Powertrain

The majority of Sportages will be equipped with the 173-horsepower V6. The more potent 2.7-liter, DOHC six-cylinder reaches its maximum horsepower at 6,000 rpm, peaks at 178 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm, and is only available with the Sportmatic transmission. As expected with a bigger engine, fuel mileage suffers a bit, with the front-wheel drive 2005 Kia Sportage achieving 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway; four-wheel drive models require a gallon every 19 miles in the city and every 23 on the highway. During an afternoon of driving both front- and four-wheel drive models under a variety of conditions, we noted a disappointing 17.1 mpg. On the plus side, a relatively large 17.2-gallon fuel tank extends the cruising range, and the extra 33 horsepower and 42 lb.-ft. of torque bring the tow rating up to 2,000 pounds, 500 more than with the four-cylinder engine.