SPORTAGE EYES CLASS OF CROSSOVERS
Well-equipped with myriad standard safety features and loads of curb appeal, the revamped 2017 Kia Sportage SX delivers in the supercompetitive crossover small SUV category.
Kia and Hyundai SUVs have improved by leaps and bounds in recent years and the Sportage SX’s complete redesign is aimed at climbing the sales ladder in the crossover field. Having to compete with popular foes like category leaders the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape and Subaru Forester certainly makes for a steep climb.
But despite a significant uptick in 2016 sales, Hyundai/Kia ordered a shake-up of its top-level North American management last year in the hopes of garnering bigger market share.
The Sportage is jammed with standard features on all trim levels, maxing out
at the top-of-the-line SX. As you approach the Sportage SX, the sideview mirror automatically folds out, greeting you with a courtesy lamp. After you slide into the “just-the-right-height” black leather seats, the door closes with an authoritative thump.
A quick look around the lacquered-finished dash leaves you with the impression that the vehicle is wellconstructed.
The interior is comfortable for five and road noise is muted. The optional panoramic sunroof filled the space with light and though the cargo space is not as roomy as others in the class, I liked the adjustable rear seat backs, which provided a few extra inches to stow my gear.
Soft-touch plastics, wellplaced controls, a sharp twogauge dash and an 8-inch touch screen infotainment center stood out as stylish and easy to use. When you grab the sporty, squared-off leather-wrapped steering wheel, hit the start button and drop the shifter into drive, the Sportage roars to life. It’s a quick-accelerating machine and easy driver with the 2-liter, 240-horsepower turbocharged engine turning all four wheels through a six-speed automatic. I averaged a so-so 21 mpg in mixed driving, which is a bit on the low side in the class.
The Sportage handles deftly and maneuvers lightly. The shorter wheelbase, along with the back-up camera, give a nice perspective and alarms count down the inches to the nearest bumper when parking. Our tester also offered adaptive cruise control, forward and rear collision alerts, blind-spot monitoring and lane-drift warnings.
With five trim levels to shop starting at around $21,000, our maxed out SX rings in at $35,095.