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Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
In an effort to win yet more customers to the brand, that compact SUV has been totally redesigned for 2017, and I tested a top-line Sportage SX to see how it measures up. Opting for the SX means Kia’s trademark black mesh grille gets flanked by auto on/off directionally adaptive projector HID headlamps with integrated LEDs and auto high beams, two quads of LED fog lights at each corner, an aluminum-look skid plate below, 19-inch machine-finished alloys with black painted pockets down each side, LED turn signal-enhanced power-folding heatable side
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Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Are you reading the wrong review? Am I describing an Audi? BMW? Mercedes-Benz? Lexus or Infiniti? Maybe an Acura? No, if it were any of these it would have half as many features, cost thousands more and wouldn’t be backed by a five-year comprehensive warranty.
Instead,
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Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Continuing the premium brand experience is contrast-stitched perforated leather upholstery, soft-touch synthetics over the entire dash top, upper instrument panel, and door uppers, fabric-wrapped roof pillars, piano black lacquer surfacing and aluminum trim throughout, high quality switchgear, alloy pedals, a heatable leather flat-bottom sport steering wheel, a leather shift knob, a TFT/LCD instrument
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Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
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Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
As it is the 2017 Sportage SX can be had for just $39,595 plus freight and dealer fees, my Polar White painted version featuring black hides, but if noir’s not your thing you can have the seats upholstered in particularly rich looking two-tone Canyon Beige leather (which is more of a milk chocolate brown). Then again you might not be into white, so take your pick from Sparkling Silver and Mineral Silver (medium grey) or optional Scarlet Red, Storm Blue, Black Cherry or Modern Bronze. Nothing else is optional in this top-line trim, but then again I can’t think of much that’s missing.
At the risk of sounding like I’ve merely been listing items from a brochure, my objective
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Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
It would all be wasted if the Sportage SX didn’t handle well, but a tight body structure, independent MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspensions, performance shocks, and my tester’s 245/45R19 all-seasons made for a thoroughly enjoyable package that was as capable of carving up canyons as cruising along the highway or touring around the city. The ride, while firm in an almost Germanic way, was totally comfortable
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Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
While the driver’s seat could use a little more lateral support to keep up with available performance, I found its 10-way adjustability extremely comfortable and powered lumbar soothing to the lower back, plus all seating positions but the centre rear are form fitting and quite spacious. Really, there’s a lot of leg and knee
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Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
One of the reasons we love our SUVs is their cargo carrying capacity, the Sportage having no shortage thanks to 798 litres (28.9 cubic feet) behind the rear seatbacks when the cargo floor is raised or 868 litres (30.7 cubic feet) when lowered, or after dropping the 60/40-split rear seats down you can access up to 1,565 litres (55.7 cubic feet) with the floor elevated or 1,703 litres (60.1 cubic feet) when it’s recessed, the former position providing a nice flat load floor all the way to the front seatbacks. What’s more, the cargo floor is nicely finished with high-grade carpeting and the previously noted protector plate is a real thing of beauty, this level of luggage compartment luxury normally only found in a few of those premium brands, while the SX also comes standard with a cargo net plus a retractable
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Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
That’s more interior space than the outgoing Sportage, by the way, this due to an extended wheelbase and slightly more overall length, although this new model is identically wide and exactly the same height. It is heavier, mind you, and a bit down on engine output compared to last year’s SX, or at least the claimed rating is lower. It certainly didn’t feel lacking, and I wouldn’t even consider buying the old one compared to this new one. Don’t get me wrong as last year’s Sportage was still a better choice than many of its rivals, but Kia has really stepped things up with this fourth-generation model and it appears I’m not alone in my thoughts.
So
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Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
Something else that should impress is first overall placement in J.D. Power’s latest 2016 Initial Quality Study for the Kia brand (yes, that means it beat Porsche, Lexus, Toyota, Honda and all the rest) and another number one for the Sportage in its “Small SUV” segment, something the Korean manufacture hopes to duplicate in three years when this new model gets surveyed for J.D. Power’s 2016 Vehicle Dependability Study, where the old version currently underwhelms at just below average.
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Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
Most of these new Sportage buyers aren’t paying anywhere near $40k, incidentally, with the well equipped base LX starting at just $24,895 plus freight and dealer fees. No matter the trim you get plenty of value, my Sportage SX easily capable of comparison to those luxury utilities mentioned earlier despite its humble origins. It was a week well spent in an exceptionally good SUV, and one I’d do over in a heartbeat.
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