2012 Kia Sportage

We would recommend the base trim for those looking for an affordable crossover, which comes with impressive standard amenities. Starting at a price of $18,500, the Sportage base FWD trim includes features such as Sirius satellite radio, auxiliary and USB input jacks, Bluetooth connectivity, steering wheel-mounted controls, power windows, and door locks, and air conditioning, and a center console with an armrest and storage compartment. The mid-pack Sportage EX would be perfect for the ones looking for some premium features while the SX should satisfy drivers who want more power.

The 2012 Kia Sportage is available in four trim levels- Base, LX, EX, and SX. The base Sportage offers a plethora of premium features for a sub-20k price tag which include cruise control, full power accessories, and a decently-loaded infotainment system among others. Except for the base trim, all the trims get an optional AWD layout but the powertrain remains the same till the EX trim. The top-end SX gets a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged motor and a sporty suspension system to complement the extra power on tap.

2012 Kia Sportage Pricing:

The 2012 Kia Sportage starts at a Manufactured suggested retail price of $18,500 for the base model and goes up to $28,400 for the top-range SX Turbo model. Except for the base trim, every Sportage version can be had with front-wheel or all-wheel drive. In the used car market, you can find the 2012 Sportage for sale at a price range of $9,268 to $12,918 depending on the vehicle's condition, location, mileage, and features.

After the redesign last year, the EX models get new high-performance suspension dampers. All models come standard with Kia's Sync-like Microsoft-UVO system, and the Sportage's interior gets a new treatment with anti-soiling and anti-static cloth seats, which are now standard on EX models.

The top-of-the-line SX trim gets a push-button start with a smart key, which lets you start or stop the engine and lock/unlock doors from the outside with the key tucked in a pocket or purse. Leather seats also come in the SX, and heated and air-cooled front seats are optional. All models come with 60/40 split rear seats and the seats on upper-level trims feature a one-touch strap for easier access. 

The 2012 Kia Sportage is powered by a standard 2.4-liter Theta II naturally aspirated I-4 motor, which is good for 176 horsepower and 168 lb-ft of maximum torque. While driving the Sportage with the base engine, the motor shows no traits of being lethargic, and given the vehicle’s size, it drives quite well. The refinement levels are decent and have improved over the previous models owing to the added insulation for this model year. The six-speed automatic transmission does a good job and while in the manual mode, offers a sporty driving experience. The 2012 Sportage handles surprisingly well given its stiffer suspension setup but it takes a toll on the overall comfort levels inside the cabin.

The Sportage goes from 0-60 in 9. 3 seconds and needs 119 feet of distance to come to a complete stop. There is decent acceleration off the line, but getting up to speed on the freeway can a little longer. The Sportage's optional, 260-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-four engine takes care of those who need more power. Compared to the Sportage's older V6, the turbo-four adds 84 more horses and more than 100 lb-ft more torque. This engine offers plenty of power for passing and merging.

The Toyota RAV4 gets an almost similar motor to the Sportage in terms of displacement and puts out better power and torque figures. But its 4-speed automatic unit is disappointing and it drives nothing like the Sportage even. The GMC Terrain has the best horsepower rating here and is the quickest one too among the rivals here. The Subaru Forester comes with its unique H-4 motor but its performance levels are just about at par with the rivals.

The 2012 Kia Sportage returns impressive mileage figures and is at par with the rivals as well. The 2012 Sportage with the base 2.4L engine returns EPA estimated 21 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and combined 25 mpg. The all-wheel-drive models drop those to 20/27/23. The more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged engine in the SX delivers EPA estimated 21/28/24 with front-wheel drive and 20/25/22 with AWD. The disappointing bit is the sub-par gas tank capacity of 15.2 gallons which results in lower driving range figures as opposed to the rivals.

The GMC Terrain offers the best highway mileage of 32mpg as well as combined mpg as well. The RAV4 has a slightly higher city mileage and slightly lower highway mileage than the Sportage. The Forester is the least fuel-efficient of all but its decency-sized gas tank makes up for it.

The 2012 Kia Sportage interior is a combination of complex and stylish design cues that has an overall pleasing appeal to it. As is the case with budget vehicles from Korean carmakers, there is quite a bit of hard plastics all over the cabin but gets well-textured surfaces. There is a sufficient amount of soft padding at the major points of contact and the adequate headroom and legroom offer an overall pleasant experience inside the cabin.

The front seats offer excellent comfort levels while the rear seats are comfortable too but lack any sort of adjustments. You get a sub-par 26.1 cu-ft of cargo space behind the rear seats of the Sportage, which can be increased to a generous 54.6 cu-ft by folding the back seats. 

The Subaru Forester has the most spacious cabin here along with impressive comfort levels and a spacious boot as well. The Toyota RAV4 takes the second spot in terms of spaciousness but its interior design is rather dull. The GMC Terrain offers the best experience inside the cabin with premium features and sorted ride quality.

Some interior features are:

• 60/40 split-folding rear seats
• Full power accessories
• Tilt-only steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control(EX)
• leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob(EX)

How intuitive is the 2012 Kia Sportage’s infotainment unit?

Inside the base trim, the 2012 Kia Sportage offers a pretty basic infotainment system with features such as a four-speaker sound system, Bluetooth phone, and audio connectivity, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack, an iPod/USB audio interface, and a CD player. Stepping up to the EX trim brings in a lot more infotainment features along with the user-friendly UVO infotainment interface as well.

Some infotainment features are:

• Navigation System(optional)
• Satellite Radio
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Auxiliary audio input
• USB-port
• UVO infotainment system(EX)

The 2012 Kia Sportage exterior looks better than most of its rivals owing to its sporty and sharp styling cues. The front end of the SUV has a unique aggressive stance owing to the front grille and the front bumper design. The headlamp units flank the front grille seamlessly while the hood gets a couple of sculpted shapes on either side that gels in with the A-pillar.

Body-colored side mirrors with integrated turn signals are standard on most models, the same goes for projection headlights. The side profile has a neat design with a plastic cladding running underneath. The 16-inch alloy wheels of the base trim leave a little room for the desire to upgrade to bigger 18-inch wheels on the higher models. SX models come with a unique black and chrome version of the grille

The GMC Terrain has the traditional chunky and boxy exterior design like the rest of the American SUVs but it appeals to the right set of buyers in the market. The Toyota RAV4 has the dullest of designs when compared to the rivals here while the Subaru Forester has a handsome and proper SUV-ish exterior design.

Some exterior features are:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Panoramic sunroof(optional)
• Turn indicators on external mirrors(optional)
• Tinted rear windows 
• Keyless entry

The 2012 Kia Sportage has better safety features and ratings than most compact SUVs. The 2012 Sportage scored a decent 4-star rating in NHTSA crash tests while the IIHS gave it a top “Good” rating as well. Being an affordable vehicle it covers the basics alright but the advanced safety techs are hard to find at this price point. 

Like all Kia vehicles, the Sportage comes standard with dual front airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags, and side curtain airbags. Other safety features include four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), stability control, brake assist (BA), and electronic brake distribution (EBD). Hill-start assist also comes standard and prevents the vehicle from rolling backward on a steep hill. A tire-pressure monitoring and downhill brake control complete Kia's safety checklist.

Some standout safety features include:

• Anti-lock braking System
• Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Hill descent control
• Active front head restraint
• Front-seat side Airbags

2012 Kia Sportage Vs. 2012 Toyota RAV4

Both the Kia Sportage and the Toyota RAV4 are immensely popular vehicles in the segment. Where the former focuses more on being a good-looker and an all-around package, the latter relies on superb reliability and toughness. Both the crossovers come with a very similar engine setup but the RAV4 is quicker on its feet and registers quicker times. It also provides better MPGs in the city and has a roomier cabin as well. The Kia offers more features off the block and has more MPGs in the city. It also has a fresh face that attracts a lot of younger audiences as well. 

2012 Kia Sportage Vs. 2012 GMC Terrain

The GMC Terrain outpowers the Kia Sportage with a more powerful engine and, naturally, posts quicker times on the clock. Apart from this, the Terrain one-ups the Sportage with more MPGs and a bigger fuel tank to help with its range. The Sportage might not have the oomph but is a more sophisticated offering. It has a nicely detailed cabin with comfortable accommodations. It might have a smaller boot capacity but the space is more usable and utilitarian with additional hooks to help carry smaller stuff. Along with this, a comprehensive infotainment system makes the Sportage a tech-laden offering as well as all the modern amenities.

2012 Kia Sportage Vs. 2012 Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester comes with a flat-4 engine configuration that aids in good traction off the line, paired with a standard AWD system. The 170 hp engine helps in a quick 0-60 MPH dash but gives in to the Sportage’s extra hp in the quarter-mile run. Performance aside, the Sportage is also more fuel-efficient than the Forester but has a smaller tank that reduces the overall range. The Forester brings in a bigger cabin and a larger boot but the design needs an update and is nowhere as pretty as the Sportage. Also, its heavier weight makes the Forester very difficult to handle and be fun around the twisty roads. 

The Kia Sportage is a strong contender in the fast-paced compact crossover SUV segment and has a lot of things going for it. Kia has kept in mind the performance lovers out there and offers a turbocharged motor with the top-end model of the SUV which dishes out some impressive performance figures while being decently fuel-efficient. On the inside, if you can look beyond the hard plastics, you’re in for a treat with the sharp and stylish design along with comfortable seats. Apart from the bogged-down experience due to the overly stiff ride quality, the Sportage poses as a strong offering in the segment.