2001KiaSportageKia Sportage2001 Kia Sportage Limited 4WD 4-DoorMini-Sport UtilityWagon4WDSeoul, South KoreaKia's Long-Haul warranty, introduced late in model-year 2000, provides powertrain coverage for 10 years or 100,000 miles, while a new Limited trim level includes lots of standard goodies over the already well-equipped Base and EX versions.Budget price, impressive equipment levels, stout construction, high fun factor.Anemic engine, cheap interior materials, limited rear seat and cargo room.Designed from the ground up to be a real truck and not some hopped-up, car-based mini-SUV, the Sportage sports tough ladder-frame construction, shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive, and a Mazda-based 2.0-liter, 16-valve engine that makes a rather meager 130 horsepower and 127 foot-pounds of torque. A standard five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic makes sure as much of that power reaches the rear or all four wheels as possible. Three trim levels and two body styles are available for 2001, in either 2WD or 4WD. Convertibles come with Base trim, while four-door hardtops can be equipped as Base, EX and new Limited models. Even the least expensive Sportage is well equipped, including a full-size spare tire, theft deterrent system, power windows and door locks, power mirrors, tilt steering wheel, six-speaker sound system, and alloy wheels on 4WD versions. EX adds air conditioning, a roof rack, cruise control, a CD player, dark tinted glass and fake wood on the interior. New for 2001 is the Limited, replete with 140-watt sound system, remote keyless entry, hard spare-tire cover, special wheels and paint, chrome exterior accents, platinum-faced gauges and unique striping. Costing just $545 more than the EX, Limited is also your entry ticket to a two-tone leather interior for an additional 800 clams. Four-wheel ABS is a popular option on any Sportage. Though leather is available, interior materials are not the Sportage's strong suit, with headliner, dash panel and seat fabric quality well below that of competitors such as the Honda CR-V, Mazda Tribute and Toyota RAV4. But none of those SUVs can boast of a knee airbag, such as the one found on the Kia. Sportage looks rugged yet cute, perfect for family duty in the 'burbs or a jaunt along a coastline. On the pavement, we found the Sportage confidence inspiring and fun to drive. Lotus engineers worked wonders with the suspension, which includes a relatively sophisticated double-wishbone arrangement up front, and the Sportage is stable and comfortable. Off road, the short, sloping hood provides excellent visibility for climbing or descending hills, and the suspension soaks up ruts and bumps without bottoming out thanks to 7.9 inches of ground clearance. Seating positions are high and upright, visibility is outstanding, and the layout of the dashboard and controls makes the Sportage easy to manipulate. Rear-seat riders get minimal legroom, but the "stadium style" elevated seating offers a clear view of the outside world. Cargo room behind the rear seat in hardtop models measures 25.8 cubic feet; with the back seat folded, that expands to 55.4. A more powerful engine, along with higher-grade interior materials, would do wonders for this Kia's overall desirability. Still, you can't deny its substantial price advantage over the competition, not to mention the excellent powertrain warranty. For young families and active singles looking to own a sport-ute without getting into financial servitude, the Sportage is worth a look. Chevrolet TrackerHonda CR-VSuzuki VitaraToyota RAV4560,00010100,0005Unlimited5100,000NANANA42 litersInline130 hp @ 5500 rpm127 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm55 cu.ft.860 lbs.2000 lbs.162.5 in.68.1 in.65 in.3352 lbs.104.3 in.34.8 ft.7.9 in.39.6 in.37.8 in.NANANANA44.5 in.31.1 in.5OptionalStandardNot AvailableNot AvailableNot AvailableNot AvailableNot AvailableRating = Not TestedRating = Not TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot Tested15.8 gal.20 mpg / 22 mpg19 mpg / 22 mpg316 mi. / 348 mi.300 mi. / 348 mi.Insurance costs can vary greatly for this vehicle, depending on such factors as driver age, driver gender, teenage drivers in the household, driving records, theft loss data for your particular geographic region, miles driven per year, and other widely variable factors. Additionally, some companies charge a premium for certain makes and models, while others do not.$18,402$19,8907.35%$495N/A3% of the Base MSRPBASE 2WD CONVERTIBLE (4A): 2L I4 DOHC MPI 16-valve engine; 4-speed electronic OD automatic transmission with lock-up converter; 520-amp battery; 70-amp alternator; rear-wheel drive, 4.78 axle ratio; partial stainless steel exhaust; front independent double-wishbone suspension with anti-roll bar, front coil springs, rigid rear axle multi-link suspension with anti-roll bar, rear coil springs; recirculating-ball power steering with engine-speed-sensing assist; front disc/rear drum brakes; 14 gal. capacity fuel tank; side impact bars; conventional rear cargo door; manual convertible roof with roll-over protection; front and rear body-colored bumpers, front tow hooks; clearcoat monotone paint; aero-composite halogen headlamps; driver's and passenger's power remote black folding outside mirrors; 15" x 6" silver styled steel wheels; P205/75SR15 BSW A/S tires; full-size steel spare wheel; radio prep, 6 speakers; power door locks, remote fuel door release; 1 power accessory outlet, driver'sfoot rest; instrumentation display includes tachometer, water temperature gauge, in-dash clock, trip odometer; warning indicators include oil pressure, battery, lights on, key in ignition, low fuel, door ajar, brake fluid; driver's and passenger's front airbags; security system; tinted windows; fixed-interval front windshield wipers, sun visor strip; seating capacity of 5, front bucket seats with adjustable headrests, center armrest with storage, driver's and front passenger's seats include 4-way adjustment, lumbar support; full-folding rear bench seat; height-adjustable front seatbelts; cloth seats, cloth door trim insert, front cloth headliner, full carpet floor covering; interior lights include dome light; steering wheel with tilt adjustment; day/night rearview mirror; full floor console, glove box, front cupholder, instrument panel bin, driver's and passenger's door bins; carpeted cargo floor; body-colored grille, chrome side window moldings, black front windshield molding andblack door handles.
BASE 2WD 4-DOOR (5M) (in addition to or instead of BASE 2WD CONVERTIBLE (5M) equipment): 5-speed OD manual transmission; 15.8 gal. capacity fuel tank; child-safety rear door locks; power front and rear windows, fixed 1/4 vent windows; variable-speed intermittent front windshield wipers, rear window defroster; 50/50 folding rear bench seat with fixed headrests; black rear window molding.
EX 2WD 4-DOOR (5M) (in addition to or instead of BASE 2WD 4-DOOR (5M) equipment): Roof rack; colored bodyside cladding, colored fender flares; clearcoat lower accent two-tone paint with bodyside accent stripe; driver's and passenger's power remote body-colored folding outside mirrors; air conditioning; AM/FM stereo, seek-scan feature, single-disc CD player, 6 speakers, fixed antenna; cruise control with steering wheel controls; deep tinted windows; simulated wood dashboard insert, leather-wrapped gearshift knob, simulated wood console insert; leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt adjustment; front passenger's vanity mirror, chrome grille.
LIMITED 2WD 4-DOOR (5M) (in addition to or instead of EX 2WD 4-DOOR (5M) equipment): Partial stainless steel exhaust with tailpipe finisher; cassette player; remote keyless entry and interior lights include illuminated entry.
4WD (5M) (in addition to or instead of 2WD (4A) equipment): 5-speed OD manual transmission; part-time 4 wheel drive, auto-locking hub control, 4.78 axle ratio; full-size alloy spare wheel.