Car Reviews
KIA SPORTAGE PHEV X-LINE PRESTIGE – GREEN. PEACE.
KIA SPORTAGE PHEV X-LINE PRESTIGE
GREEN. PEACE.
Now in its 5th generation, Kia’s Sportage entered the U.S. market at roughly the same time as I entered automotive journalism. As an attendee at the Texas Auto Writers annual Truck Rodeo in the mid-‘90s, I encountered the body-on-frame Sportage (with its compact footprint) vying for attention with the Rams and F-150s, Durangos and Tahoes getting that attention. Some 30 years later, today’s Sportage is far more accomplished than its first iteration, while I like to think I’m far more accomplished than the early 30-something I presented to readers in 1995. The Kia – I think – nails it, while I’m probably deserving of a few recalls…
As a compact crossover the Kia has some real competition, dominated by Honda’s HR-V and CR-V, Toyota’s Corolla Cross and RAV4 and – to a lesser extent – Nissan’s Rogue. Despite sheetmetal that I find mildly off-putting, the buying public has fully embraced those changes that gave us this 5th generation, and while the sheetmetal has been dialed back in the refresh, the Sportage still presents itself as a departure from the mainstream – and somewhat anonymous – Asian. With a newly available plug-in hybrid, Sportage owners can ‘walk’ even more softly, while carrying 268 horsepower of big, plugged-in ‘stick’.
Planted on a wheelbase of 108.5 inches and occupying 184.5 inches of overall length, the compact Sportage impresses as almost midsize. I like the tightly drawn exterior, while the revised front fascia still seems to be overthought, if not overwrought. Kia – not too long ago – offered an upscale greeting not too far removed from the best of Europe. More recently, like its Hyundai sibling, the front fascia seems to have sprung from Legoland, lacking a unified feel, and more pre-school than post-grad.
While behind that rectangular wheel you’ll enjoy a 12.3-inch gauge display fully integrated into with the 12.3-inch infotainment center. That integration into the dash is essentially seamless, eliminating the ‘it’s an afterthought’ look that remains a mainstay among even the most progressive OEMs. The ergonomics work, and it’s mildly intuitive, but it still took this analog guy a few awkward attempts with his index finger to change a station.
As you’d hope with a plug-in, the dash will update you regarding the percentage of battery remaining. And while, within the few days I had it, I never attempted to recharge the battery, neither did it slip much below 20%, a benefit of stop-and-go errands and the Kia’s re-generative braking.
Between the dash and hatch is generous room for four and adequate room for five. If the rear seat is folded you’ll enjoy some 65 cubic feet of space for your stuff – and we all have stuff. The impression is one of a midsize crossover, and seems to negate the need for a Sorento in the Kia lineup. Obviously, that isn’t the case, ‘cuz guys smarter than me have decided a Sorento will be in the lineup. If I was shopping and wanting to err on the side of small I’d go Sportage. And if in doubt, I’d step up to Kia’s Telluride.
While the emphasis is on accommodation, a shout-out to the Prestige trim’s Terracotta upholstery, which is absolutely gorgeous. It’s Kia’s SynTex, so you won’t have contributed to the execution of cattle; the steakhouses and your meat department will have taken care of that. But you gotta’ know: As nice as Terracotta SynTex is, the overall impression is diminished by less-than-stellar plastics.
The gas-electric combo takes a 177 horsepower, 1.6 liter turbocharged four connected to a 6-speed auto and hybrid electric power to give you 34 miles of electrified range, in combination with roughly 36 miles of gasified economy. The beauty of a plug-in hybrid electric is the errand runs you can make on all electric, in combination with those longer drives without the need to hunt for a charging station. The downside, of course, is the complexity (and weight) associated with that gas/electric battery combo; there’s a lot going on between the bumpers, and software updates can come at you like so many pop-ups.
Add all this up and I was genuinely impressed by the Kia’s over-the-road demeanor. With generous horsepower under the hood and genuine refinement embedded in its chassis, the Sportage PHEV covers miles as if it had a German logo on its hood. But then, with a MSRP of just under $50K for our PHEV X-Line Prestige you could almost put a German logo on its hood. That begs the question if – like me – you are a bottom-line kind of guy or gal: If for that money you can buy a Lexus, why wouldn’t you buy a Lexus?
The good news: Kia offers a wide array of drivetrains and trims under the Sportage umbrella, beginning at just over $30,000. For me I’d opt for the Sportage Hybrid EX, which gives you all-wheel drive, an EPA estimate of roughly 40 miles per gallon, and a window of $35K with destination. That’s a lot of Kia for a relatively small amount of money, and keeps your monthly obligation for a vehicle significantly smaller than your monthly obligation to a landlord.
And if anyone should ask you what a Kia Sportage PHEV is, tell ‘em it’s a political movement.
