Kia Motor Company, South Korea’s second-largest automobile manufacturer after Hyundai, will debut the all-new 2017 Sportage later this year. The Sportage has a distinct appearance that is both unique and upscale.
Exterior design
This time, we’ll start with the car’s best feature: the front. It appears different, but not strange. It’s novel, refreshing, and, most importantly, appealing. The first thing we noticed was the uncanny resemblance to the Porsche Cayenne. The 2017 Kia Sportage‘s headlights have the same upward bulge, as do the two creases on the hood. It’s always a good idea to be inspired by high-end vehicles; their opulence has a way of rubbing off on you.
The headlights on the Sportage are extremely long and wrap around the side of the vehicle. LED lights are not standard. Parking lights can be found on the lower left and right. Kia’s new design features four square-shaped lights on each side, forming a larger square when combined, but only on the premium trim. In the same square-shaped area, the base model has one regular parking light. The lower center houses an air vent and the nameplate space, while the fascia is completed by a reasonably sized “tigernose” grille.
Side and rear
The side of the 2017 Kia Sportage is eye-catching due to how long and low it appears. The car sits very low above the wheels, even lower than its predecessor. The wheels come standard with 16-inch rims, but upgrades to 17-inch and 19-inch rims are available. In addition, the sides are lightly creased, creating a shadowy effect that isn’t too harsh. The profile of the Sportage is also quite similar to that of the brand new trailblazer, the Mazda CX-9, which is something to keep in mind for Europeans where the Mazda is not yet available.
Moving to the back, we notice a large trunk door. Half of the taillights are on it, with the other half on the back of the car. The taillamps begin with a straight upper line and then descend diagonally to meet in the middle. The dark grey bumper is located directly beneath the lower parking lights, with an optional lighter grey area that includes a couple of squares and two round exhausts, one on each side.
Kia made the metallic color optional. There are nine exterior colors available, some of which can also be found on the spectacularly adapted Kia Sorento.
Interior design
Overall, the interior appears to be decent and mature. The pedals are a sporty chrome color, and the base model is all black. Quality materials that are soft to the touch have been used, and leather seats are available as an option.
There are two analog gauges with an LCD screen in between for navigation and other purposes. Furthermore, the steering wheel appears to be of adequate quality, with a plethora of buttons for easily operating the vehicle’s controls. The center console also has a slew of buttons and a 7- or 8-inch LCD screen, depending on the trim. The transmission is placed far enough forward to allow for a sealable partition between the two front seats.
Engine specs
The 2017 Kia Sportage will come standard with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It will be available in Europe with a stick-shift transmission and a horsepower rating of 132. The astute reader will notice that the base engine is identical to the one found in the Hyundai Tucson, right down to the amount of horsepower it can produce.
Following that is the 1.6-liter T-GDi, which is available with both a manual and an automatic transmission. This one comes standard with All Wheel Drive and has a power output of 177 horsepower. Then there are two diesel engines, one of which is a four-cylinder 1.7-liter with a manual stick-shift and can produce 115 horsepower. The second engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Overall, this one is available with a stick-shift or automatic transmission and All Wheel Drive, and it has a whopping 185 horsepower.
Tech specs
Hill-start Assist Control, Downhill Brake Control, and Trailer Stability Assist will be standard on the 2017 Kia Sportage. Six airbags, air conditioning, and an integrated radio/CD player with USB and AUX input are also standard.
Navigation, Bluetooth Auto Light Control, cruise control, DAB+ digital radio, USB inputs in the back, and a panorama roof will be available as options.
Among the safety features are traffic sign recognition, a rear-view camera, Active Lane Assist, rear parking sensors, blind spot detection, and an autonomous braking system.
Price and release date
The base trim costs €19,990 before options. The most expensive trim starts at €42,190. (German prices).
Prices in the United States range from $23,200 for the SX to $32,500 for the SX Turbo.