The compact crossover is easily one of the most competitive segments. Almost every automaker makes one and with so many options to choose from, how do you weed through the good and bad? There are the obvious heavyweights of the class, like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, but maybe you’d like something that isn’t sitting in every driveway in your neighborhood? Well there’s the excellent Mazda CX-5 and what about the stylish Kia Sportage? The Kia Sportage was one of Kia’s first models when it entered the US in the mid-1990s and 20 years later Kia has positioned it as the sportier and more stylish alternative to its Honda, Toyota and Nissan rivals.
After a week with the 2017 Kia Sportage, here are five things that I either loved or hated about Kia’s smallest crossover:
2Would you like a turbo with that?
The Sportage offers buyers a choice between a 2.4L four-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft. of torque or a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder with 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque. On paper the turbocharged engine looks like the engine to get but it comes at a cost. Not only can you only get it on the top spec SX Turbo model that starts at $32,700, but it also takes a big hit to your fuel economy. The base engine gets up to 23/30 mpg, while the front-wheel drive SX Turbo is only rated at 21/26. During my week with the SX Turbo all-wheel drive I only averaged 20 mpg.
Even though the turbocharged engine will include a few more stops at the gas station, it does provide pretty ample power accelerating from a stop or trying to merge on the highway. Luckily it’s also mated to a responsive six-speed automatic transmission and there are three different driving modes to suit your taste.
