The Good: Low resale value means good purchase as a second hand car, available diesel engine
The Bad: Poor ride quality, cheap interior finish
The Say: An improved beast that has some bad manners trapped.
Go For: Diesels
Avoid: 2.0 AWD
Price Range: P550,000-P900,000
Our Rating: ***
Full Review: Used Car Review - Kia Sportage (2011-2016)
Latest vehicle profile: Kia Sportage
See the different versions of this vehicle:
2011-2016
Vehicle Overview
The first generation Sportage is based on the Mazda Bongo and it was Kia's first attempt on the SUV race in the 90s which never caught on. It was revived in 2004 as a platform-mate of the Hyundai Tucson, which is based from the Elantra sedan and the set-up has been the same ever since.
Similar to its Hyundai counterpart, the Sportage gets a new set of engines for public consumption while offering both gasoline and diesel powerplants. The starting engine is the 2.0 gasoline that can be paired to both 2WD or 4WD systems which is quick enough although going for the latter may have the vehicle struggle (a 2014 update had its ratings decreased but offered much better performance and fuel economy) with the 2.0 diesel gives you smooth acceleration and more power and the same can be said with the 2.4 gasoline. For the driving experience, it also suffers the same problems of its Hyundai cousin: light steering which may be a boon for parking but has the tendency to be numb, a choppy ride, and poor rear visibility.
Although a step-up from the previous model, the interior is a mixed bag of a well assembled interior which has some cheap touches.
What Should I Get
Depending on the year, some models get several items while some don't and the later the model, they tend to be stripped off. LX models are available for both gasoline (June 2012 with a manual then 2014 with automatics) and diesel (2014) engines that has all power features, driver's airbag, alarm, keyless entry, ABS brakes, and CD player with USB and Ipod. EX models are available in both gasoline (2WD and 4WD) and diesel engines which adds fog lamps, passenger airbag, daytime running lights, roof rails, trip computer, and for the diesel, steering wheel controls. The DLX adds a 175hp 2.4 gasoline, all wheel drive, side airbags, stability control, hill control assist, sun roof, power driver's seat, leather seats, cruise control, push button start, and automatic climate control.
With this in mind, try to search for an earlier model if you want something full equipped.
How Much Would It Cost Me
Most Sportage models are front wheel driven, so their problem points are the stabilizer link and some suspension noises. Parts are aplenty (components are Hyundai derived) with maintenance costs on the low side.