materials are above average for the price and class.

ConsumerGuide says the "4-cylinder engine is coarse and buzzy...the V6 is quiet at cruise, but it strains loudly at higher rpm." Cars.com reports "other than a little tire noise on some surfaces, the Sportage is quiet, though the engine gets snarly at high rpm."

Conclusion

The 2009 Kia Sportage has adequate room, reinforced by higher-quality construction than you might expect for the price.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:groceries fit fine behind the rear seats, but there's little room for large objectsConsumerGuidethe engine gets snarly at high rpmCars.coman almost quantum improvement in both appearance and textureKelley Blue Book An upgraded interior helps the smallish 2009 Kia Sportage compete with a higher class of vehicles. According to ConsumerGuide, "legroom is adequate, and headroom is generous...both the leather and the cloth seats are comfortable, with good side-bolster support.” Cars.com reports that "the Kia Sportage seats up to five." Kelley Blue Book notes that "Kia Sportage seating position is appropriately upright and, while the standard sunroof encroaches slightly on rear-seat headroom, most adults will find either front or rear seating to be generous," adding that "the fifth passenger's area, in the center of the rear seat, is somewhat marginal." ConsumerGuide notes that "groceries fit fine behind the rear seats, but there's little room for large objects," and "the Kia Sportage rear seats fold easily in one motion to form a flat load floor." Cars.com reports that "with the 'Drop and Fold' rear seating system, the seat cushion lowers and the backrest folds flat, yielding 66.6 cubic feet of cargo space." Kelley Blue Book praises the "quality plastics, with an almost quantum improvement in both appearance and texture." ConsumerGuide reports "dashboard control dials have rubber grips, literally a nice touch," going on to note "for interior materials, [Kia] Sportage is a cut above Honda CR-V and is slightly upscale of Tucson." Materials are above average for the price and class. ConsumerGuide says the "4-cylinder engine is coarse and buzzy...the V6 is quiet at cruise, but it strains loudly at higher rpm." Cars.com reports "other than a little tire noise on some surfaces, the Sportage is quiet, though the engine gets snarly at high rpm." ConclusionThe 2009 Kia Sportage has adequate room, reinforced by higher-quality construction than you might expect for the price. 2009 KIA SPORTAGE STYLING | [6 out of 10] Cars.com: "strong visual presence" Edmunds: “stylish and functional” The Auto Channel: "The Sportage looks and feels a lot classier than you think it would" The 2009 Kia Sportage model features fresh exterior styling and a well-shaped, ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2009 Nissan Rogue utilizes a big 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and a CVT for its powertrain, and the combination matches the performance of Sportage V-6 models. Perhaps better than any other listed competitor, the Rogue matches the Kia for value, while not lacking in design, features, or refinement. The Honda CR-V is similar in overall characteristics (being good looking and well sorted), but it also offers more cargo room than the 2009 Kia Sportage, if that's one of your concerns. The Saturn Vue is one of the best compact SUVs on the market, offering a high degree of style and refinement. But this will cost you. The heavily revised 2009 Ford Escape is an excellent choice that offers more modern technology and refinement than the Kia, but at a higher price.

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See the Kia Sportage in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

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