Among several changes then was the transition from a truck to car platform. The 2007 Sportage is available is seven configurations, and my weekly driver was the 4×4 (all-wheel drive). It has a 2.7-liter, 24-valve, V6 engine with 173 horsepower a four-speed automatic transmission.
Considering its status as a compact SUV, the Sportage has a lot to offer. Its interior is attractive, with the dark gray paneling and console matched against a silver medal instrumentation panel, shift knob and various handles and supports. The approach is simple and functional. There’s good leg and head room and a surprisingly large and efficient cargo area.
The Sportage is available in two trim levels, the LX and EX, with front wheel and all-wheel drive available. Standard features on the LX include 16-inch alloy wheels, power windows and locks, tinted glass, a rear wiper and a CD player. Air-conditioning is also standard on all LX models, except front-drive four-cylinder models with the manual transmission.
The EX adds the V6 engine as standard as well as a $900 option package that includes a sunroof, fog lamps, heated outside mirrors, a trip computer, MP3 capability for the CD player and keyless entry.
I drove the Sportage more than 1,000 miles in my weekly test throughout the Georgia with a brief excursion into Tennessee. I was impressed by the vehicle’s nimble maneuvering and driving comfort. Vision is good and the vehicle remains comfortable and unaffected even after several hours on the the road. I didn’t have the opportunity to utilize the four-wheel drive option, but it engages with a simple push button on the instrumentation panel to the left of the steering wheel.
My journey advanced from country roads to high-speed highway stretches in high volume traffic to ascending sharp-cornered, steep inclines to Brasstown Bald Mountain, the highest elevation in the state at nearly 4,800 feet.
Nevertheless, the Sportage holds its own as an attractive well-appointed vehicle, particularly considering its pricepoint and Kia’s well-known 10-year warranty parameters.
The Weekly Driver: 2007 Kia Sportage
Safety Features – Dual front, side and side curtain airbags.
Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 19 mpg (city), 23 mpg (highway).
Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 5 years/60,000 miles; Powertrain, 10 years/100,000 miles Corrosion, 5 years/100,000 miles; (24-hour) roadside assistance program, 5 years/60,000.
Base Price – $21,195.00.
James Raia
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.