Used 2018 Kia Sportage Consumer Reviews
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Sportin' a Premium Sportage (1yr update)
We've put nearly 25,000 miles on the car since its purchase in January 2018. The car still feels solid and is still squeak and rattle free. Fuel economy is averaging 3-4 mpg above the EPA combined rating. Turbo engine is legitimately happy with regular gas. Car has been very reliable. The only times the car has seen a mechanic is for scheduled maintenance. EDMUNDS editors say the optional engine "lacks punch" in their reviews. An AWD vehicle of this ilk, doing 0-60 in less than 7 seconds makes the Sportage SX among the fastest compact SUV's available. Also, its mid-range acceleration times that are posted in Car and Driver and other magazines are at or very near the top of its class. (Original review that follows still stands up) Purchased a pacific blue/beige interior AWD SX, a bit over a month ago, after shopping for a replacement for my wife's 180,000 mile 2007 Mitsu Endeavor SE AWD. We checked out/test drove the Mazda CX5 GT, Subaru Outback Limited 2.5, Ford Escape, and Nissan Rouge before making a decision to buy the KIA. We didn't test drive the Honda CR-V or a Chevy Equinox/GMC Terrain because she wasn't fond of their appearance (the CRV exterior looks low rent with all the plastic looking chrome stuck all over it). There were multiple things that sold us on the KIA over the others. The first of which was the premium, well designed interior that has more than enough room for us empty nesters. The interior quality and materials are better than any new Buick. There's enough room for a 6 foot + passenger to sit behind 6'1' me with any front seat position compromises. The second thing is how the KIA performs and feels. I feels solid like it is made out of one hunk of metal. No flexing or squeaking over bumps. It rides like a good German car. There's no float, it feels planted and its seriously quiet. KIA has come a very long way over the last 5 or 6 years. Acceleration to 60mph is sub-seven seconds and engine has very good low to mid-range torque. The last thing of note that sold us on the Sportage is its unique looks. It has a good stance and the satin finished and gloss black highlights compliments its shape nicely.I also own a 2012 KIA Forte5 SX which is my work commuter. It's been very reliable over the 75,00 miles I've driven it. Just normal maintenance and tires. But the difference between it and the Sportage fit and finish and build quality wise is nuts. There are couple things its missing that would of put the second cherry on the sundae. It lacks memory seat and mirrors. Also the front seat bottoms could use a bit more length for a little more thigh support.
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A surprising 5 star car, with some caveats
PROS: Truly a good looking and unique looking SUV in a field of station wagon looking models. Great features including a very well laid out and intuitive control system. For example, turning on the rear wipers initiates a status change on the dash info area letting you know the wiper change. Parking assist beeping uses the stereo system so you know where the obstruction is without even looking. Every feature (almost) is customizable, if you don't want the auto liftgate, for example. A very fun car to drive, which is a hard to put on paper feature. Also an easy to follow feature and model set, compared to say the RAV4 which has (if you can believe) 10 different models that cannot even all fit on a screen to tell which is which. The visibility is astounding and the sunroof is almost like a convertible. And on the Turbo model the power is unreal, almost feels too fast for an SUV, but again fun to drive. CONS: The biggest con is the MPG, which is truly crap. However, even the much heralded Subaru Forester is just 5MPG higher than the Kia which translates to about $200/year. Not nothing but not worth paying thousands more for the Subaru. The reality is that car companies should not be crowing about 5MPG here and there, most SUVs get crap MPG. In 2018 MPG should all be in the 30s or 40s and not crowing about tiny differences in MPG. OTHER: I am a bit confused about the features that are available worldwide that are not standard throughout. Such as heated front windshield, heated rear seats, wireless charger, auto parking assist (SPAS system), etc depend not on what you spend but where you live....seems odd. Storage is an odd thing to complain about in this SUV because it is one of the smallest SUVs in it's class. It of course won't store more than a car that is a foot longer, but it's also going to be easier to maneuver. Kia also included a unique "Auto Hold" feature that keeps the brake applied when at stop lights to avoid foot fatigue or accidental rear endings...but oddly you have to turn it on manually every time you start the car. So there are quirks but they are minor in a sea of great. NOTE: I have only owned the SUV for a few weeks so I can't comment on the reliability but I will if something noteworthy occurs.
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- SX 4dr SUVMSRP: $17,9955 mi away
- SX 4dr SUVMSRP: $15,888In-stock online
- LX 4dr SUVMSRP: $10,345In-stock online
Luxury in a Spunky mid range SUV.
I've shopped for an SUV since 2016 (in prep for my move to snow country). I was set on the Subaru Forrester originally so why did I buy the KIA? In a nutshell... Comfort, warranty & pricing. I drove the Sportage LX AWD 1st, then the Forrester. Compared to the Sportage, the Forrester felt like a sturdy work horse (acceleration was better but road noise, comfort & sound system were so-so). Acceleration was important but Subaru would not budge on the 38K sticker price so I went back to KIA and drove the Sportage SX Turbo GDI AWD. The zippy Turbo, Luxurious interior, sound system and low road noise made it a slam dunk. I felt so pampered. I drive a lot on rural roads so acceleration (for passing) is a MUST and the SX gets 5 stars. For an SUV, it has a tight turning radius, low road noise, Car Play Hands Free and a wonderful sound system. The only things that do not surpass the Forrester are the mileage and visibility. (the Subaru made me feel a little exposed and vulnerable with all that glass tho). This SUV really feels like a luxury car. It has 3 drive modes (ECO, sport and normal). I've only used sport mode for the snow so far so cannot rate the 4 wheel drive lock feature. Speaking of the 4 wheel lock, it should be on the dash, not on the console. I've set my purse on it and accidentally turned it on twice. I'd like the front windows of the KIA to be higher at the curve because I hit my head a couple times when I got in (my legs are short and I like to sit high so I have the seat lifted to its max and almost all the way forward). My brother, however, is a large 6'2" and had no problem when he adjusted the seat down and back. His wife commented that the back seat is a lot more comfortable than her brother's Honda CRV. When I can keep my foot out of it, I can get descent mileage but most of my road trips have mountains and rural roads so not the optimum conditions for maximizing the MPG (28 is the best, 23 worst). The car MPG gauge is pretty close to the calculated mileage if you zero it between fill-ups. The stirring wheel controls are very driver friendly and intuitive. (trip instrumentation, cruise controls, hands free etc) but I am not crazy about the Navigation system. The graphics and screen size are awesome and the route guidance accurate but controls are not at all intuitive. The Nav system also only lets you save 10 favorites. The backup camera shows the vehicle angle in red plus where you will go (in yellow) if you do not adjust. I learn a little more each trip but may have to resort to reading the Nav system & Multi Media manuals to get the full benefit. I've only had this car a month so I really can't rate reliability but I have put 2500 on the odometer in road trips and this car is great to drive. I highly recommend the Sportage SX Turbo GDI AWD. Updated at 7 months Updated at 9 months: I've driven this car for almost 8000 miles & I still love it. I upgraded the safety to 5 stars because visibility was just a matter of adjusting from a small car and using the mirrors. After going through a very hot summer I upgraded climate control to 5 stars. Cooling a large space like the Sportage interior quickly is a big deal. The air conditioning kicks hinny in this high desert summer. I have an older (2002) everyday bump around car but always drive the Sportage on the hot days. The car still feels like luxury, and still has a new car smell. I kept the interior to 4 stars because there are some things that really bug me. 1) I metioned in the inital review, that the 4-wheel Lock being on the console is a design flaw and I stick to that. No matter how careful I am I still set something on the lock 3.) The hidden key hole and only one external key lock. I needed to unlock the door manually once and my key did not work. At least I thought it didn't. Even the tow truck driver did not know that the little slot on the underside of the drivers door handle is not for the key but a button that pops off a cap over the actual lock. That adds absolutely nothing to the attractiveness of the car and is confusing even to the service department in most shops. It serves no purpose. Positives are still positive: The lumbar/seat comfort are outstanding. I am still happy I bought the KIA over the Subaru and highly recommend this SUV. I love it more than when I bought it. Everyone who gets into my Kia has a comment on the luxury and comfort. My son just bought a GMC Arcadia and we compared the interior. The KIA seats are a lot more comfortable, and has more back seat leg room with the cargo spaces being about the same. His highway mileage is lower than mine. Best mileage on my KIA has improved. I've gotten as high as 29.5 hwy by closely watching and using the mileage monitor, with no cruise control. The hwy avg mpg is 28, around town about 24. I still feel the trade off for the speed and luxury of this vehicle are well worth the lower mpg.
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Don't overlook this one...
If you're looking for a compact SUV then you'd be making a huge mistake to overlook the Kia Sportage. I had just moved and had a little bit more of a commute so I wanted something more comfortable than my Ranger, with better gas mileage. When I started looking, what drew me in was the warranty and, as I looked more, the good reviews got me to test drive one. I think the exterior can be somewhat polarizing but I like the look and I like the choice in colors besides black, blue, silver, white, and red. Mine is copper and I think it looks great, and different from other cars on the road. What really sold me on this SUV was the interior. The quality, feel, fit and finish of the interior is outstanding. It feels like a much more expensive vehicle than any sub $25k SUV has the right to be. All the controls are laid out logically and you don't need an instruction manual to figure everything out. You have multiple ways to control things, like the infotainment system. On the base model LX I have a 5 inch touchscreen AM/FM/CD/SAT player with aux input, USB, bluetooth, and rearview camera. I can control the system using the knobs and buttons, the touchscreen, or the steering wheel controls. No cumbersome menus to go through, super simple to use and I think it sounds good. As a plus I plug my iPod into the USB port and can also control it from the steering column. The driver information system is controlled from the steering wheel and allows for a lot of adjustment to suit individual tastes. The heating/AC system is also very easy to use and works well. The LX only comes with single zone climate controls but I don't find that an issue for me. The steering is nicely weighted and the handling is very good. The six speed transmission is good and don't find it hunting for gears. The main complaint that I see in professional reviews of the Sportage is the engine and gas mileage. I think 181hp is more than adequate and I certainly don't have any trouble keeping up with California highway traffic in mine. As for mileage, I commute about 13 miles one way to work on a back country, twisty 2 lane road with about a 1,000 ft elevation change and I average 25-26mpg. I keep my Sportage in Eco mode and I didn't notice any difference in performance and I'm very happy that I can go over 2 weeks without having to fill it up. Also, my Sportage is all wheel drive and I haven't noticed any mileage penalty for that either but I feel that it contributes to the great grip in corners that it has. Another nice feature of the all wheel drive in the ability to lock the center differential which could come in handy this winter. The LX also comes with standard with 17 inch alloy wheels which look great. I would rate brake feel and overall braking as excellent. The doors, both front and rear, have large openings that make entry and egress very nice, even for very tall people. The drivers seat is very comfortable and has manual controls and nice shaping that even fits my large frame well. Manual tilt and telescope steering column also allow the Sportage to adjust to a wide range of bodies. The rear liftgate on the base LX isn't powered but I don't find that an issue. The other major complaint I read about the Sportage was a lack of storage space, which was usually pegged at between 4-6 cubic ft less than it's competitors. This hasn't been an issue for me and I think the storage space is more than ample for my needs and has plenty of tie downs to assist in organizing the space. The base LX also has tinted rear windows and a soft cargo area cover to keep unnecessary eyes from prying. Frankly, combining all these features on a base model LX with no options for less than $25k with Kia's outstanding warranty made this a no brainer for me.
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You're gonna love this KIA Sportage
We purchased the EX AWD edition, to match/exceed the options of the older 2015 sedan. We had looked at a number of 2018 sedans and SUV's, and this one fit or needs completely. And, we got the 100K warrenty included. The first thing that stood out was the instrument cluster and the comfort of the interior. I was not all that happy with the miles per gallon, as I was only getting 23.6 as an average. That is until we found the ECO mode. The average went right up to 26.7, but we don't use it all the time, as there is a noticeable change in power. We have put on 11,500 miles and we both have acknowledged that it's the best car so far. We're only 76 years young, so we've had a few cars in our time. Try one, you'll really like it. But, you really need to barter for a good price.
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