Interior Design and Special Features

The Sportage features a functional, roomy and attractive interior. Both the materials and build quality are very good, especially for this price point. The rear-seat design makes hauling a large amount of cargo a breeze -- it folds and lowers into the footwell, making for a flat load floor, and removing the head restraints isn't required. Thusly configured, the Sportage offers 67 cubic feet of cargo capacity, a respectable figure for this class.

Driving Impressions

On the road, the 2008 Kia Sportage provides a carlike ride and relatively sporty handling that makes it a little more fun to drive than many other compact SUVs. It's capable of being both a good city runabout and a long-distance highway cruiser. Power from the standard four-cylinder is barely adequate, so we recommend you opt for the V6. The four-speed automatic isn't quite as smooth as the five-speed units offered by competitors, but it's alert enough to usually keep the V6 right in its power band.

    See also:

    Air bag - advanced supplemental restraint system
    (1) Driver’s front air bag (2) Passenger’s front air bag (3) Side air bag* (4) Curtain air bag* * : if equipped The actual air bags in the vehicle may differ from the illustration. WARNING ...

    Defroster
    The defroster heats the window to remove frost, fog and thin ice from the interior and exterior of the rear window, while engine is running. NOTICE • To prevent damage to the conductors bo ...

    Kia Soul owners manual
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