Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
The Kia Sportage has evolved a lot of the years. Kia launched the Sportage in 1993 through five generations.
Upon first look you will notice the rugged look that the X-Line model provides. The model that we reviewed was painted in Jungle Green. The new Sportage has a modern look with sleek and sloping hood lines, the hexagonal pattern in its grille, LED projector headlights and the 19-inch gloss black alloy wheels. This Sportage is built to handle the streets very well.
The all-new 2024 Kia Sportage has a stylish interior featuring a panoramic sunroof, a hands-free power liftgate, and two rows of seating. The X-Line Prestige trim features SynTex premium artificial leather seating. The Sportage is ideal for small families as it seats up to 5 people comfortably.
The infotainment system has satellite radio, HD Radio, wireless device charging, a rear-seat entertainment system, Bluetooth, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, all controlled using dual 12.3-inch display screens. One serving as a digital gauge cluster, while the other is on the dash serving as the infotainment command center. The Sportage also has multi-color ambient lighting illuminating the vehicle. USB-C ports are located throughout the cabin. The explosive sound comes by the way of the Harmon Kardon premium audio system.
The Sportage PHEV X-Line has a 1.6 liter Turbocharged plug in powertrain with a 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters that put out 261 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Once you hit the pedal, the Sportage accelerates quickly. It shifts smoothly, the steering is sharp and it handled rather well. It has ample agility to handle winding roads. The ride is generally comfortable. The model is equipped with a Terrain Mode that automatically adjusts various settings depending on conditions, including snow, mud, and sand.
Safety is a high priority with Kia. The Sportage has standard driver assistance features that include driver drowsiness monitoring, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and vehicle exit warning. Added safety features include Smart cruise control with Stop and Go, front parking sensors, cyclist detection and intersection assist.
As a parent of young children, the child car seats are extremely important to me. There are two complete sets of LATCH connectors for the second-row seats. This was a plus for me and very easy to use.
Kia warranty coverage is generous when it comes to all of their vehicles, including the new Sportage. The Kia Sportage warranty coverage includes a 5-year/60,000-mile Kia bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile limited Kia powertrain warranty. The Sportage also comes with a 5-year/100,000-mile anti-perforation warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan.
The 2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige sits in a competitive class going up against the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 Prime, Hyundai Tucson PHEV, and Mazda CX-50. The Sportage has good gas mileage coming in at 35 mpg on Gas only and 84 mpge on Electricity and Gas. The model that we tested came in at $45,640. Overall, I felt that the Kia Sportage PHEV was engaging to drive, comfortable and a smooth ride. The Sportage has been the best-selling Kia model globally since 2016. It has been simply amazing to see how the brand has grown and shed away their labels from the past. Please enjoy the photo gallery.
