KIA Sportage 2017

Body, cabin and cargo space

Longer by 4 cm and with 3 cm more wheelbase, the 2017 Kia Sportage displays bold new lines that obtain mixed reactions. Access is easy but wide doorsills attract grime. The cabin is roomier than before, notably in width and height, though these dimensions are unchanged outside.

Firm front seats provide good support, but the short cushion limits thigh support for tall people. High driving position, even very high, since the seat does not adjust low enough. Some test drivers found it difficult to get comfortable despite all the adjustments.

Firm rear bench has cushions that are too flat. Low seating reduces thigh support. Legroom now compares to that of larger compact SUVs. Adequate headroom for people up to 1.83 m (6 ft.) tall. Flat floor makes the middle seating position usable, if the trip is not too long. Reclining 60/40-split seatback locks in place to form a nearly flat surface when folded.

Cargo area is smaller than average: 88 cm in length with the rear seat up, only 156 cm when folded. Width is 103 cm between the wheel wells; maximum height is 76 cm. In comparison, Toyota RAV4 offers 27 cm more length behind the front seats and 17 cm more height. The plastic lining the sides will scratch very easily. A practical storage space under the floor for the luggage cover is a plus; unfortunately, the cover is standard only on EX Premium trim and up.

Finish and convenience

Much improved finish, notably thanks to new soft-touch materials on dash and doors. Sober, functional presentation is German inspired but lacks style, especially in high-end versions. More accent trim would perk up the interior, almost all black in most versions.

Major controls are simple and easy to access. Clear dials combine with an easy-to-use trip computer. Infotainment system equipped with a 20.3‑cm (8‑in.) touch screen in EX Tech and SX models. System is relatively logical except for certain secondary functions accessed by scrolling through several menus.

EX and EX Premium models have a 17.8‑cm (7‑in.) screen that is equally clear. However, Kia Sportage LX makes do with a 12.7‑cm (5‑in.) display that is too small. All have practical, well-identified knobs and buttons that facilitate access to main functions, including ventilation.

USB ports (including a charging port in the back), 12-volt outlets (two in front, one in cargo area), satellite radio and heated seats are standard. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay included starting at EX trim level. Heated steering wheel available in EX Premium and up. Hands-free power liftgate, rear seat heaters and GPS reserved for EX Tech and SX models. Practical storage spaces well distributed throughout the cabin. Nearly all buttons lighted at night.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with brake-force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Front airbags
• Front and rear side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Five head restraints (adjustable on outboard seats)
• Backup camera
• Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic monitor (standard, EX Premium, EX Tech and SX; non-available, other models)
• Lane-departure warning, frontal collision warning with automatic braking, and tire pressure monitor (standard, SX; non‑available, other models)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick

Visibility

Narrow glass surface hampers side and rear visibility; wide A-pillars restrict the view at intersections. Large door mirrors and backup camera partially offset these failings. LX and EX models, deprived of the blind-spot monitoring system, could use a wide-angle lens in the door mirrors.

Headlights: Xenon headlamps on EX Tech and SX models are very bright and provide a long, wide beam in low-beam position. Not much brighter in high-beam position but do light farther ahead. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the headlights poor overall because of excessive glare for oncoming vehicles.

Engine and transmission

The 2.4-litre engine is smooth, relatively quiet and amply powerful for a vehicle the size of the Kia Sportage. The Sportage feels much more at ease than the Hyundai Tucson whether equipped with the base 2.0-litre four-cylinder or the optional small 1.6-litre turbo.

The turbocharged 2.0-litre engine (Sportage SX) obviously delivers more power than the 2.4-litre (other Sportage models), especially in terms of pickup. The extra vigor is not really noticeable in daily driving; the $2,400 price supplement separating EX Tech and SX models is hard to justify, especially as towing capacity remains the same. At 907 kg (2,000 lb), towing capacity is still higher than the 680 kg (1,500 lb) common to the segment.

The automatic transmission is very well suited to the base engine, with smooth, instantaneous shifts to higher gears and downshifting. Strangely, when paired with the turbo engine the gearbox sometimes hesitates at low speed, making for rather jerky driving in city traffic. We’ve experienced this before with a vehicle by Hyundai equipped with this engine-transmission combination.

As good as they are, both engines share a common weakness: high fuel consumption for the segment. We registered 11.9 L/100 km in combined city-highway driving with the turbocharged engine, which corresponds more to real-life fuel consumption of a midsize SUV than that of a (small) compact SUV.

Ride and handling

Nice balance of comfort and handling, remindful of the Ford Escape, one of the best compact SUVs on the market in this respect. Well-controlled body motions with relatively little lean in curves. Firm ride is now stable and exempt of the bounce that affected the rear end of the outgoing Sportage. Only major pavement defects occasionally jolt the cabin.

Precise, well-weighted and linear steering, but little road feel. Sport mode reduces power assistance but does not increase road sensation. Powerful braking with relatively firm pedal feel and linear travel. Greatly improved soundproofing; much less road noise than before.

All-wheel drive proved adequate on the off-road course during the 2017 Automobile Journalists Association of Canada TestFest. However, we had to back up and try again on one deep rut whereas we got through on the first try with certain competing vehicles.  Torque distribution can be locked 50/50 front-to-rear at low speed to facilitate such manoeuvres.

Inspection

We noted the following points during an inspection at a CAA-Quebec technical inspection centre:

• Temporary spare standard on Sportage SX only; the other models have an inflation kit, increasing the cost of repairs after a flat
• Easy access to most maintenance items, including bulbs, air filter, wiper fluid tank (properly located on the passenger side), and engine oil filter under the vehicle
• No pole to connect battery to ground; booster cables have to be long enough to reach the battery bracket on the other side of the engine
• Sturdy four-rail platform generously covered with rust-preventive coating
• Plastic, rust-resistant gas tank
• Electric parking brake should not seize up
• Openings and electrical connectors already provided for tow hitch installation and wiring
• Paint relatively thin, but well applied