2024 Kia Sportage Review and Test Drive
Bringing style, comfort, capability, and utility to the competitive compact crossover market.
Perry Stern
Kia not only ensures the 2024 Sportage stands out from other compact crossovers, the company also does a great job of giving each of its SUVs a distinctive look, as seen with this good-looking SUV. Enough common cues tie the Sportage in with the smaller Seltos and larger Sorento and Telluride to identify them all as Kias. In addition, the X-Pro treatment adds a rugged look to the Sportage. When I picked up a friend, they said, "This looks like it's ready for adventure."
The Sportage has come a long way in the nearly 30 years since it first went on sale. Last year, it entered its fifth generation with a complete redesign, and the changes have apparently resonated with Kia's customers, as the Sportage remains the most popular model in the automaker's lineup.
With comfortable, spacious seating for five; a high-tech interior; and a good level of utility, the 2024 Kia Sportage holds its own against top sellers such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.
Perry Stern
2024 Kia Sportage Pricing
The 2024 Kia Sportage is available in LX, EX, X-Line, SX, SX Prestige, X-Pro, X-Pro Prestige, and X-Line Prestige trim levels with gas, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Base prices range from the high $20,000s to the mid-$40,000s, including the destination charge to ship the SUV from the West Point, Georgia, factory that builds it to your local dealership.
For this Sportage review, I test-drove the X-Pro Prestige in Dexter, Michigan, west of Detroit. Optional equipment highlights included Wolf Gray paint, a cargo mat, and floor mats. The manufacturer's suggested retail price of the test vehicle was $40,030, including the $1,375 destination charge.
Kia provided the vehicle for this Sportage review, and my driving impressions apply specifically to the gasoline-only versions of the SUV.
Perry Stern
Stylish Look Stands Out Day or Night
When Kia redesigned the Sportage last year, the compact SUV grew in size and represented a significant upgrade from the previous generation.
Stylish LED headlights that stand out with boomerang-shaped running lights flank the expansive grille, giving the Sportage a wide stance and a distinctive look day or night. Standing out from the rest of the lineup, the Sportage X-Pro gets standard all-wheel drive and a more adventurous look, with matte black wheels, LED fog lights, and BF Goodrich all-terrain tires.
The Sportage's cabin has a premium vibe, much more so than expected in a compact crossover. A high-tech curved display incorporates the 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Air vents on either side of the screen mimic the boomerang style of the daytime running lights, nicely tying the exterior design to the interior.
My Sportage test vehicle was the most expensive model, so the cabin looked and felt decidedly upscale. Stylish synthetic leather covered the seats, door panels, and center console, and the dashboard featured artificial wood trim. Some hard plastics cover the lower part of the dashboard, but it doesn't look cheap.
Most primary features and functions are accessible via the touchscreen display. However, Kia includes an unusual set of dual-purpose controls that toggle between audio and climate functions, an approach I found frustrating.
Perry Stern
Comfortable Seating All Around
When Kia redesigned the Sportage last year, the updated model was 7.1 inches longer than the previous version, translating into a more spacious interior on par with the sales leaders in the compact crossover SUV segment.
My test vehicle's power-adjustable front seats proved comfortable, even after several hours behind the steering wheel. Trimmed in Kia's SynTex synthetic leather with a stylish pleated pattern, they had heating and ventilation and offered good support and bolstering.
Rear-seat riders will also find plenty of comfort in the 2024 Sportage. Thanks to 41.3 inches of legroom, even taller passengers won't feel cramped. The rear doors open wide for easy entry and exit and make it easier to load children regardless of their age.
Perry Stern
The 2024 Kia Sportage Offers Excellent Utility
Kia makes good use of the available space in the Sportage's cabin. For example, the dual cupholders have retractable dividers so that they can hold drinks or larger items. A good-sized cubby is under the center armrest, and a wireless phone charger is ahead of the gear selector. Pockets in the doors work well for holding water bottles or even a small umbrella.
The Sportage offers plenty of cargo space, too. With up to 39.6 cubic-feet of room behind the rear seats, the Sportage's cargo area is slightly larger than the bestselling Toyota RAV4. Folding the 60/40 split-folding rear seat expands the space to a plentiful 74.1 cu-ft, nearly as much as Kia's larger Sorento model. For added convenience, the available Smart Power Tailgate will automatically open if you stand behind it with the key fob in your pocket.
Perry Stern
The 2024 Kia Sportage Infotainment System Is Clear and Intuitive
Kia offers one of the more intuitive infotainment systems on the market, and the Sportage is no exception. Presented on the large 12.3-inch touchscreen display, the system uses large and legible icons for quick access to features such as navigation, audio, communications, and media.
The homepage screen is more serene for those who prefer something less busy. It shows just the time, date, and current media playing with a moving map background that is more for decoration than information. You can easily return to the page of icons with just a swipe to the left.
I quickly connected my Samsung Galaxy S23+ via Bluetooth, allowing hands-free calling and media streaming. The latter sounded excellent on the Sportage's optional Harman Kardon audio system. Unfortunately, the X-Pro Prestige's system still requires a wired USB connection to operate Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. However, upon plugging my phone into the conveniently located USB port in the center console, Android Auto came up immediately and worked great every time I started the Sportage.
Perry Stern
The Sportage Has Frustrating Dual-Action Controls
Kia found a unique way of simplifying the Sportage interior and saving space on the dashboard with dual-purpose controls that change to operate either the climate system or the infotainment system.
Below the center touchscreen is a set of soft-touch controls with two physical dials. When I first drove the Sportage, this space showed climate functions with fan speed and temperature readout, and the dials adjusted the dual-zone cabin temperature settings. A toggle switch changes these controls to shortcuts to the navigation system, map, and audio controls, while the dials control volume and tuning.
While this innovative method of displaying these two different functions with fewer controls simplifies the interior, it can be frustrating to use while driving. On more than one occasion, I made the cabin warmer while trying to turn the volume up. Perhaps Kia has received customer complaints about this approach, as the dual-action controls are not in Kia’s newest model, the electric EV9 SUV.
Perry Stern
The 2024 Kia Sportage Highway Driving Assist Is Better Than It Should Be
Every Sportage is well-equipped with the latest advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). These include a forward-collision warning and an automatic emergency braking system that detects pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles. Other standard features include lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist.
Starting with the Sportage EX trim, the SUV has blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. My X-Pro Prestige test vehicle also had Highway Driving Assist (HDA). This system uses adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist to provide a hands-on semi-autonomous driving experience.
I tested HDA on Interstate 94 outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan. After setting my speed to 70 mph, green lights on the driver's display indicated that HDA was operational. The system then did an excellent job keeping the Sportage in the center of the lane and a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, even providing the steering input necessary to negotiate curves in the highway.
HDA is not a hands-free system, and it is supposed to warn the driver if it doesn't detect steering input. However, when I took my hands off the wheel (ready to grab it again instantly), the Sportage just kept going, staying smoothly in its lane at 70 mph for several miles with no alerts or warnings. While it's nice to know that the system works well, it would be too easy — and dangerous — for a driver to assume HDA is hands-free and become complacent, not paying attention to the road.
Not only does the Sportage feature the latest ADAS, but it also performs well in crash tests. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 2024 Kia Sportage earned a five-star overall safety rating. Similarly, the Sportage earns a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Perry Stern
The Sportage Provides Just Enough Power to Get By
All non-hybrid Sportage models have a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. Most Sportages have an eight-speed automatic transmission powering the SUV's front wheels, with all-wheel drive available. My X-Pro Prestige had standard all-wheel drive.
According to the EPA, the 2024 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige returns an estimated 23/30/26 mpg in city/highway/combined driving. Front-wheel-drive variants perform slightly better, with a rating of 25/33/28 mpg. During my time with the Sportage, the trip computer showed an average fuel economy of 23.7 mpg, falling short of expectations.
Perry Stern
The Sportage Is Smooth and Capable
Though Kia enlarged the Sportage last year, it still feels small — in a good way — and maneuverable. Driving around town, I found the outward visibility to be good, and with a short turning radius, the Sportage easily made its way through tight parking lots.
With 187 horsepower, the Sportage isn't going to win any drag races, but it does have adequate power for most driving situations. Accelerating up to 70 mph to merge onto the freeway went quickly enough, and once it's cruising at highway speed, the Sportage feels solid and confident. Unfortunately, the road noise coming into the X-Pro's cabin is bothersome, revealing one of the drawbacks of the standard off-road tires. The road noise is less noticeable at slower speeds.
The Sportage demonstrated good steering feedback and strong brakes on back roads requiring more agility. It does lean in the corners, and if you push too hard, the X-Pro's tires scrub early to keep you within the limits of their grip. Still, most people will be comfortable with the Sportage’s performance, ride, and handling in a variety of situations.
Perry Stern
With its rugged exterior style, off-road tires, and standard all-wheel drive, the Sportage X-Pro is for buyers looking to adventure off the beaten path. However, though the X-Pro may look the part of an off-road-ready SUV, it offers the same ground clearance and features the same all-wheel-drive system as the rest of the Sportage lineup.
That means rock climbing and extreme off-roading are not on the Sportage X-Pro's menu, but it performed exceptionally well on many of the dirt roads crisscrossing southeastern Michigan. The X-Pro supplied excellent grip and stability while keeping the ride comfortable and smooth even on washboard surfaces at higher speeds.
Perry Stern
The 2024 Kia Sportage Is an Excellent SUV
The compact crossover SUV segment is one of the most competitive in America. Popular options such as the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and Toyota RAV4 are among the 10 bestselling vehicles in the United States. While all three sell in considerably larger numbers than the Sportage, Kia's entry has seen record sales for the last two years and is on track to do the same in 2024.
There's a good reason for the Sportage's success. This Kia has styling that stands out from the crowd and features a roomy, high-tech interior, the latest advanced safety features, and a comfortable and confident ride. If you are considering purchasing one of those top-selling crossovers, consider the Sportage before making a final decision. You may be surprised by how good it is.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Perry SternI have loved cars and trucks since childhood, and that fascination with anything that drives is just as strong today. As a teenager, I knew I wanted to become an automotive journalist, and during the past three decades, I have driven, written about, and photographed all manner of automobiles ranging from affordable econocars to exotic supercars. With the idea that there is a perfect car, truck, or SUV for everyone, my goal is to help consumers determine the right one for their wants and needs.
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