Thanks to Drive Shop and Kia Motors, I was provided a 2017 Kia Sportage SX model to test drive and review for a week. Opinions expressed are that of my own and to the best of my knowledge all vehicle information is correct.
Last week I was so excited to test out the newest car from Kia – the Sportage SX model in Burnished Copper color. In 2011, I was the proud owner of a Kia Sportage so I was excited to see the differences between 6 years of driving one. The Kia Sportage was redesigned for the 2017 year and certainly is a step above the rest. It is a little bit larger than last year’s model which allows for more space for passengers and cargo.
The sleek design allows for a smooth ride and I encountered that when I took it to Washington D.C.. Despite driving in the city, I still felt that the car was comfortable and handled traffic as well as bad roads well. My son, Liam, seemed to like the smooth ride too and did great in the Sportage on the long drive to the city. The Sportage has some pretty awesome interior features including a panoramic sunroof which we used a lot. On the safety side, there is CarPlay for your iPhone and Android Auto smartphone integration, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure and forward-collision warnings and the ability to apply the brakes autonomously if a collision appears to be imminent.
The Kia Sportage has a turbo charged 4-cylinder engine that gives you the option to drive in economy mode or regular mode. Even in eco mode you can still feel the power of the turbo engine. We averaged about 23mpg in this SUV in eco mode around Maryland and DC. This car also offers a 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters if you want something sporty! My husband loves the paddle shifters, but I prefer the automatic engine so I can just get in and go.
I loved that the Kia Sportage has an automatic hatch opener – that is a pretty sweet and easy feature to use. You can either hold the button on the key fob or push the open lever on the bottom of the hatch. I fell in love with this feature and wish my SUV had it. It is such a great feature when your hands are full!!
This SUV is a great size for the entire family – Liam’s car seat was in the back with no issues and my husband had plenty of leg room in the passenger seat. Plus, the cargo area is a great size for you regular day to day use and weekends away. The Sportage was such a fun car to drive and I miss it already!!