The Lemon Index2008 Kia Sportage.
The 2008 Kia Sportage has too few complaints to score: 18 in its first 3 years. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 19 to 22 mpg combined. The best Kia Sportage year is 2010.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 98 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Kia Sportage year. 2008 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 45K to 124K miles on the car (64 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- electrical complaints mostly came at 48K–140K miles
Recalls 3
- brakes 2022
An engine compartment fire originating from around the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may occur while parked or driving.
- electrical 2016
The wire harness cover on the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may be improperly sealed allowing water to get onto the HECU circuit board.
- lights 2013
Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Kia told dealers about
Kia sent dealers 24 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides…
- Combined tsb/service action-ecm upgrade-mil o with dtc p0130/p0150
- MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenHyundai and kia abs module fires2023
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Check engine light came on from day one. Almost always when tank of gas was at the 3/4 mark. Compressor makes loud noise after idling a while, and transmission slips and does not change properly.
2008 Kia Sportage owner · NHTSA complaint 10245342
More owner reports
Accelerated after a stop sign and the transmission felt like it as struggling to switch gears. Like it was slipping.
NHTSA complaint 10330574
2008 Kia Sportage had problems from day one. Consumer had problem with check engine light and vehicle would not start.
NHTSA complaint 10242610
Quick answers
Is the 2008 Kia Sportage reliable?
There isn't enough data to score it: owners filed only 18 complaints in its first 3 years.
What are the most common 2008 Kia Sportage problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (22%), engine (17%) and electrical (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2008 Kia Sportage have?
3 safety recalls (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2008 Kia Sportage get?
19 to 22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2008 Kia Sportage problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 45,800 and 124,500 miles. The middle report was at 80,500 miles, from 64 complaints.
Does the 2008 Kia Sportage have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 22% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2008 Kia Sportage cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2008 Kia Sportage have?
2.0L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl.
What Kia Sportage year is better than the 2008?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2022 and 2021.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works