2012 Kia Sportage: What Is It?
Sportage is Kia's entry-level SUV. Though it borrows its basic design from the Hyundai Tucson, the 5-passenger Sportage differs in terms of styling, features, and availability of a high-performance variant.
Kia builds the Sportage in South Korea. It competes against vehicles such as the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, and Volkswagen Tiguan.
2012 Kia Sportage: What's New
As Sportage was redesigned for the 2011 model year, not much. Kia's UVO infotainment system is a new standard feature on some models.
2012 Kia Sportage: Model Lineup, Features, and Options
The Sportage lineup includes the Base, LX, EX, and high-performance SX.
The Base model exists largely in theory. You can order one, but it's not something dealers keep as part of their normal inventory. They come equipped with hill-descent control, cruise control, remote keyless entry, satellite radio, a USB port, Bluetooth wireless cell-phone link, and 16-inch wheels.
The LX includes an automatic transmission and 17-inch wheels.
EX versions get rear-obstacle detection, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, power driver seat, HD Radio receiver, rearview camera, cooled glovebox, Kia's UVO infotainment system, and 18-inch wheels.
The SX has a more-powerful engine, leather upholstery, keyless entry/engine start, and a sport suspension.
Many of the EX's standard amenities, including obstacle detection, telescopic steering wheel, and cooled glovebox are available on the LX as part of that model's Convenience Package.
The EX's Premium Package includes leather upholstery, heated front seats, a ventilated driver seat, power sunroof, and a revised instrument cluster. The SX also has a Premium Package that includes the same features, except leather since that's standard.
A navigation system is optional on the LX, EX, and SX, as is remote engine start. Note that models equipped with navigation delete UVO.
The SX's optional contrast piping, which came in blue or orange, has been discontinued.
2012 Kia Sportage: Engines, Transmissions, and Drive Wheels
All models but the SX include a 176-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. The Base uses a 6-speed manual transmission. LX and EX only come with a 6-speed automatic. The SX employs a 256-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine paired with a 6-speed automatic.
All Sportage models are front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is offered on the LX, EX, and SX.
2012 Kia Sportage: Fuel Economy
The EPA rates the manual-transmission Base Sportage at 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway. With the automatic, the front-drive LX and EX rate at 22 city/32 highway. All-wheel drive reduces ratings to 21/28.
The turbocharged SX rates 22 city/29 highway with front-wheel drive and 21/26 with AWD.
Our testing of the Sportage involved mostly city driving. A front-drive LX averaged 19.8 mpg; an AWD EX 18.4; and an AWD SX 18.7. None of these figures are impressive. All Sportage models, even the turbo, use regular-grade gasoline.
Note: In November 2012, Kia announced a voluntary downward adjustment of the of EPA fuel-economy estimates for a number of the brand’s vehicles. These changes affect certain 2011-2013 models.
We have left the original 2012 ratings unchanged. Please see our 2013 reviews for the revised figures.
2012 Kia Sportage: Safety Features
The 2012 Kia Sportage includes a standard complement of expected and federally mandated safety features.
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