In addition to being well laid out, the interior offers plenty of storage space. In front of the instrument panel are two of the 2005 Kia Sportage's eight cupholders, with the remaining six located in the doors and rear center armrest. Other storage in the passenger area includes nets on the backs of the front seats; small cubbies in the center console; an adjustable, lined front center armrest with dual compartments; an overhead console that features a sunglass holder and maplights; and storage pockets built into all four doors. The total cargo area behind the rear seats is 23.6 cubic feet (in comparison, the Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape offer about 29 cubic feet of cargo room), but that expands to 66.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded (68.3 for the RAV4 and 66.3 for the Escape). Since the rear seatbacks are constructed of hard plastic, a durable cargo floor is provided when the seats are folded. Kia calls these "drop & fold" rear seats; using a simple lever on the back of the seats, the rear seat cushion moves forward and down into the footwell as the seatback comes down to fold nearly flat, and the headrests do not need to be removed. It's simple and makes efficient use of cargo space. Adding to the utility are a cargo light, a soft cargo cover, a liftgate handle, and a storage cubby located under the cargo floor (with a temporary spare tire located under the cubby). The rear liftgate features separate releases for the both the door and the window, allowing for quick and easy access. While hard, shiny plastic is used in the cargo area, much of the rest of the interior is dressed in hard plastic with a tasteful matte finish, giving it a more upscale look. Soft touches are delivered via the padded door and center armrests, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and soft cloth seating material. For those who prefer cowhide, there's the EX Leather Package that covers both the seats and door inserts.
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