2017 Kia Sportage First Drive The Alternative RDX
If you do not know, Kia on a roll. Sales have more than doubled since 09, propelling Kia from a size Mazda player in the US market to that outsold established brands like Subaru, GMC, Chrysler and Volkswagen.
The transformation of Kia may seem a makeover -day and night, but a closer examination reveals that it is really the result of consistent incremental improvements to its products, designs and frequent updates, and astute prices.
You can think of the Sportage as the last piece of the evolutionary puzzle Kia. Sales can be on a roll for the Korean automaker, but the Sportage has never sold in large numbers. He finished 14th in a segment of 17 models last year. (The Sportage beat the Volkswagen Tiguan, Mitsubishi Outlander and Chevrolet Captiva Sport). It could be that the Kia Sorento has done a better job of nipping at the heels of the mid-trim Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V models. For 2017, Kia Sportage gives us a new addition aims at Mazda and Ford than Toyota.
Exterior
While luxury brands generally p rovide the "sausage, different lengths" school of design, Kia opts to put the nose even on slightly different themes vehicles. therefore, instead of an 8 / 10ths Sorento, Sportage more like the love child of a Sorento and Porsche Macan front, and there is a hint of Ford Escape rear.
Continuing the tribute Porsche, the Sportage has a distinctly broad look from some angles, and is not an optical illusion. the 2017 Sportage is the widest in the segment despite also being one of the shortest in length. It also sports a wheelbase that is longer than the half inch and two inches RAV4 more comprehensive than the CR-V, giving the Sportage a "wheels at the corners" look.
The compact exterior is further highlighted by the blunt front end and rear bumper, which extends beyond the penalty tailgate. The result is a cross with boxier proportions that several entries minivan-esque, like the CR-V.
Interior
Although the Sportage is more compact outside the bulk of the segment, the long wheelbase and effective packaging yield a more spacious interior. With 79.7 inches of combined legs, Kia land in the middle of the pack, and the width of the additional cabin is noticeable w hen mounting three people across the rear bench. Unfortunately, Doctor Who was not called to design the interior, so that the compact exterior dimensions take their toll on the bay where you find only 30 cubic feet of space -. About 20 percent less than Toyota RAV4 offer in the
Although the Sportage bases are shared with the Hyundai Tucson, Kia changes are remarkable. Although power seats, lumbar and leather upholstery are far from unique in this segment, the Tucson has an entry price stiffer for these characteristics and the Sportage has the lowest. base LX ($ 23,885 after destination) models get adjustable seats manually, but an option of $ 1,100 on the LX upgrades seat fabric adds warmth and gives 10 seats through the drivers power adjustment with 2 power lumbar tract. The model EX $ 26,395 gets you leather seats for $ 3,000 less than the Honda CR-V.
Infotainment
Infotainment is becoming more important for the average crossover client and Kia is to not let grow grass underfoot. Base LX models get a 5-inch touchscreen entertainment system with Bluetooth streaming, iPod interface and XM Satellite Radio.
Optional for LX and standard on EX, a 7-inch touc h screen system has the latest software from UVO. The new model includes standard Apple carplay, Android Auto, 8 GB of music storage and the latest Kia telematics software.
Optional on EX and SX series is a capacitive touch screen of 8 inches (the same type of screen technology you find on modern tablet computers) that uses the same software as the screen smaller. Bundled with the snazzier LCD is a 310W eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, power tailgate, ventilated front seats and Kia active safety package. This option is the only way to get autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, parking sensors front and rear and a compact spare tire instead of fix-a-flat box .
Training
As before, there are two engines under the hood. Things begin with a direct-injection four-cylinder engine 2.4-liter good for 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. The base engine compares favorably to the meat of the segment. If you need more power, Kia is one of the few brands to offer a turbocharged 2.0-liter.
The new 2.0-liter turbo actually makes less power than the engine last year because Kia re-tuned the engi ne for more low-end torque. For 2017, the new turbo makes 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, a decrease of 20 horsepower and 9 lb-ft compared to last year, although the couple comes to a boil 400 rpm earlier. Either engine can be equipped with a system of forecasting all-wheel drive for $ 1500.
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predictive AWD system Kia is something of a unicorn in the segment. According to Magna, the manufacturer of the coupling all-wheel drive, Kia clipping the rear axle slightly, as in her Acura SH-AWD system to give the Sportage a (very) slight bias-effective power back.
The smooth solution is an interesting twist for Kia in a segment where the all-wheel drive capability is less important than ever. The CR-V system is designed to clear when the going gets tough, Subaru dropped its true center differential in favor of a clutch pack and a wheel before polarization high. AWD can even prefer to leave the Cherokee wheelspin occur before sending power to the rear for efficiency reasons. Even on the roads of sand desert in Southern California, the Sportage was more likely to turn all four wheels of a judgment just before the rubber.
2017 brings great unexpected 333 pound weight gain on high-end trim. Reading between the lines in the presentation, the gain comes mainly from the optional features that you find on the SX from the "body in white" is actually a lighter hair than before. Now weighing 3,997 poun ds fully loaded, the Sportage is more than 400 pounds over a Mazda CX-5. On the other hand, the extra weight brought added refinement. On the broken pavement, highway expansion joints, and soft-road, the Sportage feels more like a Volvo XC60 a CX-5, while handling is sitting only a whisker behind a Tiguan R- line.
The Tiguan comparison is particularly relevant. With 245 / 40R19 on the SX trim, the probable Kia manages the CX-5 with regard to lateral Gs (we did not have access to our usual test facilities). But as the Tiguan, "feel" is where Mazda wins. The CX-5 feels like a Mazda3 on stilts with more feedback and the clear sensation of overall road. The direction of the Kia is precise and well weighted, but there are few reviews of front tires as most cars with electric power steering.
Like the Tiguan, the Sportage excels when it comes to handling, but acceleration is somewhat muted. Because Kia has added weight and subtracted power, our tester has applied 0-60 sprint in 7.5 seconds, especially below the 6.1 we clocked to 2012 Sportage SX we last tested. This probably makes the Sportage on par with the 2.0-liter Ecoboost Ford Explorer and Toyota RAV4 hybrid, but behind the Subaru Forester XT.
Respectable performance, quiet cabin, sporty handling and engaging AWD system come at a price, but that price is not the dealer - it is at the pump. Mazda CX-5 in his less effective form of AWD 2.5 liter delivers 24/30/26 mpg (city / highway / combined), which is higher than most effective hair trim front-wheel drive of the Sportage at 23/30/26. The Sportage AWD we spent most of the day was valued at 20/23/21, but spirited driving kept our average break of 19.5 mpg. Adding AWD cut fuel economy up to 15 percent depending on your choice of engine, probably because the Kia system is so eager to send power to the rear.
Despite the changes, the Sportage and Sorento still have a large overlap in prices. Accordingly, the buyer notified looking more for its money is likely to gravitate towards the larger two-row crossover. That said, Kia has managed to differentiate the Sportage more than they have in the past with improved driving dynamics and an appropriate price tag.
This award is real victory of Kia. The 2017 Sportage is a compact crossover with less carplay Apple, Android Auto and leather - three characteristics that are on my must-have list. The grouping of options is my biggest complaint with the Hyundai Tucson link ed. The Hyundai, you should upgrade to the Limited $ 30,000 to obtain popular features like leather, dual zone climate control, integration advanced smartphone or navigation.
Thanks to the improved dynamics, excellent performan ce and a comfortable interior, the Sportage links with the Mazda CX-5 for my second favorite entry in this segment. The CX-5 feels light and agile, but the Sportage feels more luxurious, and the turbo engine and wide tires, you will get around faster mountain twisties. Mazda is more attractive, but the Kia is more comfortable.
Despite the Sportage snagging a spot on my list of top personal pick, I suspect that the Sportage is destined to remain a niche player. Although I am willing to forget the poor fuel economy in trade for better dynamics, many buyers are not. Finally, there is again that Sorrento. A Sportage SX AWD rings at $ 34,895 and can be found on the same lot as dealers $ 33.795 Sorento EX. The Sorento will give you six inches more leg combined, 33 percent more cargo capacity, and a front end more beautiful for almost the same price while offering an almost identical fuel economy and performance. Of course, the Sportage is more fun, but big-boy crossover Kia is a better deal.
Kia provided the vehicle during a San Diego launch event. Kia also provided meals, lodging and transportation.
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