The compact crossover is easily one of the most competitive segments. Almost every automaker makes one and with so many options to choose from, how do you weed through the good and bad? There are the obvious heavyweights of the class, like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, but maybe you’d like something that isn’t sitting in every driveway in your neighborhood? Well there’s the excellent Mazda CX-5 and what about the stylish Kia Sportage? The Kia Sportage was one of Kia’s first models when it entered the US in the mid-1990s and 20 years later Kia has positioned it as the sportier and more stylish alternative to its Honda, Toyota and Nissan rivals.
After a week with the 2017 Kia Sportage, here are five things that I either loved or hated about Kia’s smallest crossover:
3Stylish and comfortable interior
The Sportage’s interior now features upgraded materials, although the interior styling is not nearly as daring as the exterior. Features like heated and cooled seats, the panoramic sunroof and its more comfortable seats make the 2017 Sportage feel more upscale than ever before. There’s 31 cubic feet of space behind the 60/40 split folding rear seat to hold your gear, but if you need more cargo space, the Honda CR-V offers 39 cubic feet, while the Toyota RAV4 comes in at just over 38 cubic feet. Overall the interior is spacious and comfortable, but not as big as the CR-V, but if your friends aren’t all over 6-feet tall and you aren’t a hoarder, the Sportage’s interior will be just right.
