2018 Kia Sportage Road Test and Review

2019 Kia Sportage in mountains ・ Photo by Kia

The Kia lineup has grown significantly over the years, but one mainstay that dates back to its earliest days in America is the Sportage small SUV. For years, the Sportage was the brand’s signature vehicle, and it remains an important part of the lineup today.

One big change since the 1990s is the Sportage’s increased product quality. It fared very well in the most recent J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, besting the Honda HR-V and Toyota C-HR among others. The Sportage also ranked well above average in the research firm’s Automotive Performance Execution and Layout study. For 2018, the Sportage receives only minor changes, since it was all-new for the 2017 model year. 

Twin Personality Driving Impressions

Back in the day, the Sportage was a body-on-frame little truck with a cute sport-ute body. Today the body is still cute, but the vehicle is a typical modern unibody crossover. Because of that, the Sportage handles like a tall compact car. The elevated driving position gives you somewhat better visibility than you’d have in a Kia Forte, but the similarities are there.

With its base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, the Sportage feels powerful enough, but there is nothing particularly sporty about it. The suspension tuning skews toward ride comfort. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four with 59 additional horsepower is transformative. It’s still no sports car, but the acceleration can be addictive.

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Handsome Interior

No one will mistake the Sportage’s interior for that of a luxury suv, but Kia interiors have come a long way. The materials aren’t rich, but the design is clean, straightforward, and usable. It makes excellent use of the space it provides. The infotainment screen is placed high in the middle of the dashboard. The instrument cluster is both clear and attractive, contained in a compact nacelle. We also appreciate the availability of heated and power-ventilated front seats. If you like big sunroofs, the Sportage offers one that is positively panoramic.

The standard 60/40 split-folding rear seating might be a bit tight for three passengers, but the configuration helps accommodate various people/cargo combinations. Even in the base LX trim, a package offers fully automatic climate control. Heated rear seats are available on the uplevel EX trim.

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Easy-to-Use Infotainment

The infotainment system in the Kia Sportage gets high marks for its intuitive controls. Kia isn’t trying to pioneer a new way of operating the system, and that is a good thing. The base level LX trim Sportage is equipped with a 5-inch infotainment interface. If you opt for an extra-cost package, you get a 7-inch touchscreen plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

In the EX trim, an 8-inch touchscreen controlling a Harman Kardon surround sound system plus integrated navigation is available in a package. Or you can opt for the turbocharged SX and get that system as standard equipment. The Harman Kardon system offers 320-watts of amplification with eight speakers and a subwoofer.

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Trim Exterior Styling

We like the lines of the Sportage. It has the Kia “face” and it carries its compound headlamps high. In overall size, the Sportage is among the smallest of the compact SUVs. At 176.4 inches in length, it is significantly shorter than the Honda CR-V (180.6 inches).

The 2018 model is virtually identical to the 2017 in terms of exterior design. If you want the utility of roof rails, they are standard on the EX and SX trims and optional on the LX. Premium features such as a panoramic sunroof, power-folding mirrors, and a height-adjustable power liftgate are optional on the EX and standard on the top SX. Exclusive to the SX are chrome dual exhaust tips, various satin-chrome pieces, and bi-xenon headlights with dynamic bending light that Einstein might appreciate.

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Choice of Powertrains

The Sportage offers two powertrain choices for 2018. The base engine is a 181-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder channeling its torque through an electronically controlled six-speed automatic transmission. This is your only choice in the LX and EX models. If you opt for the SX Turbo, things change radically. It features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder delivering a heady 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. It, too, is mated to a six-speed automatic.

Kia’s Dynamax full-time all-wheel drive is available on all three trims, and it is especially recommended for the SX Turbo to help get all its power to the pavement. The all-wheel drive is primarily an on-street system, although the Sportage will perform satisfactorily in mild off-road duty.

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Cargo and Towing

The designers of the Sportage prioritized seating comfort and passenger room over cargo space. Because of that, its cargo hold is among the smallest in the segment. With the rear row folded it offers 60 cubic feet of cargo volume, compared to the Honda CR-V’s 76 cubic feet. That number shrinks to 31 cubic feet with the second-row bench seat in use. The CR-V offers 8 additional cubic feet of interior cargo room.

Of course, Sportages equipped with roof rails can also accept a variety of carriers that offer added space. With either the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine or the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and front- or all-wheel drive the Sportage offers a modest 1,650-pound towing capacity.

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Safety and Driver Aids

All Sportage models can be equipped with a number of safety features. The list grows more extensive as you climb the trim-level ladder. The list includes autonomous emergency braking, a forward collision warning, a lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert and, of course, the aforementioned dynamic bending lights. 

Standard safety systems include electronic stability control, traction control, brake assist, hill-start assist control, downhill brake control, and antilock brakes. The Sportage lacks the availability of safety systems like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. While some manufacturers are equipping even their lowest priced models with an array of safety and driver aids, Kia lets the buyer choose which safety technology they want. 

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Three Trim levels

The 2018 Kia Sportage is available in three trim levels — LX, EX, and SX Turbo. Even the LX version has a reasonable array of standard features, among them power door locks, keyless entry, and alloy wheels. For those seeking a wide variety of luxury and convenience features, the EX trim is likely the best bet.

The most expensive trim, the SX Turbo, revolves around the significantly more powerful turbocharged engine, though it does feature many luxury and safety items as standard equipment. Its vast list of standard items includes the Harmon Kardon eight-speaker infotainment system with an 8-inch display and integrated navigation. Dual exhaust, panoramic sunroof, and LED taillights are also standard in the SX Turbo.

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Pricing and Value

The Sportage is value-priced versus its crossover competition. The price-leading LX trim level has an MSRP of $23,600 while the all-in top-of-the-line SX Turbo with all-wheel drive has an MSRP of $34,400. The EX starts at $26,400, and if you add all-wheel drive the MSRP is $27,900. The least expensive turbo Sportage starts at $32,900.

In terms of cost-to-own, the Sportage is in mid-pack in its class, while its safety, quality, and satisfaction ratings are significantly above average. The Honda CR-V is widely regarded as the segment’s standard-bearer, and the Toyota RAV4 also gets very high marks all around. That said, if you don’t need the most cargo space, the Kia Sportage could be a great choice for you.

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