What is it?
Kia's compact crossover occupies the sportier end of the segment thanks to its available 240-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine found in our loaner. Like other new turbocharged cars in Kia's lineup, it's actually down on power compared to the model it replaces. While it's not unusual for power levels to fluctuate between model years, a 20-horsepower dip coinciding with a redesign is a fairly significant departure. There's a torque deficit too, though not one quite so significant (260lb-ft vs. 269 in the outgoing model).
All Sportage models come standard with a six-speed automatic. Our turbo/all-wheel-drive combo is rated at 20 mpg in the city, 23 on the highway and 21 combined. Front-wheel drive models get a bump across the board to 21/26/23. It'll also tow up to 2,000lbs if your trailer has brakes.
If you're familiar with the previous-gen Sportage, you may be aware that these fuel economy numbers are kind of a mixed bag. While the engine tune may be slightly less aggressive than it was prior, the powerplant has been saddled with more work to do. Across the range, the 2017 Sportage has gained quite a bit of weight--330lbs in our tester, in fact.
This, then, is probably a good time to mention the advantages of the Sportage's new platform. While it hasn't gotten appreciably bigger, the new Sportage does boast a longer wheelbase. Since its fundamental suspension architecture is also shared with Hyundai and Kia midsize sedans, the combination of extra space between the axles and a multi-link rear suspension means ride quality improvements. There's also a tad more legroom both front and rear, but the biggest improvement comes in the rear cargo area, where the new Sportage has gained 4 cubic feet of space with the rear bench up (6 cubes with them folded flat).
What's it up against?
The Sportage has sold surprisingly poorly in a class which includes the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Chevrolet Equinox and others. Our tester is aimed at the performance end of the segment, taking the fight to the Ford Escapes, Subaru Foresters and V6-powered offerings in the segment. Kia is hoping its revisions will help improve sales on a model which, for context, was outsold by the Mazda CX-5 in 2015 by a margin of more than two-to-one.
And that was in a year where the Sportage saw a 25% increase in volume.
What does it look like?
Worse. The old Sportage may not have been a supermodel, but it looked fine. Somehow, we can't help but feel like the 2017 represents a pretty substantial downgrade in that department. Where the outgoing Sportage was perhaps a bit bland and unremarkable, the new one has gone a little too far in the other direction.
The new grille treatment was expected, and it aligns just fine with the rest of Kia's lineup. The bulging ridges on the hood aren't exactly subtle, but they're forgivable. After that, things get a little... weird.
Let's start with the headlamps. They've crept rearward and lost their angled, sharp outlines. They're far more organic, and top-end models take that look a step further with some almost insect-like bulb design. The etymological theme continues in the fog lamps, where a set of rounded square LEDs sits rather prominently in the top of each housing.
Those thirsting for convention will find it in the Sportage's side profile and rear end. From the side, the Sportage looks entirely normal, with a rising body line leaving the front quarter panel near the top of the fender arch and rising along the lower edge of the greenhouse and terminating just above the wrap-around tail lamps. A complementary line rises from the front door panel near the bottom of the fender, terminating mid-way up the rear fender arch. Nothing crazy here.
The story is the same out back. Our SX boasted a rather pronounced spoiler, a stainless-look skidplate finish, dual exhaust outlets and a single piece of bright trim connecting the taillights below the rear glass. It's a surprisingly angular finish to a design that starts off so flowing in the front. That's not a bad thing, mind you. In fact, we think the Sportage looks best when viewed from the rear 3/4 angle.
And the inside?
The 2017 Sportage has an interior to be proud of. This is an area in which Kia has really come a long way in the last six or seven years, upgrading both its materials and design to deliver something that is much more in line with the upper-tier offerings in its cars' respective classes.
The center console and stack both received significant overhauls, with the former losing some of its arbitrary shape-within-a-shape look in favor of a cleaner, more consistent look with less variance in materials and finish. Below the shifter, you'll find toggles for drive mode, hill descent control, the center differential lock and park assist.
Moving upward, gloss black trim surrounds the primary climate and HVAC controls. An in-set pillar on the driver's side gives the impression of a floating panel. The touchscreen sits front and center, and gone are the back-swept air vents and, again, the contrasting trim pieces. It's a much cleaner, more focused look all around.
Our SX model also showed off a few unique touches, including a flat-bottomed, "SX"-branded steering wheel with integrated paddle shifters--a nice addition. Oh, and did we mention it's heated?
Kia is also on top of the smartphone integration game. Many of its models already support Apple CarPlay, with Android Auto on the way via updates to existing hardware (read: a trip to the dealership), and the Sportage is no exception.
Overall, we were very pleased with the Sportage's interior, but what really impressed us the most was how few hoops you're required to jump through to get it. Our loaner had zero--count 'em, zero--additional packages or bundles. In fact, the only option on this trim is all-wheel drive. It's nice, for once, not to see features like autonomous driving aids or a panoramic sunroof bundled into "chase" packages designed to get you to spend $2,800 just for one must-have feature.
But does it go?
The old Sportage SX was reasonably engaging to pilot. It had its faults (especially in the steering), but its relatively light weight and ample power made for a worthwhile drive.
The 2017 has improved on this in some ways, but taken steps back in others. We touched on the weight gain before, but this is where it really matters. The added mass likely contributes to the new car's quieter and more sedate highway demeanor, but it also makes the car feel more sluggish off the line. Remember, too, that the new car is down on power.
We'd have to run them side-by-side to find out just how much of that sensation is simply in our heads, but we could not get over how much less punchy the new model feels off the line, Sport driving mode or no Sport driving mode.
The good news is that the steering is finally coming around. The new Sportage is more responsive to wheel inputs and there's significantly more feedback. It still won't touch a CX-5 in that department, but it's on the right track.
Leftlane's bottom line
The 2017 Sportage isn't quite a game-changer, but it's building upon a package that was already pretty darned good. With our enthusiast hats on, we'd prefer the outgoing model, but for the average consumer, the 2017's formula seems to be right on the money. The question is, can they sell them?
2017 Kia Sportage SX AWD base price, $34,000; as-tested; $34,895
Destination, $895
Source
Kia's compact crossover occupies the sportier end of the segment thanks to its available 240-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine found in our loaner. Like other new turbocharged cars in Kia's lineup, it's actually down on power compared to the model it replaces. While it's not unusual for power levels to fluctuate between model years, a 20-horsepower dip coinciding with a redesign is a fairly significant departure. There's a torque deficit too, though not one quite so significant (260lb-ft vs. 269 in the outgoing model).
All Sportage models come standard with a six-speed automatic. Our turbo/all-wheel-drive combo is rated at 20 mpg in the city, 23 on the highway and 21 combined. Front-wheel drive models get a bump across the board to 21/26/23. It'll also tow up to 2,000lbs if your trailer has brakes.
If you're familiar with the previous-gen Sportage, you may be aware that these fuel economy numbers are kind of a mixed bag. While the engine tune may be slightly less aggressive than it was prior, the powerplant has been saddled with more work to do. Across the range, the 2017 Sportage has gained quite a bit of weight--330lbs in our tester, in fact.
This, then, is probably a good time to mention the advantages of the Sportage's new platform. While it hasn't gotten appreciably bigger, the new Sportage does boast a longer wheelbase. Since its fundamental suspension architecture is also shared with Hyundai and Kia midsize sedans, the combination of extra space between the axles and a multi-link rear suspension means ride quality improvements. There's also a tad more legroom both front and rear, but the biggest improvement comes in the rear cargo area, where the new Sportage has gained 4 cubic feet of space with the rear bench up (6 cubes with them folded flat).
What's it up against?
The Sportage has sold surprisingly poorly in a class which includes the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Chevrolet Equinox and others. Our tester is aimed at the performance end of the segment, taking the fight to the Ford Escapes, Subaru Foresters and V6-powered offerings in the segment. Kia is hoping its revisions will help improve sales on a model which, for context, was outsold by the Mazda CX-5 in 2015 by a margin of more than two-to-one.
And that was in a year where the Sportage saw a 25% increase in volume.
What does it look like?
Worse. The old Sportage may not have been a supermodel, but it looked fine. Somehow, we can't help but feel like the 2017 represents a pretty substantial downgrade in that department. Where the outgoing Sportage was perhaps a bit bland and unremarkable, the new one has gone a little too far in the other direction.
The new grille treatment was expected, and it aligns just fine with the rest of Kia's lineup. The bulging ridges on the hood aren't exactly subtle, but they're forgivable. After that, things get a little... weird.
Let's start with the headlamps. They've crept rearward and lost their angled, sharp outlines. They're far more organic, and top-end models take that look a step further with some almost insect-like bulb design. The etymological theme continues in the fog lamps, where a set of rounded square LEDs sits rather prominently in the top of each housing.
Those thirsting for convention will find it in the Sportage's side profile and rear end. From the side, the Sportage looks entirely normal, with a rising body line leaving the front quarter panel near the top of the fender arch and rising along the lower edge of the greenhouse and terminating just above the wrap-around tail lamps. A complementary line rises from the front door panel near the bottom of the fender, terminating mid-way up the rear fender arch. Nothing crazy here.
The story is the same out back. Our SX boasted a rather pronounced spoiler, a stainless-look skidplate finish, dual exhaust outlets and a single piece of bright trim connecting the taillights below the rear glass. It's a surprisingly angular finish to a design that starts off so flowing in the front. That's not a bad thing, mind you. In fact, we think the Sportage looks best when viewed from the rear 3/4 angle.
And the inside?
The 2017 Sportage has an interior to be proud of. This is an area in which Kia has really come a long way in the last six or seven years, upgrading both its materials and design to deliver something that is much more in line with the upper-tier offerings in its cars' respective classes.
The center console and stack both received significant overhauls, with the former losing some of its arbitrary shape-within-a-shape look in favor of a cleaner, more consistent look with less variance in materials and finish. Below the shifter, you'll find toggles for drive mode, hill descent control, the center differential lock and park assist.
Moving upward, gloss black trim surrounds the primary climate and HVAC controls. An in-set pillar on the driver's side gives the impression of a floating panel. The touchscreen sits front and center, and gone are the back-swept air vents and, again, the contrasting trim pieces. It's a much cleaner, more focused look all around.
Our SX model also showed off a few unique touches, including a flat-bottomed, "SX"-branded steering wheel with integrated paddle shifters--a nice addition. Oh, and did we mention it's heated?
Kia is also on top of the smartphone integration game. Many of its models already support Apple CarPlay, with Android Auto on the way via updates to existing hardware (read: a trip to the dealership), and the Sportage is no exception.
Overall, we were very pleased with the Sportage's interior, but what really impressed us the most was how few hoops you're required to jump through to get it. Our loaner had zero--count 'em, zero--additional packages or bundles. In fact, the only option on this trim is all-wheel drive. It's nice, for once, not to see features like autonomous driving aids or a panoramic sunroof bundled into "chase" packages designed to get you to spend $2,800 just for one must-have feature.
But does it go?
The old Sportage SX was reasonably engaging to pilot. It had its faults (especially in the steering), but its relatively light weight and ample power made for a worthwhile drive.
The 2017 has improved on this in some ways, but taken steps back in others. We touched on the weight gain before, but this is where it really matters. The added mass likely contributes to the new car's quieter and more sedate highway demeanor, but it also makes the car feel more sluggish off the line. Remember, too, that the new car is down on power.
We'd have to run them side-by-side to find out just how much of that sensation is simply in our heads, but we could not get over how much less punchy the new model feels off the line, Sport driving mode or no Sport driving mode.
The good news is that the steering is finally coming around. The new Sportage is more responsive to wheel inputs and there's significantly more feedback. It still won't touch a CX-5 in that department, but it's on the right track.
Leftlane's bottom line
The 2017 Sportage isn't quite a game-changer, but it's building upon a package that was already pretty darned good. With our enthusiast hats on, we'd prefer the outgoing model, but for the average consumer, the 2017's formula seems to be right on the money. The question is, can they sell them?
2017 Kia Sportage SX AWD base price, $34,000; as-tested; $34,895
Destination, $895
Source
