What Are the Best Years for the Kia Sportage? (Is older better?)

The Kia Sportage has had many different style changes over the years and has needed some improvement. But, since the year 2017, this has been a great car that has many pleasing features.

The best years for the Kia Sportage are the years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. The models before the year 2017 were not a top pick for customers—they had low ratings and left customers unsatisfied. In 2017, the Kia Sportage underwent a huge remodeling and now is a high competitor on the market.

If you are looking into getting a Kia Sportage, but don’t know which year is right for you, then look down below for more information. It is hard to find a car that perfectly fits your needs, so hopefully this article helps you figure out if the Kia Sportage is right for you.

Kia Sportage 2017

The Kia Sportage made before the year 2017 has low customer ratings for various reasons. Many recalls and problems cost the company and car owners a lot of money. Repairs are not fun, and there should normally not be expensive repairs on cars that are taken care of and driven well. Because of the recalls and expensive repairs of the earlier models, these cars have a bad reputation.

But, since the remodel in 2017, the Kia Sportage has been doing amazing. Many customers find themselves very satisfied with the newer models. Kia clearly took their time trying to improve this car, and they knew what was and wasn’t working with the earlier models. So, the Kia Sportage 2017 is a great car, and so are the model years after it.

Safety:

The number one concern for people when driving a car is safety. There are so many cool features you can get with a car, but having advanced safety technology is very important to many people.

Some safety features in the 2017 Sportage include blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, lane departure, forward collision warning with automatic braking, pedestrian detection, and a backup camera (now considered a standard piece of equipment).

Storage:

Storage is important in any car, and the features included with the 2017 Kia Sportage are great. They include a smart power liftgate and a dual-level cargo floor. If you stand behind the car with the key fob for more than 3 seconds, the back will automatically open. And, the floor opens up for more storage space, which allows a lot more packing room in the back.

Electronics:

Kia has made the center controls slightly over to the left so that they are easier to reach from the driver’s seat. This helps with accident avoidance. If you have to reach over too far to turn down the air conditioning, then you could be paying too much attention to the center console and not to the road. So, by making controls easier for the driver to reach, the car is helping drivers avoid accidents.

The car also has a touchscreen center console which adds ease and convenience to the driver and passenger. Everything we use technology-wise is touchscreen nowadays, so updating that makes the little things like connecting phones to Bluetooth much easier.

Interior:

The interior is very comfortable, which is what everyone looks for in a car. The front seats are comfortable to sit in, the back has plenty of headroom, the seats are soft leather, the back is spacious and the ground drops a little for more legroom, and it is overall a great car for comfort. Many people find that after a whole day of driving, they do not feel fatigued.

Driving:

There are two options for engines, and there are options to have the car front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive as well. The steering on the Sportage was an improvement on earlier models, and customers much prefer how the 2017 and later models drive. The gas mileage is up to 23mpg in the city, and up to 30mpg on the highway.

Exterior:

The exterior is the most changed in looks. The 2017 Sportage had a huge redesign, and people loved it. There are LED daytime running lights, and the car is longer by almost two inches. Those couple of inches allows for more engine room and more room for passengers to fit comfortably.

Kia Sportage 2018

Safety:

There is brake assist, electronic stability control, blind-spot monitor, cross-traffic alert, and more. The safety features really help sell the 2018 model to families, and many people love these features.

Electronics:

There is a backup camera, auto-off headlights, trip computer, steering wheel controls, an optional remote engine start, keyless entry, apple car play, android auto, Bluetooth, and much more. All of these features make driving much more enjoyable.

Driving:

The 2018 Sportage has an all-wheel drive and a 4 cylinder engine. The gas mileage is up to 23mpg in the city, and up to 30mpg on the highway—the same as the 2017 model.

Exterior:

The windows have rear defrost and privacy glass, which are great features. If you live in the cold and need to defrost your windows, or if you have to drive through traffic and want more privacy, then these features are great. The tires are also all-weather, and there is a tire pressure monitoring system in the car to let you know each tire’s air pressure.

Kia Sportage 2019 and 2020

The Kia Sportage 2019 and the Kia Sportage 2020 share a lot of the same features as the Kia Sportage 2017 and Kia Sportage 2018. So, here are some other upgrades that the 2019 and 2020 cars have:

The gas mileage is the same with all of these cars: 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. The 2019 has front-wheel drive and/or all-wheel drive, and has great predictability ratings for car sensors. The 2020 car has standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an 8-inch touch screen.

It also has a driver condition monitor and the pedestrian detector is standard in this model. The cabin is roomy, the back seats and front seats are comfortable for adults, and the handling on the steering wheel is very comfortable and smooth.