2016 Kia Sportage

The 2016 Kia Sportage offers unique and stylish looks along with sporty handling. It sports a responsive steering system that makes it an agile handler. The only major downside is that it sacrifices some interior space in favor of exterior aesthetics. It competes head-on with likes of the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Mitsubishi Outlander.

The 2016 Kia Sportage is offered in three trims, the LX, EX, and SX trim, each of which provides the option of either an FWD or AWD setup and are differentiated by the features and engine that they come equipped with. It falls in a price range that extends from $22,150 to $31,490 for the top-tier trim.

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The 2016 Kia Sportage EX adds 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, a power-adjustable driver seat, and a plethora of other features under $30,000 whether you go with the front-wheel-drive or the all-wheel-drive configuration, providing the best value for the money spent.

The 2016 Kia Sportage packs a 2.4L inline 4 engine under the hood that puts out 182 hp along with 177lb.-ft of torque through a 6-speed automatic transmission. The SX trim is equipped with a 2.0L turbocharged engine which puts out 260 hp and 269lb.-ft of torque. The ride quality is somewhat firmer than its rivals which is also the reason behind its sporty handling, yet it provides superior comfort.

The 2016 Kia Sportage is available both as an FWD and AWD variant and power will be transferred to the wheels depending on the configuration one opts for. When equipped with the base engine, the SUV can sprint from 0 to 60mph in a matter of 8.8 seconds with the quarter-mile coming in 17.8 seconds.

Each compact SUV makes use of an inline-4 engine and is channeled as an FWD variant. The 2016 Honda CR-V and 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander bear distinction by making use of CVT setups. In terms of acceleration, the most powerful CR-V takes 8.3 seconds to the 60mph mark, while the Outlander produces the lowest power and torque output of 166hp and 162lb.-ft of torque is the slowest clocking 9.2 seconds. Though the 2016 Ford Escape manages similar timings in the acceleration test as the Mitsubishi, it gains ascendancy in the quarter-mile run taking 16.9 seconds, and ranks third in the segment.

The 2016 Kia Sportage’s gas mileage feels substandard and underwhelming. As per EPA estimates, the base 2.4L inline-4 engine does 21 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg combined which feels low for an SUV of its class. With the turbocharged engine option, the combined efficiency further tends to fall and is rated at 22 miles per gallon of fuel only.

The tank, however, can hold 15.3 gallons of fuel which will set you up for a long road trip to where ever you want without worrying about gas stations along the way. In the city, the 2016 Kia Sportage LX averages 321 miles in a single fuel refill, which drastically increases to 428 miles on the highway, yet it remains the lowest in the segment.

When compared to the competitors, the 2016 Honda CR-V is the most frugal option and averages 29 MPG, while the Mitsubishi and Ford lag behind averaging 27 and 25 MPG, respectively. However, the 2016 Outlander is fitted with the largest fuel tank in the segment that can hold 16.6-gallons of fuel, and consequently, it covers the highest range of 415 and 515 miles in the city and on the highway.

The 2016 Kia Sportage interiors feel less commodious than its rivals. It sacrifices the interior space in favor of the exterior design to keep it more aesthetically pleasing to the eye which results in a lack of legroom in the rear seats. Otherwise, the cabin is a nice place to be in, it provides superior comfort and the firm ride quality won't annoy you as much.

The 2016 Kia Sportage’s problems are not just limited to its rear-seat space. Its cargo capacity is somewhat disappointing behind the rear seats it's at 26.1 cubic feet and with the rear seats folded the cargo volume is 54.6 cubic feet which are less than almost all of the vehicles in this category of compact crossovers.

In the segment, the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander is the only SUV that can seat seven passengers. While the Ford Escape does have maximum space upfront, the rear-seat occupants will find themselves most comfortably seated in the Honda. Additionally, the CR-V has the highest trunk volume of 37.2 cubic feet.

Some salient interior features include:

• Air Conditioning
• Cloth/Leather Upholstery
• Cruise Control
• Tilt and Telescopic Steering Wheel
• Manual/automatic seat adjustment 

How intuitive is the infotainment system of the 2016 Kia Sportage?

The infotainment system is well laid out and quite intuitive. Each knob and button that surrounds the system is functional and adds to the usability of the central touchscreen. While the 7-inch display unit is the better option, the base variant receives a 4.3-inch unit. Both the 2016 Kia Sportage SX and EX trims also make use of Kia’s UVO telematics system which allows for music streaming and voice control. Some other features include:

•  Optional Infinity premium sound system
•  USB Port
• Satellite Radio
•  Navigation System
• 6-speaker sound system
•  Auxiliary Audio Input

The 2016 Sportage is one of the most stylish and uniquely designed crossovers in the market. The front and rear fasciae are like nothing else. The unique signature Kia grille and the sharp angular lines give it an appealing look and it will surely be liked by those who aren't fans of traditional crossover design language. The 17/18-inch wheels help amplify the design characteristics.

Though smaller both in dimensions and visually, the 2016 Kia Sportage has a traditional SUV feel to it. It stands tall and upright with a total height and ground clearance of 64.4 and 6.8 inches, respectively. It is 174.8 inches long with a wheelbase of 103.9 inches. What does come as a relief, however, is that it is the widest SUV in the segment measuring 73 inches, which allows for higher shoulder room on the inside.

When compared to the competitors, the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander is the longest vehicle in the segment having a total length of 184.8 inches and also sports best-in-class ground clearance of 8.5 inches. While the 2016 Ford Escape is shorter, it features the largest wheelbase of 105.4 inches and is also the tallest SUV in the segment. The Honda CR-V on the other hand is smaller than all of its rivals.

Some of the salient exterior features of the 2016 Kia Sportage include:

• Sunroof
• LED Daytime Running Lights
• Fog Lamps
• Tiger-nose Kia Grille
• Chrome exterior trim 

When it comes to safety, there is no doubting the capabilities of the SUV. It packs a sturdy build quality with abundant safety features and scores highly best possible ratings of 5-stars and Good in the crash tests conducted by the NHTSA and IIHS, respectively. Even, the recalls on 2016 Kia Sportage are also limited to just one, which is suggestive of its potential.

Some salient safety features include:

• Vehicle Stability Management 
• Electronic Stability Control
• Antilock Disc Brakes
• Integrated Turn Signal Mirrors (available with SX trim only)
• Traction Control

The 2016 Kia Sportage is a perfect mix of performance, practicality, and stylish looks without being too pricey. As compared to the rivals it offers quick acceleration and sporty handling and the SX with the turbocharged motor is a serious performer. Overall, if you want a somewhat practical crossover SUV that is also exciting to drive and pleasing to look at, the Kia Sportage is your answer.