Automotive News 2017-Kia-Sportage-EX-and-Sportage-SX-side-profile
2017 Kia Sportage EX AWD Update 8: Splurge for the SX?

A sexy Sportage SX is a lot of dealers on the other hand. Whether the turbocharged, 19-inch-wheel-wearing Sportage SX is super red, polished copper, or less look color, the $ 2,000 premium is higher than loading Sportage delivery is not for you to get a lot of money. Recently, I spent some time in the 35025 $ 35025 2017 Kia Sportage SX AWD to see it for a long time Sportage compared to thousands of miles.

2017-Kia-Sportage-EX-AWD-front-three-quarter
For roughly $33 extra per month over the course of a five-year loan, you can get the Sportage SX instead of a loaded EX model; the biggest difference is the engine. The SX replaces the 181-hp, 175-lb-ft 2.4-liter naturally aspirated I-4 of the LX and EX with a 237-hp 2.0-liter turbo-four with 260 lb-ft (or 240 hp for the front-drive model). The extra power and torque definitely change the driving experience. Full-throttle blasts feel much quicker than the Sportage EX that I’m accustomed to.

Our all-wheel-drive long-term Sportage EX hits 60 mph in a Motor Trend–tested 9.0 seconds, compared to a 2017 Sportage SX we previously tested at 8.1 seconds. Interestingly, we’ve also tested a front-drive 2017 Sportage in LX trim. Thanks in part to its lower weight (no panoramic roof or leather seats), the crossover reached 60 mph in 8.0 seconds. I’d gladly give up a couple tenths of a second, however, for the extra content on the base-model EX over the LX. The turbocharged SX 2.0 is quicker than the LX and EX with the standard 2.4-liter engine, but the power delivery isn’t smooth. Sometimes you’ll feel a bit of lag. Keep in mind the SX’s extra power is an upgrade relative to other Sportages. Once you start to look beyond a Kia dealership, the numbers start to fall apart. Several other crossovers in this class are at least as quick to 60 mph (if not quicker) and more efficient. In other words, the Sportage SX, whose improved and more buttoned-down suspension I appreciated, exacerbates the issues I pointed out in this update about our EX.
2017-Kia-Sportage-SX-rear-three-quarter
But wait! The Sportage SX still has a few awesome upgrades over the EX. For one, it beautifully accentuates the styling you fell in love with in the first place. I’m a big fan of the SX’s 19-inch wheels, not just for their size but also for their design. The LED taillight design is borderline premium stuff, and the SX I drove had attractive two-tone gray and black seats that brightened up the interior compared to our dark EX. Whatever you think of the 2017 Sportage’s headlight design, the SX’s HID headlights are an improvement compared to the EX’s weaker halogens. Although the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated both Sportage headlight options as poor, the organization noted that the SX’s HIDs, which turn around corners, were superior in all four of its low-beam tests performed around curves.
2017-Kia-Sportage-SX-cabin
If losing a couple mpgs and being beat in a stoplight drag race by more efficient crossovers doesn’t bother you, the Sportage SX is worth consideration. Paying $2,000 for the visual upgrades, extra power, HID headlights, and available two-tone leather is a value. For me, I’d probably stick with the EX model if I absolutely had to have a Sportage

Related Post