2008 Kia Sportage Trims and Specs

As the base model, the 2008 Kia Sportage LX comes loaded with safety and convenience features. The front-wheel drive compact SUV seats five in two rows. Rear seats split-fold flat 60/40, with a fold-down armrest. The front passenger seat also folds flat. The 23 cubic foot cargo area extends to 67 cubic feet and comes with tie-downs and a power outlet. The rear window features its own wiper and flips up separately from the tailgate. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter, 140-hp DOHC I4 that delivers 136 ft-lbs of torque at 4500 RPM. It is paired with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. It gets 23/28 mpg.

For family safety, along with the dual front-side and side curtain airbags for both rows and passenger airbag deactivation, the 2008 Sportage LX offers 4-wheel disc and ABS brakes, traction and stability control, side guard beams, skid plates, halogen lamps, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Together, these earn five stars in front and side impact tests. For family comfort, the 2008 Sportage LX provides power windows, locks, and mirrors, a 6-speaker CD player, cruise control, intermittent wipers, a tachometer, a tilt steering wheel, and front and rear 12V power outlets. Remote start is optoinal. For the exterior, you can add a rear spoiler, side step rails, and a roof rack with cross bars.

The 2.0-liter, 140-hp DOHC I4 engine in the 2008 Kia Sportage LX 4WD comes only with a 5-speed manual. Unlike the front-wheel drive version, no 4-speed automatic is offered. The on-demand full-time 4WD system can be turned on with the flip of a dashboard switch and comes with a locking center differential. Lacking low-range gearing, it is not aimed at off-roading. It works with the Macpherson strut front and multilink rear suspension, along with the standard traction and stability control and 16-inch alloy wheels, to provide better road grip.

Other key safety features in the 2008 Sportage LX 4WD include 4-wheel disc and ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, dual front-side and side curtain airbags for both rows, halogen lamps, and skid plates. The compact SUV seats five in two rows and offers up full power features, cruise control, a CD player, tilt steering, a tachometer, front and rear power outlets, and intermittent front wipers. There is also a wiper for the rear window, which opens independently of the tailgate. The cargo area comes with tie-downs and a power outlet, and expands from 23 to 67 cubic feet when both split-folding rear seats fold flat. The front passenger seat also folds flat to accommodate longer objects. A roof rack adds more space.

Like the regular LX, the 2008 Sportage LX 4WD can be outfitted with a rear spoiler, side step rails, and crossbars. Remote start is another handy option in winter.

Upgrading to the 2008 Kia Sportage LX V6 gets you standard cruise control and a more powerful 2.7-liter DOHC V6 engine that delivers 173-hp and 178 ft-lbs of torque. It is matched to a 4-speed automatic with overdrive and increases towing power from 1500 to 2000 pounds, but reduces fuel economy to 18/23 mpg. In addition to the cruise control, this front-wheel drive compact SUV offers full power features, a 6-speaker CD player, intermittent front wipers and a rear wiper, a tachometer, tilt steering, 16-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, and 60/40 split-folding rear seats with a folding armrest.

Rear seats fold flat, as does the front passenger seat, providing up to 67 cubic feet of storage space, which is supplemented by the standard roof rack. Tie-downs are standard, and access to the cargo area is through the tailgate or the independent flip-up rear window. The 2008 Sportage LX V6 sits on a unibody platform and Macpherson strut front and multilink rear suspension. Dual front-side and side curtain airbags for both rows, traction control, electronic stability control, passenger airbag deactivation, 4-wheel disc and ABS brakes, and halogen lamps are all standard. A Sport Package only offered for the LX V6 adds foglights, a rear spoiler, a CD player with MP3 playback, leather steering wheel and shifter, remote entry, special sport gauges, and alloy trim. Other options include a tow hitch, remote start, and side step rails.

For more assurance in slippery driving conditions, the 2008 Kia Sportage LX V6 AWD offers a full-time on-deman all-wheel drive system that changes torque from the front wheels to a 50/50 split. It comes with a locking center differential, but no low-range gearing, which means this compact SUV is strictly an on-roader. A 2.7-liter, 173-hp DOHC V6 powers the Sportage, with 178 ft-lbs of torque at 4000 RPM. A 4-speed automatic is the only transmission.

Power windows, locks, and mirrors are all standard on the 2008 Sportage LX V6 AWD, along with cruise control, a CD player, intermittent front wipers, a rear window wiper, tilt steering, three power outlets (front, rear, cargo), and a tachometer. The SUV seats five in two rows. The rear row split-folds flat 60/40, with a fold-down armrest, expanding the 23 cubic foot cargo area to 67. For longer objects, the front passenger seat also folds flat. A roof rack adds more space, as do smaller storage consoles. Five-star safety ratings come from the standard 4-wheel disc and ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, traction and stability control, halogen lamps, 16-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, skid plates, and the dual front-side and side curtain airbags for both rows. The Sportage LX V6 AWD only earns three stars in rollover tests, however.

To boost the look and convenience of the SUV, you can add a Sport Package that contains remote entry, leather wheel and shifter trim, alloy interior trim, sport gauges, foglights, and a CD/MP3 player. It also dresses up the exterior with a rear spoiler, body-colored cladding, and a blacked out grille. An optional tow hitch allows you to tow up to 2000 pounds. Also available is remote start.

The 2008 Kia Sportage EX V6 represents the high-end trim for this compact front-wheel drive SUV. It adds a lot more standard features, such as a sunroof, cruise control, heated mirrors, remote entry and a trip computer. An MP3-compatible CD player is also included, along with sportier leather trim for the steering wheel and shift knob. These join already standard power features, tilt steering, a tachometer, intermittent front wipers, a rear window wiper, and three power outlets (front, rear, cargo area).

Upgrading to the 2008 Sportage EX V6 also gets you foglights and a tire pressure monitor, in addition to the dual front-side and side impact airbags with passenger deactivation, traction and stability control, skid plates, and 4-wheel disc and ABS brakes. Taken together, these safety features add up to 5-star crash ratings. The SUV rides on 16-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires. A 2.7-liter, 173-hp DOHC V6 gets 178 ft-lbs of torque and around 18/23 mpg, matched to a 4-speed automatic. It can tow up to 2000 pounds with the optional trailer hitch.

The rear row in the 2008 Sportage EX V6 split-folds flat, with a folding armrest, offering up to 67 cubic feet of storage. Tiedowns are standard, as is an independent flip-up rear window. A roof rack expands cargo capacity as does the fold-flat front passenger seat. More options are available to make this family SUV more high-end. These include heated leather seats and a 6-CD changer. On the safety side, you can add an auto-dimming rearview mirror and automatic headlights. Remote start, side step rails, and a rear spoiler are also available.

For extra traction in wet or snowy conditions, the 2008 Kia Sportage EX V6 4WD offers up a full-time on-demand all-wheel drive system that can distribute torque 50/50 between the front and rear wheels. It comes with a center locking differential, and works with the standard traction and stability control and 16-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires to keep your family safe on the road. It lacks low-range gearing, however, and cannot be taken off-road.

Like its front-wheel drive sibling, the 2008 Sportage EX V6 4WD includes 4-wheel disc and ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, side guard beams, and dual front-side and side curtain airbags for both rows. A tire monitor and foglights provide extra safety, and automatic headlights and an auto-dimming rearview mirror can be added. Power comes from a 2.7-liter, 173-hp DOHC V6 and 4-speed automatic, with up to 2000 pounds of towing capability. A tow hitch is optional.

Being the top of the line trim for this SUV, the 2008 Sportage EX V6 4WD gives you full power features, but adds on cruise control, remote entry, heated mirrors, a trip computer, leather trim, a CD player with MP3 playback, and a sunroof. The sunroof cuts down on some of the backseat headroom. Also standard is tilt steering, three power outlets, a tachometer, intermittent front wipers, a rear window wiper, and a roof rack. The cargo area comes with tie-downs and its own power outlet. Access is through the tailgate, flip-up rear window, or the 60/40 split-folding rear seats that fold flat. The front passenger seat also folds flat for longer objects. Options add a 6-CD changer, heated seats, leather upholstery, and remote start. Side step rails and a rear spoiler are available for the exterior.