In the world of autos, it seems that there is a lot of complacency these days. We can think of several manufacturers — who shall remain nameless — that are happy delivering sub-standard products that either are not of the quality they should be, or even worse, lack any panache. Due to this rather lackadaisical attitude, other automakers have come about and are eating away at market share.
It's a beautiful thing.
2017 Kia Sportage
One such company is Kia. The Korean manufacturer, in recent years, has blossomed into a serious contender with exciting concepts and well executed products that have connected with the market. Two examples include the Optima and the Soul — people just love those hamsters.
Continuing to push forward with momentum, I was excited to get behind the wheel of the all-new, 2017 Kia Sportage. That's because of two things: 1) It definitely took some creative license from the Niro concept vehicle, and 2) Kia is hungry for business and it's always great to drive a product from a company seeking to change the game.
2017 Kia Sportage
When you're first presented with the all-new Sportage, you'll likely note that this vehicle's exterior design is quite sharp. It certainly looks more expensive than the base LX's starting price of $22,900* but it doesn't look like much else on the road. I see a little bit of Porsche Macan from the front 3/4 looking from the A-Pillar forward, but the rest is pretty unique. One thing that caught me off guard was the rear passenger windows that at a glimpse appears to be one solid piece of glass.
I made a fool of myself talking to Daniel, the product manager, saying something along the lines of "I like the one piece rear windows." Then I got in the car and noticed they're actually two piece. Damn. Happens to the best of us?
*This price does not include title, taxes and fees.
One thing I dare the doubters to do is take a look at the all-new Sportage from any angle and find anything glaringly wrong with its exterior design. My favorite touch are what Kia is calling Ice Cube LED foglights. I dig them.
Slipping behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel, I was a bit surprised. I guess Kia is taking the "sport" in Sportage seriously. Elsewhere inside you'll note the interior appears to be made of nice materials all around. As we were in the top spec SX models, the seats were leather-trimmed and there was a padded, vinyl stitched dashboard — unlike other auto makers, it didn't look like a cheap and poorly executed.
Is it Audi or the "new" Mercedes-Benz level, no. But it is very good when compared to Toyota and an upgrade over Honda's latest interiors.
An element that I found quite surprising were how supportive and nicely bolstered the seats are in the Sportage. One thing that was pointed out to me by a dear friend, Lauren Fix "The Car Coach," was that the passenger seats did not feature adjustable lumbar support. Pretty weird considering the SX is over the $30,000 mark and my beater Vollkswagen Golf has adjustable lumbar support on the base-spec cloth chairs. Could it be one cost cutting measure? Perhaps.
The Sportage's interior ergonomics are pretty straightforward with no glaring oddities that would take some getting used to. I will say that the infotainment unit is a bit disappointing to use from a user experience perspective. When you see what the best systems are doing — iDrive, COMAND and UConnect come to mind — the packaging and ease-of-use is lacking. This is something we've seen in other vehicles under the Hyundai/Kia umbrella.
What would be cool to see is Kia equipping its interiors with widescreen panels a la the Telluride concept seen at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. These days an eight-inch square screen reminds us of those big screen projector units — it feels dated.
If you're looking at snapping up a Sportage, you'll be happy to see that the back seats are spacious enough to fit four adults. Even after setting my seat for my 6'8, 265 pound frame, there was plenty of room for an adult behind me. I wouldn't feel guilty about going for an hour-long drive with a six footer back there.
So, my first impression so far is that the all-new Sportage manages to check all the boxes one would expect in a family-oriented vehicle. This is good if you're looking for an alternative to the categories typical favorites — the RAV4 and CR-V.
2017 Kia Sportage
Of course though I am sure you want to know how it drives. Let me indulge you.
After getting behind the wheel, I tapped the start button and fired up the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine. In the SX trim it's good for 240 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. It's not going to win any land speed records but it will get you to your destination with an appropriate amount of power.
While I've made it known for quite some time how much I despise four-cylinder mills, I have to say the Kia unit was pretty impressive from a noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) perspective. While no four banger can escape the inevitable groggy soundtrack, I have to say that when pushed it did not reverberate through the cabin or seats. As usual though there was a bassy quality when the vehicle is slowing down and coming to a stop.
Even better was the six-speed transmission. That's because it worked in harmony with the motor and tends to shift as quick as possible for better fuel economy. It wasn't a cheap-y continuously variable transmission (CVT) or an eight- or nine-speed box that was consistently guessing the gear you need. The Sportage's box kept it simple and changed gears as needed — what a novel concept! Here's the catch though: I wager that the Sportage could obtain better mpg though if it utilized more cogs like the other eight- or nine-speeds we're seeing hit the market. During my time with the Sportage I chalked up 21 mpg in the FWD model. I did not get any wheel time in the AWD variant.
Although "sport" may be in this Kia's name, its steering feel didn't reflect that. Honestly though, this is not a major surprise as many of today's sports cars, let alone SUVs, are not communicative. The steering feel is nicely weighted — not too heavy and artificial — and has a great "on center" feel. This is nice in a world of too darty electrically-assisted steering racks. Thankfully, unlike previous front-wheel drive Kia products I've driven, "snapback" is eliminated through turns. Snapback is when you start to unwind the wheel after a turn and it literally snaps back to center. It's something that plagued last-gen Hyundai and Kia products I piloted.
Where Kia deserves some props is its suspension tuning. That's because the all-new Sportage is exceedingly well dampened. After having a rather miserable experience in the Toyota RAV4, there's no question that the Sportage's ride is much more compliant and comfortable.
Two things I did pick up on though: 1) Over bumps there is a rather hollow sound through the chassis, not sure what to make of it, and 2) there is an awful lot of tire noise, especially from the rear end of the new Sportage. After comparing notes with a couple folks in the space I respect, this was something that continued to get mentioned.
I didn't have much time to evaluate how the Sportage kept its composure during cornering or the many desert switchbacks we went through — my passenger came down with a bout of carsickness. Thankfully, she didn't toss her cookies. What I can say is that its body will lean a bit if you're getting aggressive with it but it didn't leave a sloppy impression.
Overall, I have to say that I was impressed with Kia's latest SUV. While the company has worked very hard to change brand perception, I still don't think buyers will give cars like the Sportage the credit they deserve. In addition, I don't think people's first thought is to pop into a Kia dealer when considering an all-new vehicle.
Here's what I can tell you, however. First, if you're in the market for an SUV in the Sportage's price range, I would highly recommend you test drive the Sportage. Not only does it look good on the outside, it's even better on the inside. And its beauty isn't only skin deep — it drives pretty damn good too. Second, every Kia owner I've spoken with has praised their respective vehicle and tend to revisit the company when it comes time to upgrade or get into a new set of wheels. Clearly, the automaker is doing something right.
The Good:
- I have to tell you, boys and girls, I am seriously digging where Peter Schreyer is taking this brand's design — the Sportage looks great to my eyes
- Nicer interior materials than class-competitive products
- Excellent ride quality that puts the RAV4 to shame
The Bad:
- Excessive tire noise, especially from the rear end
- MPG is OK but I think if Kia opted for a eight or nine-speed autobox it would get better than 21 miles to the gallon
- No lumbar support in the passenger seat of a $30,000+ vehicle is unacceptable
The Lowdown:
So, let me break it down for you. The all-new Kia Sportage has a nice exterior design, its interior is quite a nice place to be and its overall driving experience is better than the competitive set it is placed against. What's holding you back from giving it a shot? Kia continues to evolve as a company and brand that should have its competition concerned. As a consumer, you owe it to yourself to take one for a drive and see for yourself. I did.
2017 Kia Sportage
