History/Overview
Hard as it may be to believe, the Kia Sportage has been part of Canada’s compact SUV class since the 1990s, when it came here with forgettable styling wrapped around engineering borrowed from Mazda. Subsequent generations established the Sportage as a well-designed, durable, and value-priced alternative to the category’s better-known names.
What’s New/Key Changes From Last Year
This year, the Kia Sportage is completely new and enters its fifth generation.
Available Trims
Kia offers the Sportage in LX, X-Line, EX, EX Premium, and X-Line Limited trims. The sole engine is a 2.5L four-cylinder, which is connected to an eight-speed transmission and an AWD system that’s standard in all trims save for LX. Note that there are also hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the new Sportage, but those are covered in their own buyer’s guide entries.
Standard Features
LX comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, auto on/off LED headlights, A/C, heated front seats, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, six-speaker audio, forward collision mitigation, lane keep/follow assist, and rear occupant alert.
X-Line adds 19-inch wheels, synthetic leather upholstery, a power driver’s seat, heated steering wheel, passive keyless entry, wireless phone charging, blind spot/ rear cross-traffic collision mitigation, and rear parking sensors.
EX gets 18-inch wheels, a heated windshield, LED fog lights, a panoramic roof, synthetic leather upholstery, dual-zone A/C, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, navigation, adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, and a more advanced collision mitigation system.
EX Premium moves back up to 19-inch wheels, and gains a power passenger seat, ventilated front/heated rear seats, a hands-free tailgate, and front parking sensors.
Finally, X-Line Limited adds digital gauges, an upgraded stereo, rear collision mitigation, highway driving assist, and blind spot and surround-view cameras.
Fuel Economy
Kia’s fuel consumption estimates are 9.3/7.4 L/100 km (city/highway) for the Sportage’s LX FWD model, and 10.4/8.5 L/100 km for the rest of the Sportage lineup with its standard all-wheel drivetrain.
Competition
If you’re interested in the Sportage, there are many other vehicles you can consider alongside it, like the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue, Volkswagen Tiguan, Jeep Cherokee, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Mazda CX-5, and Subaru Forester.
