Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the Edmunds YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.
Pros
Smooth ride quality
Spacious seating front and rear
Attractive dashboard layout with appealing features
Quiet interior at highway speeds
Cons
Fuel economy isn't as good as that of some top rivals
Relatively modest cargo capacity
What's new
Only minor adjustments to feature availability this year
Part of the fourth Sportage generation introduced for 2017
There's a lot to like about the 2019 Kia Sportage. First and foremost, it's a strong value proposition. It comes with a lot of features for the money, and its warranty coverage is among the longest you'll find. On the road, we give it high marks for its comfortable ride quality, spacious interior and quiet cabin. It's also one of the few small crossover SUVs to offer a powerful optional engine upgrade. On the Sportage SX, you get a turbocharged engine good for 240 horsepower.
Unfortunately, the Sportage is handicapped by its small cargo capacity and less-than-ideal fuel economy. You'll probably like the Honda CR-V more if utility and saving money at the pump are priorities. You might also want to take a look at the stylish Mazda CX-5 or versatile Subaru Forester during your search for a small crossover SUV. Overall, though, Kia's Sportage easily holds its own in this class, and we think it's a solid pick for most shoppers.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
7.0 / 10
The 2019 Kia Sportage is one of the value leaders among small crossovers. It comes with a lot of features for the money, and its warranty coverage is among the longest you'll find. Drawbacks such as a small cargo area and mediocre fuel efficiency, however, keep it from getting the top spot.
Trim tested
Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Kia Sportage EX (2.4L | inline-4 | 6-speed automatic | FWD).
Scorecard
Overall
7.0 / 10
Driving
7.0
Comfort
8.0
Interior
7.5
Utility
5.5
Driving
7.0
The base 2.4-liter engine yields adequate but unremarkable acceleration. The pricier SX's turbo engine is punchier, though not to the degree promised by its higher than average horsepower output. True to the Sportage name, handling is a strong point as is braking. A solid performer overall.
Acceleration
6.5
The EX feels sprightly at first, but its energy wanes at higher speeds. Zero to 60 mph takes 8.8 seconds, which is average for the class. The turbo SX has more punch, but it lacks the emphatic passing power we expect from an optional engine.
Braking
7.5
You get predictable and consistent pedal responses in typical driving. In our emergency braking test, the EX stopped from 60 mph in 117 feet, a short distance for this segment.
Steering
7.5
The Sportage responds quickly to inputs, and the effort required to turn the wheel is appropriate for a vehicle in this class. It tracks confidently on the highway, and the steering wheel itself feels thoughtfully designed and sporty.
Handling
7.5
Kia's goal is to add a splash of driving excitement to all of its vehicles, and that's roughly what the Sportage delivers. Although the Mazda CX-5 is even better in this respect, the Sportage does feel composed and nimble around corners.
Drivability
8.0
We like the six-speed automatic transmission. It shifts smoothly and predictably, although the lack of torque in the EX requires more downshifting compared to the more powerful SX.
Off-road
6.0
The AWD Sportage can handle a typical dirt road, but there's not enough ground clearance to make this vehicle a serious contender off-road. The AWD system at least has a 50/50-split locking center differential.
Comfort
8.0
The Sportage excels in comfort. The ride is compliant on rough pavement, and the seats provide firm, long-lasting support. Levels of wind noise and road noise are remarkably well-suppressed, further distinguishing this Kia from many similarly priced crossovers.
Seat comfort
7.0
The Sportage's seats are firm yet welcoming, with an agreeable shape for long journeys and a position that delivers a commanding view. Power adjustments for the driver are standard on the EX, while a power passenger seat is optional, as are cooled front seats.
Ride comfort
7.0
Ride comfort is class-competitive, even with the larger 18-inch wheels and tires.
Noise & vibration
8.0
The lack of typical road and wind noise is apparent in the Sportage's cabin. On concrete freeways, the outside world seems unusually far away. It gives the Sportage an upscale character at speed, a rare thing in this price range.
Interior
7.5
The Sportage's well-appointed interior is above average by segment standards. The front cabin features a sporty dashboard with intuitive controls, and the rear has an unexpected abundance of legroom for a small crossover. The compromise is limited cargo capacity.
Ease of use
7.5
Kia's touchscreens (which come in multiple sizes) feature sharp graphics and quick responses. The main controls are clearly labeled and easy to use. The center stack tilts toward the driver, putting more controls within close reach.
Getting in/getting out
7.5
The tall front doors open wide for easy entry. The rear doors are enormous, facilitating entry and exit. There's no issue with head clearance despite the low rear roofline. Feet slide easily underneath the front seats.
Roominess
8.0
No shortage of head- or legroom up front. Surprisingly, the same is true in back — two 6-footers fit without issue. The back seat is remarkably roomy for a compact crossover, and the seat itself is mounted high for good thigh support.
Visibility
7.0
The side windows are large enough to keep track of nearby traffic, and the sizable side-view mirrors also help. The standard rearview camera can be paired with parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning.
Quality
7.5
The materials quality has improved in the latest Sportage and now ranks among the segment's best thanks to low-gloss plastics and soft-touch surfaces. We noted no squeaks or rattles, though the driver's footrest came loose in daily use.
Utility
5.5
The Sportage falls short in terms of overall utility due to a cabin that puts its priority on passenger space rather than cargo space. The cargo area is pretty small. But small-item storage is good, and towing capacity is a bit better than that of class best-sellers.
Small-item storage
There are plenty of storage bins, including deep door pockets and a variety of center-console spaces. The cupholders are big and useful. The Sportage offers good utility without looking utilitarian.
Cargo space
This is an SUV that puts emphasis on space for passengers rather than for their belongings. The cargo area is still fairly useful, but the Sportage has significantly less cargo capacity than other compact SUVs.
Towing
6.5
The Sportage's 2,000-pound towing capacity is above-average for the class. However, trailer brakes are required to handle the full 2,000 pounds. Otherwise, the limit is 1,650 pounds.
Technology
Kia's touchscreen interfaces are refreshingly easy to use, with the larger two featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All trim levels can be equipped with accident avoidance tech.
Which Sportage does Edmunds recommend?
The 2019 Sportage LX with the optional Popular package gets you a lot of features for the money. If you're looking to get some advanced safety features, you'll have to upgrade to the EX trim and add its Technology package.
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
2019 Kia Sportage models
The 2019 Kia Sportage is a five-passenger compact crossover SUV available in LX, EX and SXTurbo trim levels. The LX has a decent amount of standard features, while the EX adds a few more and offers the most choice for optional packages. The sporty SX comes with nearly all of the Sportage's features as standard.
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.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Kia Sportage LX 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.84 per gallon for regular unleaded in California.
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Kia Sportage from 2008-2022.
$406/yr
vs. $465/yr for Average Compact SUV
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).
0.83x/yr
vs. 1x/yr for Average Compact SUV
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).
10.9%
vs. 11.5% for Average Compact SUV
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
2019 Kia Sportage SX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Most comfortable, best driving machine I have ever owned and I traded a much higher priced SUV for this small gem. I get a lot more gas milage than what was advertised and it corners much better than the Acura I traded for it and its much quieter.
Dangerous shift pattern
2 out of 5 stars
Nonnie Ali, 07/11/2019
2019 Kia Sportage LX 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
My vehicle has significant issues at around 1200 rps at around 40 mph especially on inclines. There is a prominent vibration and a hesitation in responding to accelerator pressure. It happens at various rpms and speeds but most consistently in this range. It eventually downshifts to 2000+ rpms and vibrations stop. AND at 2000 rpms at 70 mpg it vibrates and does not respond to … acceleration. It does not downshift to raise the rpms and stop vibrations and speed up. I have reported this to the dealership and to KIA. I drove a similar 2019 Sportage and it appeared to have the same issues though we did not take it for an extended drive.
Old guy loving this younger folks car
5 out of 5 stars
Old Guy, 02/09/2019
2019 Kia Sportage SX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Here is an update on my 2019 Sportage: This car is something special, quite, holds fast to the road, rides better than the Acura I traded for it. It also gets 26mpg in town and 37 on the road and the turbo provides more power that I can ever use. My brother in-law has an Avalon and swears my Sportage is more comfortable and quieter than his car.
Second Sportage 2019
5 out of 5 stars
p l wise, 05/22/2019
2019 Kia Sportage LX 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
I had a 2017 LX AWD and when my lease was up opted for the 2019 LX AWD. I just recently returned from a 3,000 mile trip. I averaged 29mpg. The car ran flawlessly and was very comfortable considering the length of the trip.
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Scorecard
