Powertrains and Performance

Two engines are offered on the Sportage LX: a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder (140 hp and 136 pound-feet of torque) and a 2.7-liter V6 (173 hp and 178 lb-ft). The Sportage EX comes standard with the V6. The inline-4 can be had with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic, while the V6 is automatic only. One may also choose front- or all-wheel drive in either trim.

We timed a Sportage V6 at 10.7 seconds from zero to 60 mph, about a second or so off the quicker four-cylinders in the segment and more than three ticks off the class hot rod, the RAV4 V6. Fuel mileage estimates for a 2008 Sportage V6 with AWD are 17 mpg city and 21 mpg highway, a few mpg under the class average. The four-cylinder gets only a few city mpg better.

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    Climate control air filter
    Filter inspection If the vehicle is operated in severely airpolluted cities or on dusty rough roads for a long period, it should be inspected more frequently and replaced earlier. When you replac ...

    Before driving
    Before entering vehicle • Be sure that all windows, outside mirror(s), and outside lights are clean. • Check the condition of the tires. • Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks. • ...

    Fuel requirements
    Gasoline engine (unleaded) Your new Kia vehicle is designed to use only unleaded fuel with a minimum Octane Rating of 87 Anti-Knock Index (AKI). NOTICE NEVER USE LEADED FUEL. The use of leaded ...