What kind of vehicle is the 2022 Kia Sportage? What does it compare to?
The Sportage is a compact crossover SUV with front- or all-wheel drive, room for up to five people, and a choice of turbo-4 or non-turbo engines. It’s a rival for vehicles like the Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape.
Is the 2022 Kia Sportage a good crossover SUV?
Review continues below
We give it a TCC Rating of 6.7 out of 10, boosted by its excellent features and safety scores. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2022 Kia Sportage?
It’s due for a replacement next year, so the 2022 Sportage makes few changes. The former Sportage S becomes the Nightfall Edition, and the EX gains a standard power sunroof. The Sportage LX and SX Turbo are mostly unchanged.
Without much change to its shape, the Sportage continues to cut a dashing profile. Its taut shape reminds us of our favorite high-top sneakers; the cabin reminds us how nice it would be to have taller windows and better outward vision, though it’s composed well and has a big touchscreen for infotainment.
The 181-hp inline-4 that powers most Sportage crossovers will suit nearly all its drivers just fine. With its 6-speed automatic it won’t be rushed, and with available all-wheel drive it’s close to sluggish. We’d still choose it over the peaky and thirsty 240-hp turbo-4; we love its gutsy acceleration, but the lofty sticker price makes us blanch. The SX Turbo also upgrades its handling with a stiffer setup and bigger wheels, but still pulls up shy of what we’d define as “sport.”
Four large adults can fit in the Sportage in reasonable comfort, and the crossover can tote up to 60.1 cubic feet of cargo with its rear seatbacks folded down. The priorities are yours. The safety’s yours, too: every Sportage gets automatic emergency braking and fine NHTSA crash-test scores, though the IIHS’s more fickle formula gives only the SX Turbo the Top Safety Pick award.
How much does the 2022 Kia Sportage cost?
It’s $25,265 for a Sportage LX with power features, 17-inch wheels, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That’s the best value, but it’s tempting to add the new Value Edition package and its 18-inch wheels, keyless start, power driver seat, and blind-spot monitors. All in, the $36,425 Sportage SX Turbo has all the goodies, but at that price, it needs to be bigger and more assertive.
Where is the 2022 Kia Sportage made?
In South Korea.