Used 2017 Kia Sportage for sale 

The 2017 Kia Sportage SUV is available in three trims, LX, EX, and SX. All the trims come with the option of having either a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive mechanism. Moreover, for each trim, the AWD variant costs $1500 more than the FWD variant. The LX is the entry-level trim of the Sportage and its FWD variant costs about $23,200 and it comes with the 2.4L engine. 

Standard features available in the LX trim include projector headlights, 17-inch wheels, a rear camera with display, and Bluetooth connectivity. Moving a step further, the next trim is the EX, which has a price tag of $25,700 for the FWD variant. Compared with the base trim, the EX offers various extra features such as fog lights, keyless ignition, climate control, leather steering wheel, engine immobilizer, and bigger 18-inch wheels.

For the fully loaded trim SX, the MSRP becomes quite high compared to the EX model, which corresponds to $34,200 for the FWD drivetrain. However, for the increased price, one will get exclusive features in the trim including the powerful 2.0L turbocharged engine, turn signal mirrors, xenon high-intensity headlamps, front and rear parking sensors, steering mounted cruise controls, and heated steering wheel. 

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The EX trim is the one to opt for as it offers many extra features over the base trim such as fog lights, keyless ignition, climate control, leather steering wheel, engine immobilizer, and bigger 18-inch wheels while being significantly cheaper than the top-end trim. The EX is the one to go for and extras can be added to it if necessary.

Acting as the powerhouse for both the LX and EX-trims of the Kia SUV is a 2.4-Liter 4-cylinder DOHC engine that extracts a maximum torque of 175 lbs.-ft. along with a maximum power output of 181 hp. On the other hand, the SX trim comes fitted with a 2.0-Liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine whose torque and power figures are quite high at 260 lbs.-ft. and 240 hp respectively.

By looking at the towing capacities of each of the competing SUVs, it can be concluded that the Kia Sportage's 2000 lbs. capacity is second best after 2200 lbs. of towing capacity of the Volkswagen Tiguan S.

Comparing the base LX trim with the competitors, one can easily observe that the Volkswagen Tiguan S is the most powerful SUV with 200 hp of power and 207 lbs.-ft. of torque. Whereas, the Kia Sportage has the least engine power and torque amidst the rivalry. Both the Mazda CX-5 Sport and Volkswagen Tiguan S feature a 6-speed transmission, whereas it got replaced by a CVT automatic transmission in the Honda CR-V LX SUV.

How fast is the 2017 Kia Sportage?

Despite having lower engine specs, the 2017 Kia Sportage is much faster than its competitors. The juicy acceleration of the Sportage allows it to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 8.0 seconds. Moreover, the quarter-mile time of the Kia Sportage is the best at 16.0 seconds.

The Sportage is the fastest car in the competition, reaching 60mph in just 8 seconds followed by the Tiguan S which takes 8.3 seconds, and the Honda CR-V that takes 8.6, while the Mazda CX-5 takes 8.9 seconds to achieve a speed of 60mph. The Kia leads in quarter-mile times also, crossing the mark in 16.0 seconds whereas the Mazda catches up, being in second place with a time of 16.6 seconds while the Honda and the Volkswagen take 16.7 and 17 seconds respectively to cross the quarter-mile.

How well does the 2017 Kia Sportage Ride and Handle?

The new 2017 avatar of Kia Sportage offers a much better balance between the riding and handling quality. Along with responsive throttle response, the SUV performs extremely well while taking on corners. Additionally, in comparison with the previous models of the Kia Sportage, the suspension system of the 2017 version gets modified and eliminates typical impacts from reaching inside the cabin.

Moreover, the SUV's AWD variants are braced very well to tackle off-road challenges and snowy road conditions.

How efficient are the brakes in the 2017 Kia Sportage?

Even though the curb weight of the Kia Sportage is highest among the rivaling SUV's, it offers a commendable 60-0 mph distance of just 114 ft. This is made possible by the highly efficient 12.0-inch brakes at the front and 11.9-inch brakes at the rear. The 60-0 mph distance of Sportage is better than both the Honda's CR-V LX and Mazda's CX-5 Sport.

The Kia Sportage has the best braking distance of 114ft. followed by the Honda CR-V that stops from 60mph in 117 ft while the Mazda CX-5 takes 126 ft. The Sportage has an advantage of 3ft over the CR-V and a significant 12ft over the CX-5 making it a car with great braking capabilities, ensuring better safety. 

Talking about the fuel economy, the Kia Sportage offers 22 MPG in the city, 29 MPG on highways, and 25 MPG as combined. The Sportage has a fuel capacity of 16.4 gallons and delivers a range of 360 miles in the city, 475 on the highway, and a combined range of 410 miles.

The mileage figures of Sportage are good but if we look at the competitors, the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 become superior with their 28 MPG and 27 MPG combined fuel economies respectively. The Tiguan has the biggest fuel tank of 16.9 gallons, followed by the Kia with a 16.4-gallon tank while the Mazda and the Honda have 15.3 and 14-gallon fuel capacities respectively.

At the seating section, the 2017 Kia Sportage offers a passenger capacity of 5 people similar to its competitors. The space available for passengers in the first row of Sportage corresponds to 39.3 inches of headroom, 57.1 inches of shoulder room, and 41.5 inches legroom. However, the headroom and shoulder room offered by the Honda CR-V is the highest.

Pointing to the room available in the second row, a good amount of space is available in the Kia Sportage for comforting the passengers. However, the Honda CR-V LX again swipes away all the competition including the Kia Sportage with its unsurpassed second-row space. The interior finishing of the Sportage is remarkable and it can give complexion even to some expensive SUVs. Additionally, there are numerous useful features inside the cabin of the Sportage that boosts its overall significance. Some of the highlighted interior features of the 2017 Kia Sportage SUV include -

• Cargo Tray and Net
• Interior Light Kit
• Auto-Dimming Mirror
• Power Windows
• Cruise Control
• Air Conditioning,
• Tilt and Telescopic Steering Wheel
• Bucket Front Seats
• 6-way manually adjustable driver seat

2017 Kia Sportage Infotainment System

The standard infotainment system available in the 2017 Kia Sportage SUV comprises a 5-inch touchscreen display, a USB port, auxiliary audio input port. The infotainment system also supports satellite radio and offers a 3-month complimentary subscription to the satellite radio service. Additionally, a 6-speaker audio system is connected with the infotainment system to deliver the sound throughout the SUV.

• 5-inch touchscreen infotainment unit
• A 6-speaker audio system
• Satellite Radio
• Bluetooth Connectivity
• USB Connectivity
• Aux Input

2017 Kia Sportage Cargo Capacity

With the rear seat up, the 2017 Kia Sportage accommodates 30.7 cubic feet of cargo that increases to 60.1 cubic feet after folding down the rear seat. Analyzing the rivals, the Volkswagen Tiguan offers lesser cargo space while the Mazda CX-5 has a similar capacity as that of the Kia Sportage.

However, the cargo capacity of the Honda's CR-V LX is the highest, which is about 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seat up and 75.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The Kia has the second-best cargo space with the rear seat put down, which is 60.1 cu-ft while the Mazda and the Tiguan offer 59.6 and 56.1 cu-ft in this configuration.

Coming to the dimensions of the Kia Sportage, it is 176.4 inches long, 73.0 inches wide and 64.4 inches tall. Among the rivalry, the Volkswagen Tiguan S has the minimum length as well as width while the Kia Sportage is the shortest in terms of height. The ground clearance offered by Kia Sportage measures about 6.4 inches whereas, the ground clearance of both the Volkswagen Tiguan S and Mazda CX-5 is higher with 6.9 and 7.6 inches respectively.

The Sportage is on the heavier side when compared with other cars in the competition. However, it’s inches shorter than the CRV-V in length. It features a fair 105 inches of wheelbase making it easier to modulate on the road. 

Other than that, there is no definite difference between the four cars. The remodeled exterior of the 2017 Kia Sportage is very striking and feels stylish yet muscular. Also, the SUV has various exterior features that act as shots in the arm and are as follows:

• Roof rack crossbars
• Rear bumper applique
• Tow Hitch
• LED DRLs
• Aluminum Wheels
• Rear privacy-tinted windows

Regarding the safety of the vehicle and passengers, the 2017 Kia Sportage provides numerous standard safety features. Some of the key safety features include ABS, center 3-point belt at the rear, front, and rear head airbags, emergency braking assists, remote anti-theft alarm, traction control, and dusk sensing headlamps. Analyzing the IIHS ratings of the 2017 Kia Sportage SUV, its headlights are rated as poor while the child seat anchors are rated as acceptable. 

On the other hand, the superior rating is given to its front crash prevention while for all other remaining IIHS parameters, the SUV got a good rating. In the NHTSA test, the overall rating of 4 stars entitles the Kia Sportage as an above-average car from the safety perspective. The SUV has scored 5 stars in most of the individual NHTSA safety parameters except for the frontal barrier crash driver and rollover, in which it has scored 4 stars. 

• Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Height-adjustable front seat-belt anchors
• Dual front advanced airbags
• Dual front seat-mounted side airbags

Kia Sportage vs Honda CR-V

The first tough competitor on the list is the new Honda CR-V, which gets a slightly higher price tag of $24,045 than the Kia Sportage. Looking at its perks over the Sportage, it offers lower emissions, better fuel economy, a bigger passenger room, and bigger cargo capacity. But the Kia is faster and handles better and has better driving dynamics.

Kia Sportage vs Mazda CX-5

Priced at $24,045, the new Mazda CX-5 is only $845 more expensive than the Kia Sportage LX. On the upper hand, the CX-5 Sport has better engine specs, more mileage, higher ground clearance, and larger legroom space at the second row than the Kia Sportage. However, when it comes to 0-60 mph acceleration, braking efficiency, and cargo volume, the Kia Sportage outpaces the Mazda CX-5 Sport.

Kia Sportage vs Volkswagen Tiguan

The last but not the least SUV that puts up a challenge to the Kia Sportage is the new Volkswagen Tiguan. Considering the price, the Tiguan costs almost $1,795 more than the 2017 Sportage SUV. Nevertheless, for the additional price, the Tiguan S offers more engine power, torque, and towing capacity than the Sportage. On the other side, it lags way behind the Kia Sportage in various parameters like mileage, acceleration, interior space, and cargo capacity. 

Observing closely the price and performance of the Sportage SUV, it is among the best affordable SUVs available in the USA. Additionally, in comparison to the major rivals, the throttle response of the Kia Sportage is just outstanding. Having three trims and two drivetrains allows the customers to have a variety of options to choose from. 

Despite so many advantages, there are some limitations of the SUV including high pricing of SX trim and unavailability of a turbocharged engine in the lower two trims. Overall, we suggest that if you are planning to buy an affordable crossover SUV, then you should give a thought to the Kia Sportage.