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Tesla’s Wild Ride Continues2024 Kia Sportage Review
The 2024 Kia Sportage comes with eight available trims, lots of technology, and some nice cabin features. Read our full thoughts here.
What’s New for the 2024 Kia Sportage?
The 2024 Kia Sportage enters the crowded SUV market almost unchanged from the 2023 version we reviewed last year. The big difference is that the entire lineup now features second-row airbags and LED projector headlights. In addition, the SX trim is no longer available with AWD. That’s okay though because Kia is leaning into its X-Pro trims as the off-road ready choices.
2024 Kia Sportage – kia.com | Shop 2024 Kia Sportage on Carsforsale.com
Carsforsale.com Score
8.75/10
Powertrain
Score
9/10
Interior
Score
8.25/10
Technology
Score
8.5/10
Value
Score
8.75/10
The Breakdown
Above average interior
Fuel-efficient hybrid options
Exceptional warranty
Adaptive cruise control costs extra
Base motor is too weak
Top trims are pricey
A solid competitor
2024 Sportage Specs
- 187 horsepower from base engine
- 178 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 8 available trims
- 39.6 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 74.1 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats folded
- Standard Android/Apple connectivity
- Standard lane-keep assist
- 10-year powertrain warranty
- Towing capacity of 2,500 lbs
2024 Kia Sportage Powertrain 9/10
Kia sells the 2024 Sportage with three available powertrains starting with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes just 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. It pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission and usually front-wheel drive though all-wheel drive is available, and sometimes standard on some trims.
As a complete package it’s about as pedestrian as it gets. It provides enough power to get around town and not much else. Accelerating from 0-60 mph takes nearly 10 full seconds which is very slow for a new car in today’s world. We miss the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine from the old Sportage. One doesn’t trade power for efficiency here either though as the gas-only Sportage gets, at best, just 25 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway according to the EPA.
At the time of writing, Kia hasn’t released the full specifications on the 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid, but based on the 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid we expect the same 1.6-liter turbocharged conventional hybrid with with 227 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.
You can expect noticeably more zippy acceleration than its gas-only sibling. Some of that might be down to fewer shifts to account for in its six-speed automatic gearbox. In addition, it offers up to 42 mpg in the city and 44 on the highway.
The top engine choice is a plug-in hybrid featuring the same 1.6-liter turbocharged engine. In this configuration, it makes 261 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It also offers excellent fuel economy with 36 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway to go along with up to 34 miles of all-electric range.
Notably, the Sportage can tow up to 2,500 pounds when properly equipped. That might not sound like much but it’s 1,000 pounds more than rivals like the Volkswagen Tiguan.
2024 Kia Sportage Interior 8.25/10
The interior of the Sportage isn’t nearly as opinion splitting as its exterior might have one believe. The dash is relatively low set and integrates the two main screens into it with a cleanly blended climate control vent and touch-sensitive controls just ahead of the center console.
While we’ve found many products from Kia and Hyundai to feel noticeably premium, the Sportage is a bit more utilitarian. The door cards, dash, and center tunnel are built to high standards but don’t necessarily feel special either.
The touch-sensitive panel under the main infotainment screen is something we expect buyers to love or hate. It serves two functions as both the main climate control center and as a place to control media though you can only do one or the other.
Front-seat passengers can switch between those functions with a touch-sensitive switch in the panel. Just be sure you’re on the one you want before turning a dial, otherwise you might end up with the climate control set to 90-degrees when all you wanted was to hear your friend on a phone call better.
The seating is spacious and comfortable throughout the cabin and we especially like the little storage cubbies that Kia has baked into the interior. The rear seats are especially spacious with over 41-inches of legroom. In addition, there is nearly 40 cubic feet of storage behind the second row and over 70 when one folds those seats flat.
2024 Kia Sportage Technology Features 8.5/10
Kia offers a lot of tech in just about every single Sportage trim level. The base model, LX, is the only one that comes with an 8-inch infotainment screen but the benefit is that it gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In general, the native system is easy to use and relatively quick to react. Keep in mind though that the smaller screen doesn’t have all of the features found in the rest of the lineup.
Interestingly, the larger 12.3-inch infotainment screen found in the rest of the lineup requires a wired connection to use Android or Apple connectivity. Despite that, we’d go for it between the two options as the larger screen features better graphics and more capability too.
Regardless of what trim one buys, the 2024 Sportage comes with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster which we really like. It’s bright and configurable and in upper trim models like the SX it’s equipped with extra functions and features. We especially love the in-gauge-cluster blind-spot view monitoring system. We’ve highlighted it on other Kia and Hyundai models and we’ll mention it here too. It provides a clear view of either blind-spot when the driver turns on the signal indicator. We’re amazed that more cars don’t have something similar as it works beautifully.
That brings us to a discussion on safety equipment which is both great and a tinge disappointing in the Sportage. Many advanced driver aids come standard including forward collision mitigation, lane-departure mitigation, lane-keep assistance, and rear parking sensors. They all work quite well too. What’s a bit frustrating is that Kia, a brand clearly focused on winning the market over with excellent value, doesn’t offer adaptive cruise or blind-spot monitoring as standard equipment as some rivals do.
Nevertheless, those systems are available and can combine to provide what Kia calls Highway Assist , a software suite that can take some stress off of the driver by keeping the car centered while following another car at a safe speed and distance. Notably, the 2023 Sportage was an IIHS Top Safety Pick and we expect the 2024 edition to claim the same award when they’re handed out.
2024 Kia Sportage Trims & Pricing
LX- $28,415
The base LX is available either as a gas-only vehicle or with the conventional hybrid engine mentioned above. In addition, it gets 17-inch wheels, LED exterior lighting, rear privacy glass, power-adjustable mirrors, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, an 8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, two USB power ports, six speakers, and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster.
EX – $30,415
The EX gets the same engine choices as the LX but adds 18-inch wheels, heated mirrors with LED turn-signal indicators, remote start, dual-zone climate control, faux-leather upholstery, a 12.3-inch infotainment system, satellite radio, a wireless charging pad, two rear-seat USB power points, a power-adjustable heated driver’s seat, and a heated front-passenger seat.
X-Line – $33,215
The X-Line is available with the base gas engine or as a plug-in hybrid but is not available with the conventional hybrid drivetrain. It adds black 19-inch wheels, all-wheel-drive with a locking center differential, roof rails, and unique X-Line exterior trim.
SX – $33,915
The SX is the first Sportage in the lineup that’s only available as a gas-only trim. It gets 18-inch wheels, low-profile roof rails, a hands-free liftgate, a panoramic sunroof, LED interior lighting, a more featureful 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, an eight-speaker sound system, adaptive cruise control, intersection collision mitigation, and lane-keep assist.
SX Prestige – $35,915
The SX Prestige comes with the same engine choices as the LX or EX and then includes 19-inch wheels, upgraded LED exterior lighting, premium faux leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, in-gauge-cluster blind-spot view, parking sensors, automatic low-speed braking, and a surround-view camera system.
X-Pro – $37,415
Both X-Pro models are available with the gas-only engine. On the plus side, they both get all-wheel drive as standard. In addition, the X-Pro comes with 17-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, multi-terrain drive modes, a heated windshield, a heated steering wheel, and alloy pedal covers.
X-Pro Prestige – $39,215
The X-Pro Prestige combines the luxury equipment from the SX Prestige with the off-roading goodies of the X-Pro.
X-Line Prestige – $45,000 (est)
Finally, the X-Line Prestige is only available as a plug-in hybrid and we expect it to arrive with a center-locking differential, 19-inch wheels, roof rails, LED exterior lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, and low-speed braking.
2024 Kia Sportage Overall Value 8.75/10
The 2024 Kia Sportage does offer above average value in the market but just barely. The base engine is one of the least engaging on the market and the more pleasurable hybrid options are considerably more expensive.
The Sportage comes with a nice suite of technologies and a spacious enough cabin that we think most will overlook its drab on-road performance. On top of that, it features a five-year or 60,000-mile limited warranty and a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. That kind of confidence isn’t something you’ll get from a GM, Ford, or Stellantis product.
CarsForSale.com Overall Score 8.75/10
2024 Kia Sportage – kia.com | Shop 2024 Kia Sportage on Carsforsale.com
The Sportage is an SUV that almost seems like it was simply built to tick off boxes that make it just barely more appealing than others in the class. It doesn’t really feature anything other than styling though to make it really feel special or desirable. Nevertheless, most buyers in this segment are looking for value and the Sportage certainly offers that.
2024 Kia Sportage FAQ
Is the Kia Sportage AWD?
The Sportage is available with all-wheel drive.
Where is the Kia Sportage made?
Kia builds the Sportage in West Point, Georgia, USA.
How much can the Kia Sportage tow?
When properly equipped, the Sportage can tow up to 2,500 pounds.
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