2017 Kia Sportage Owner’s Manual

With several generations already under the belt, the Kia Sportage already has most of its kinks ironed out, and what you get now is a well-rounded performer that puts up decent characteristics in every department.

With the complete redesign for 2017, the two most significant issues with the last few models have now been fixed, as the new Sportage now offers considerably more backseat roominess, and the previously firm driving character now relatively pliable and significantly more compliant.

However, "decent" is not enough in a market segment with juggernauts like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and the Mazda CX-5.

While Kia does an excellent job of bringing all-round improvements to the new Sportage, this nameplate still needs to be improved in practicality, especially when placed side-by-side with the CR-V or RAV4. Furthermore, its driving performance is far from the excellence you get with the Mazda CX-5.

Another major flaw that dampens the Sportage’s star is its subpar fuel economy. With the new Sportage with sporting drivetrain bits from the older iteration, it inherits its low fuel efficiency, only managing 22 MPG combined, a reasonably average rating in this market segment.

Nevertheless, while the Sportage’s oily bits won’t provide the excitement of the CX-5, they do guarantee a decent, refined ride. Combined with the Sportage’s superior exterior aesthetics and near-luxury interior, you get a package that can hold its own in the ruthlessly competitive compact crossover segment.

The options under the hood are two gasoline engines: a base 181-horsepower four-cylinder engine and a more amped-up turbocharged four-cylinder that outputs 240 HP. Both engines come paired exclusively with all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission.