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.

    See also:

    2008 Kia Sportage
    The 2008 Kia Sportage sees no changes. ...

    Appearance care
    Exterior care Exterior general caution It is very important to follow the label directions when using any chemical cleaner or polish. Read all warning and caution statements that appear on the l ...

    Towing
    Towing service If emergency towing is necessary, we recommend having it done by an authorized KIA dealer or a commercial towtruck service. Proper lifting and towing procedures are necessary to ...