2018 Kia Sportage SX AWD Review: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly 

I've had my 2007 Kia Sportage for 10 years. Bought used, high miles (all highway) and probably the best vehicle I've ever owned. Also, longest I've ever owned... Only issue I have currently (and past two years actually) is front driver door won't open from outside anymore. Thankful for long skinny arms to reach from the back.... But, she's paid for and has pretty much given me zero issues except for that. Always starts, (replaced battery once). My first suv style after a VW Golf (that i miss)...but handled like a car. I love her. Will probably drive it until the wheels fall off..... She just goes....and goes....

I just got a 2019 Sportage SX AWD with less then 30K miles on it for a pretty good price. I think it drives really nice, I do drive in Sport Mode a lot because it can feel a little sad when in Normal and I’m not even going to talk about Eco. I like the appearance of it, the front end has grown on me, sometimes different is better

I like the design, reminds me of a porsche cayenne on the front.

I like how kia and Mitsubishi are the only brands that stand out in the segment in terms of design and interior

Great review! The back looks great and I personally don't mind the front end so much because it offers a lot of the features I want (that pano roof) with some great power.

If you look the sportage in black or dark grey it's a completely different car, it look way more aggressive than red or white and it's way more beautiful :)

Thanks for this report. I've been looking at the Optima, but now I can consider the Sportage too.

Beautifully filmed, I love the front of the Sportage! I want one......

Looks of the Sportage? I like it. It's got a "happy" look to it. For instance, I do NOT like the front-end of the RAV4, that wedge just doesn't cut it for me.

I like It too much, i've bought one, i'm so in love with this car.

great review was considering a few of these mini SUVs I've had a Toyota Rav 4 for yrs and looking to either get a new one or a different mini suv and Sportage was in the running thanks for answering all the questions I pondered !

Just got a 2017 SX for my daily driver.....great ute!!...lot's of luxury for the price and bought it depreciated so an even better deal then having purchased it new!

I have a white LX. Love it. Love the way it looks. Completely happy with my purchase

Great video thank you. Im not a towing kinda lady and love the look.... cant wait to test drive

Since Kia started switching to the “cutesie” look, I always thought the sportage especially looks like a hamster! Haha! I love the car though excellent review

I really like the overall look of the sportage. A friend of mine just bought one... I have driven it and I have to say its fun to drive and not sluggish at all. I would seriously consider one.

Loved your video

I like this new design. Sincerely, I like the front more than the rear part of exterior , so I amaze how people can’t like its front, because its too aggressive and sporty))) I will buy it someday

We just got a 2019 Shortage....38,000 miles.....(was a corporate lease vehicle) and do far we love it. And for power....ours is pretty quick. (for passing etc) I myself....always use cruise....if not I've caught myself doing 90mph and not really know it...lol

Our 2021 AWD KIA SPORTAGE EX owner's manual says 4,000 pound towing capacity. To make sure we have that we went with the Draw Tite hitch: 4,500 Lbs Tow, 600 LBS Tongue ECO mode averages 27- 29 MPG Highway and we use Non-Ethanol 89 fuel. City averages about 19 - 21 MPG ($36,000 @ 0% financing for 75 Months)

Got my SX Turbo loaded for an internet special of 31K. Not ugly, design is Porsche style.

I love the looks, and first thing I would change are the big wheels.

Great review Hansen. I have road in a Kia EX and was very surprised, really. It is loaded with more than I can list here. Kia's are discounted $3k to $5500. I like the Mazda CX5 but find it hard to buy $4500 more for it than the Kia Sportage SX. My in-laws just bought a 2019 EX for $28.8 fully loaded. Like everything about it, except the front view, but that's okay for the price.

I’ve had my 2018 Sportage LX about a year. I didn’t know they were related to Hyundai but that’s cool prior to my Sportage I had a Santa Fe for years I loved.

I just bought a 2018 ex no turbo. Although a turbo would be nice, it has plenty of power in the 2.4l. My girlfriend has a rav4 of the same year. Im pretty sure hp is around the same but mine just feels faster and more enjoyable to drive. Plus I LOVE the shorter front end. It's almost like driving a cabover lmao. Tight turning radius like a compact sedan

I got a 2018 Kia Sportage. I like the design and it drive well.

Hi I have a gt line I average 80 miles to £10 uk fuel prices I got to say I love it about to take it off-roade I find it’s looks ok the wind issue was solved with some wind defleckters which helps wen it’s raining too I’ll never look back on buying my kia

I love my new 2019 Kia Sportgage!!

For me personally regardless of the offroad review of the other post I would drive all as a shopping trolley vehicle and my thoughts on the front are:- I like the big round front and back of Kia although the front looks like Ligthening McQueen from the kids Car movie lol / the Kona body mouldings just look ? / the Mazda has tiny Cylon lights at front and big back so looks uneven / the RAV4 looks like it has Botox lips on the front / the Honda has a dragging bottom lip look / the tiguan looks nice / the jeep round down grill looks like it is popping out of the front certainly not a tough standard jeep look to me.

Can't even recall the last time I saw Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4 (not even mentioning KIA Sportage/ Hyundai Tuscon) towing anything anywhere :)

I like the design!

I know I am a little late to the game here (commenting in late 2021) but I am looking at used SUV's (can't afford, nor want to pay $30k+ for a new one, or even used one) and considering a 2017-2020ish Sportage. Good video and points here. I actually am thinking about getting the EX for a couple reasons, I hear the SX turbo isn't really that great especially at low rpm's, I don't want the 19inch wheels for the reasons mentioned (Cost, off-road capability, etc.). That said I like the features of the EX (giant moonroof, heated seats, etc.), I like that it is a 6 speed auto (no way am I getting a CVT, not sure about the DCT's especially for off-road/slow in the snow - overheating issues), takes regular gas, etc. Look, I know its not a Jeep, but I can only buy/afford one vehicle so I am looking for something versatile that can "softroad" and good in the snow (for skiing). While I do not love the front (I like the rest), it is better than the same year RAV4 (the new RAV4 - Adventure/TRD is cool but too much $$) and some other SUVs. While the Sportage does seem to have lower mpg than CVT SUVs like the CRV, I will take that over a CVT, plus - I am not sure actually how bad the mpg is for the Sportage - here you mention on a 800 mile trip with some offroading in the SX you got 28 average - that is actually not too bad. I wonder what the SX gets on the highway (anyone?)? I also wonder what the EX (2.4) gets in the real world, not the EPA ratings? Anyway great review and I will continue to research this vehicle.

I agree, the front end looks goofy. Bulbous?

I love my 2017 Sportage SX, it has everything I need.

as for the tires . can't be changed to a wider sidewall spec ?! instead of 40 can't be 55 ?

I like the design a lot.

Love my 2017 Sportage. Unbelievable responsiveness. I'm wondering if I can remove a fuse to disconnect the all-wheel drive

im looking at one with 44k miles for like 13k.. i want it. it looks sick

Can't get these in a smaller rim size?

I luv it!

I have a sprorge 2007 over 200 thousde mile still great car.

Love it got a 2018 ex

Personally liked the looks of the previous generation

Love design

i love this car

Good car my car 18 Kia Sportage EX sport AWD I LOVET

Why would tow anything with a cross over? its just a lifted car designed for urban use.

I like the design and hate the trend towards aggresive angry frowning cars! I no more want to see an aggressive frowning vehicle than I want to see an aggresive frowning person! I therefore commend KIA on the design.

Glad yours is good . Mine is a lemon 2019 Kia Sorento wish i never laid eyes on KIA Air Compressor went out at 31000 dealer worked on it twice still no Air blows out. Kia never done any thing check engine light on 4 months Dealership run scan and told me nothing shows up. Has came out of gear while parked and turned off on 2 occasions but dealer could never tell us why. SUV has 35000 miles and the dealer where i bought it offered me 7000.00 trade. LOL Yes this is going bye bye but it sure will never be another KIA

I don't mind the front appearance. Are you sure of the hp @ 237?

A great drive.

why not the excellent, good, bad and ugly??

And is or not going to have oil delusion problem bcuz it's a turbo GDI engine

Well the bad for me is the dull paint on my Kia Sportage. This is my first and very last Kia.

Is it cvt or auto and if auto how many speeds

I love the design! They should make it electric!

good review. I have a 2017 SX AWD, which is about the same as the one reviewed except for a few minor things. A couple of comments -- while I didn't like the front end styling at first, it has grown on me and is definitely stands out from the rest in this crowded segment, which I like. Plus, as the one driving it, I don't see it much :-) As for the 19" low-profile tires, they actually improve the handling and cornering on the road etc. but at the expense of a little more road noise, weight and less robustness in offroad conditions as mentioned in the review. I rarely drive on dirt roads, but I do drive in the snow, which is why I got the AWD. The OEM Hankook tires aren't great but they'll do. The 237hp (240 for the FWD version) is really nice especially when passing on country roads in sport mode. I've driven the non-turbo trims as rentals and I can really tell a difference. As for mpg, it is definitely lower than the competition, but I've been getting a little better than the published ratings. I've had a few 30mpg tanks on road trips (calculated the old fashioned way, not from the trip computer). Something most reviewers never point out is the tight turning radius. This was actually high on my list and I found the Sportage could turn tighter than most of the others in the class. Makes for a good city car, U-turns and tight parking, etc. All in all, I found the Sportage a great alternative to the much more common compact crossovers.

“According to Kia, the Sportage supposedly has improved sound deadening. The previous car must have sounded like a freight train, because the new Sportage has a lot of road noise. “ this is the only true review on internet about Kia, seems like Kia is spending a lot of money on fooling people into buying them.

l like the old genetation face of the sportage i dont like the new face iam forcing my self to like it because i want to buy one

You will regret buying a Kia sportage I warned you, my engine went belly up despite taking care of it theta2 engines bad bad never everrrrr again Sell it once it reaches 60.000 miles

The kia looks like a puffer fish.

Hideous, vile-looking, badly-designed mess. What in God's name possesses a person to pay over the odds for a car that looks that bad?

One of the ugliest crossover's out right now. 100% eww