We visited Seattle / Pacific Northwest for 6 days and rented a 2024 Kia Sportage LX.
When I returned it back to SeaTac airport I had broken the 1000 mile mark….. was able to drive in many various conditions and I was impressed this vehicle.
I drove as far West to Port Angeles, East to Columbia River (wild horses monument), North to Blaine (Canada border) and South to Tacoma. Lots of different driving conditions, speeds, roadway surfaces, elevation changes, winding roads on highways / city, rush hour traffic through downtown Seattle, highway cruising at 90 mph, etc….
Engine has 187 horsepower and is adequate for the size of this Kia Sportage
Transmission (8 speed) and is in correct gear 95% of the time, smooth quick shifting
Steering is very quick and light, makes vehicle feels smaller than it really is
Brakes are excellent, they work well at 100 mph….
Ride / suspension is soft and nice on long highway drives / construction zones
Seats are very comfortable and I liked the choice of soft cloth fabrics
Visibility is very good, this car did not have blind spot monitoring and I had no trouble seeing blind spots or smaller vehicles / motorcycles around me. I liked that the rear seats have removable headrests and gives me excellent visibility through rear window. I always worry a motorcycle is hidden by a headrest and I accidentally hit them or run them off the road.
Dash / Radio / HVAC layout and design is very easy to use and functional, the more basic the better for me.
Fuel Economy was good considering the PNW elevation changes and my driving style
If I had to replace my 2018 Mazda CX5 there’s a good chance I would buy a new Kia Sportage. All around a very good vehicle and value for the money. If the IT - CloudStrike outage was still causing flights to be cancelled….. I would have no problem driving this Kia Sportage from the PNW back to central Florida and would enjoy the drive back home.
4.9 rating out of 5 for the 2024 Kia Sportage.
When I returned it back to SeaTac airport I had broken the 1000 mile mark….. was able to drive in many various conditions and I was impressed this vehicle.
I drove as far West to Port Angeles, East to Columbia River (wild horses monument), North to Blaine (Canada border) and South to Tacoma. Lots of different driving conditions, speeds, roadway surfaces, elevation changes, winding roads on highways / city, rush hour traffic through downtown Seattle, highway cruising at 90 mph, etc….
Engine has 187 horsepower and is adequate for the size of this Kia Sportage
Transmission (8 speed) and is in correct gear 95% of the time, smooth quick shifting
Steering is very quick and light, makes vehicle feels smaller than it really is
Brakes are excellent, they work well at 100 mph….
Ride / suspension is soft and nice on long highway drives / construction zones
Seats are very comfortable and I liked the choice of soft cloth fabrics
Visibility is very good, this car did not have blind spot monitoring and I had no trouble seeing blind spots or smaller vehicles / motorcycles around me. I liked that the rear seats have removable headrests and gives me excellent visibility through rear window. I always worry a motorcycle is hidden by a headrest and I accidentally hit them or run them off the road.
Dash / Radio / HVAC layout and design is very easy to use and functional, the more basic the better for me.
Fuel Economy was good considering the PNW elevation changes and my driving style
If I had to replace my 2018 Mazda CX5 there’s a good chance I would buy a new Kia Sportage. All around a very good vehicle and value for the money. If the IT - CloudStrike outage was still causing flights to be cancelled….. I would have no problem driving this Kia Sportage from the PNW back to central Florida and would enjoy the drive back home.
4.9 rating out of 5 for the 2024 Kia Sportage.
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