2019 Kia Sportage Review

Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is an option on all versions. The LX and the EX have a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (181 horsepower, 175 pound-feet of torque). The SX Turbo has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder (240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque). Adding all-wheel drive drops output slightly to 237 hp.

Standard equipment on the LX includes 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, rear privacy glass, a height-adjustable driver seat, a 60/40-split folding and reclining back seat, a rearview camera, a 5-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio, a CD player and one USB port.

We suggest getting the LX with the Popular package. It adds roof rails, UV-reducing glass for the front windows and windshield, a windshield wiper de-icer, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, upgraded seat fabric, and Kia's 7-inch Uvo touchscreen interface that includes Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Kia's eServices remote and emergency services.

The EX includes all of the above items plus 18-inch wheels, foglights, power-folding and heated mirrors, upgraded exterior and interior trim, keyless ignition and entry, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, leather upholstery and a rear USB charging port.

Kia offers three main option packages for the EX. The EX Premium package adds a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, a universal garage door opener and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. On top of that, you can get the EX Premium package for its forward collision warning and automatic braking, lane departure warning, automatic high-beams, a hands-free liftgate, front and rear parking sensors, a spare tire, a power-adjustable passenger seat, an 8-inch touchscreen, a navigation system and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. There's also the EX Sport Appearance package. It adds LED exterior lighting, special exterior and interior trim, paddle shifters and a flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Topping the Sportage range is the SX. It gets the more powerful engine plus a sport-tuned suspension, 19-inch wheels, xenon headlights, LED foglights, an electronic parking brake with auto hold, special exterior trim, the flat-bottom steering wheel, a larger gauge display, and the contents of the EX Technology and Premium packages.