Her + His Car Reviews
2017 Kia Sportage SX AWD Turbo
There are two sides to everything, right? To keep our car reviews innovative and interesting, we provide an animated, insightful, and detailed POV's on the same car from - Her + His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate, women-drivers.com
His: Don Hammonds, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| HER | HIS |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| $34,895 | It had a base price of $34,000, and had all wheel drive with a locking center differential. We hasten to add that the SX with a turbocharged engine is at the very top of the Sportage lineup. The other versions cost a lot less, starting at $22,990 and still are very attractive buys. |
| Performance | |
| The 2017 Kia Sportage 6 Speed Automotive Transmission has a reinforcing 237 horsepower with decent acceleration on the highways and hills. We expected a little more punch with the 2.4-liter engine. Steering is responsive and quick on this new redesign. Quite a handler. AWD is optional. | Our test car was a lavishly equipped SX equipped with a 2.0 liter turbocharged, 237 horsepower, direct fuel injection four cylinder engine and a six speed automatic transmission. |
| Fuel Economy | |
| Dissapointing 20 city miles, 23 highway miles and 21 overall | Gas mileage was 21 miles per gallon overall, 20 in the city and 23 on the highway. It uses 4.8 gallons of gas per 100 miles, and you spend $1,750 more in gas costs over five years compared to the average new vehicle. It has an annual fuel cost of $1,750 and costs $7,000 over five years for gasoline. Figures are based on driving 15,000 miles a year at a cost of $2.45 a gallon gasoline. |
| The Vehicle | |
| Almost all aspects of this redesided 2017 Kia Sportage are a plus. The upscale look and feel of the car and details are most notable. The cabin is definitely quiet - and an improvement from years past. The SUV comfortably seats five adults, and the back seats recline. Easy folding 60/40 split back seats allow for versatility when packing or organizing. The panaramoic sunroof is larger than last year, too. Smart "hands free" power liftgate allows driver to use feet to engage and open rear door. Heated leather wrap steering wheel. For moms with a couple of babies in tow, this model is not your first choice, primarily due to special considerations. Space is a premium so where to put a couple of strollers, plus grocery bags? Rather, this may be the vehicle to consider, once they get to be toddlers or older. |
The little Sportage comes off as the Little SUV That Could. It's truly a blast to drive, sporty and strong handling, centered, on-point steering, and little features that will win your heart like a chime to signal that you are in reverse gear, a large letter on the gauge to tell you what gear you are in, and instructions for Bluetooth that are large, legible and numbered.
Issues? Well, the first one is that the fuel economy figures we mentioned above are only fair compared to competitors like the Honda CR-V which gets five more miles to the gallon. This needs to be addressed quickly. Another issue I that you don't get as much room for cargo in the Sportage which has 60.1 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks folded down. Again, compare that to one of the class leaders, the Toyota RAV4. It offers 73.3 cubes and the CR-V offers 70.9. But the biggest challenge for the Sportage is that consumers still have a tinge of reluctance to buy a Kia--out of ignorance, as far as we are concerned. Kia is now ranked as one of the best brands around for reliability. And the other part of the issue is heritage, familiarity and charisma are currently favoring more familiar brands like Toyota and Honda. But be warned, competitors. Kia's Sportage is by far your biggest competitors. It's way prettier, lavishly equipped and a lot more fun to drive than its peers at other brands. Kia's got you in its crosshairs, and you will soon find yourself scrapping for every buyer with a very formidable competitor--the Sportage. |
| Safety | |
| Driver Air Bag, Passenger Air Bag, Rear Air Bag, Side Head Air Bag, Rear Head Air Bag, ABS, Brake Assist, Electroni Stability Control, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning, Emergency Trunk Release, Traction Control System, Rollover Protection System, ChildSafety Locks, Integrated Turn Signal Mirros, Autonomous Emergency Braking,Front/Rear Parking Assist System, Tire pressure Monitoring System. | Safety equipment includes dual front advanced airbags, rear view camera--a boon because visibility is somewhat tough from the rear, front seat mounted side airbags, antilock brakes, full length side curtain airbags traction control and electronic stability control, downhill brake and hill start assist control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. SX Turbo additionally includes a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, a forward collision mitigation system with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and front and rear parking sensors. These items are optional on the Sportage EX, with the blind-spot monitor/cross-traffic alert included in the Premium package and the other items included in the Technology package. |
| Technology | |
| Features a plenty in this year's Sportage. Starting with Satellite Radio and HD Radio, Harman Kardon audio system, USB port, Bluetooth for hands free driving, Rearview camera. Our 8" touch screen commands quickly respond when pressed. Other tasks - like the temperature, changing stations or volume - are controlled by knobs which are much easier to manage and use. We like this very much so driver doesn't have to take eye off of road nor contend with the sun and visibility. Heated Side Mirrors, Customized Climate Control, Gigantic Panaramoic Sunroof, Push-Button Start, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay. Blind spot monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Front & Rear Parking Sensors, Lane Departure Warning Automatic High Beams, Front & Rear Parking Sensors, Automatic Pre-collision Braking, Hands-Free Power Liftgate. |
TThe LX comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED running lights, automatic headlights, rear privacy-tinted windows, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, rear climate vents, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, a 5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth and a six-speaker sound system with a USB port, an auxiliary input jack and satellite radio. The EX upgrades to 18-inch wheels, fog lights, heated mirrors, roof rails, a gloss-black grille, a windshield-wiper de-icer, dual illuminated vanity mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, leather upholstery, heated front seats, an eight-way power driver seat (with power lumbar), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a rear USB charging port and a 7-inch touchscreen with the latest version of Kia's Uvo infotainment system (including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto). The SX Turbo boasts 19-inch wheels, adaptive xenon headlights, automatic high beams, LED fog lights and taillights, power-folding mirrors with LED turn signals, a sport-tuned suspension, a hands-free power tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, LED interior lighting, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a heated flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle shifters, an upgraded driver information display, an eight-way power passenger seat, ventilated front seats, dashboard accent stitching, gloss-black interior accents, an 8-inch touchscreen interface, a navigation system and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. If you buy a lower level model, you can add some of the standard features found on the more expensive Sportage as option. For the LX, the Popular package adds the roof rails, heated mirrors, windshield-wiper de-icer, power driver seat, heated front seats and illuminated vanity mirrors, while the Cool and Connected package throws in the 7-inch touchscreen with UVO and the automatic climate control. For the EX, the Premium package adds the panoramic sunroof, power-folding mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, LED interior lighting and heated steering wheel (though this wheel lacks the SX Turbo's flat-bottom design and shift paddles), while the Technology package tacks on the automatic high beams, hands-free power tailgate, ventilated front seats, power passenger seat, 8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon audio system. Kia's Uvo telematics suite, standard on the EX and SX Turbo trims (and optional on LX), includes emergency and roadside assistance, stolen vehicle tracking, geo-fencing and speed tracking (allowing parents to set limits for teen drivers) and other smartphone-enabled features accessible via the Uvo app. |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| Looking very Porsche-esque from the exterior, the 2017 Kia has exquisite design language that hints luxe throughout. Hence the value proposition of this vehicle. It's a top seller and a 'best buy' stamped on it. Harman Kardon speakers ooze of the type of details that Kia incorporates.
On our wish list is a check for more fuel economy. And, while all the gadgetry is impressive, 'roominess' will help carry the day for women drivers. |
Kia has reaped dividends from having a former head designer from Audi being at the helm of Kia's styling and design. It is the most distinctive and muscular looking compact SUV on the market, and it looks like nothing else on the road. You know what you are looking at. It has an eager look to it even standing still. The interior is beautiful and well done with a high quality in materials and presentation. You will sit in it and swear you are sitting in a baby Lexus or Infiniti. One very cool car. |
| Warranty | |
| Kia dominates: 10 year/100,000 mile Powertrain warranty, 5 year/60,000 mile limited Basic warranty, 5 year/60,000 mile Roadside Assistance Plan. | 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, five year/60,000 mile limited basic warranty, five year/60,000 mile roadside assistance plan. All in all, a better deal than can be had in Sportage's competitors. |
