Drive Notes: 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige AWD
Recently I tooled around town in a 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige AWD.
The name is a bit of a chore -- thankfully, the vehicle isn't.
This one sets up a 1.6-liter turbo four with an electric motor for a total system horsepower of 227 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. There's a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
Standard features included navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, satellite radio, wireless device charging, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, and more.
Options included a "smart" power liftgate, panoramic sunroof, LED fog lamps, smart cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, Harman/Kardon audio, cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, and a memory driver's seats. Oh, and this one had matte paint for $595.
Base price, with D and D: $37,490. Price as optioned, again with D and D: $39,730.
Let's get to it.
Pros
- Smooth is the word I'd use the most here. It rides smoothly, the hybrid transitions are smooth, it's just smooth to use.
- Kia's steering is, alas, too artificial. But the tradeoff is that it's dialed-in well enough and weighted nicely -- it's almost too heavy.
- The interior layout looks good and controls are mostly easy to use, save for one thing (see below).
- I like the styling, though the matte paint seems an unnecessary for a mainstream crossover.
- The cabin is quiet.
- The price may seem dear, but it's in line with a lot of the competitive set.
- Overall, the Sportage Hybrid is well packaged and pleasantly unremarkable. It's enjoyable enough to drive though not particularly memorable.
Cons
- I don't like the need to press a button to switch between climate controls and audio controls. It may help designers save space, but it also complicates things.
- Power is fine for around-town driving but mostly meh.
- As mentioned, the steering is a tad heavy and a tad artificial.
- The Sportage is stylish, yet perhaps just a tad boring. Which may not be a bad thing.
The Sportage Hybrid offers a lot to like but some flaws annoy. Save some bucks and avoid the matte paint and you might have a boring yet likable ride.
[Images © 2024 Tim Healey/TTAC.com]
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Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.
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