2019 Kia Sportage

2019 is a carry-over year within the QL generation (facelift didn't arrive until the 2020 model year), so the LX/EX 2.4L is the unchanged volume powertrain.

Same carry-over 2.4L GDI engine as the prior model year.

Single instrumented test for the volume 2.4L powertrain; turbo figure is a secondhand estimate, not directly instrumented for MY2019.

The base 2.4L is adequate around town but strains and gets coarse under hard acceleration or passing; the 2.0L turbo pulls more smoothly with little lag but is confined to the top SX Turbo trim, so most buyers get the less-refined engine.

The 6-speed torque-converter automatic (no CVT) shifts smoothly and predictably in normal driving, avoiding the drone rivals' CVTs draw criticism for, though it can hunt on grades when paired with the base 2.4L.

Towing figures are identical across FWD/AWD and both engines for this generation.

AWD is optional (not standard) across LX, EX and SX Turbo, using a basic electronically-controlled system with a driver-selectable AWD Lock mode that fixes a near 50:50 torque split for slippery surfaces; there is no low range or torque vectoring.

Unibody crossover with modest 6.4 in (FWD) / 6.8 in (AWD) ground clearance, no low-range gearing, skid plates or locking differentials, and no dedicated off-road trim — AWD Lock only helps traction on mild trails or snow.

Only two gasoline engines are offered (2.4L naturally aspirated, 2.0L turbo) with no hybrid, PHEV or EV variant — electrification doesn't arrive on the Sportage nameplate until the next generation.

EPA combined rating for the 2019 Sportage LX FWD 2.4L, the volume configuration; AWD trims rate slightly lower (23 combined).

EPA city rating for the FWD 2.4L LX volume trim.

EPA highway rating for the FWD 2.4L LX volume trim.

Computed from EPA combined MPG (25) and the 16.4-gallon fuel tank; matches fueleconomy.gov's own published range for this configuration.

EPA's standard 15,000 mi/yr estimate at the site's assumed fuel price for the FWD 2.4L LX configuration.

The 2.4L engine runs on regular unleaded gasoline across all 2019 Sportage gas trims (LX, EX, SX); no premium requirement, no plug-in complexity.

NHTSA's official rating for the 2019 Sportage FWD is a 5-star overall, built from a 4-star frontal crash rating (4 driver / 5 passenger), 5-star side crash rating, and 4-star rollover rating.

IIHS rated the 2019 Sportage Good in 5 of 6 crashworthiness tests (small overlap front driver and passenger, moderate overlap front, roof strength, head restraints) but Marginal on the updated side-impact test, and it did not earn a Top Safety Pick award for the 2019 model year.

On the volume LX/EX trims, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning are locked behind an optional Technology Package on EX (not standard, not available at all on base LX), and blind-spot monitoring/rear cross-traffic alert are standard only from EX up. None of the core ADAS suite is standard on the base trim, and only the low-volume SX Turbo gets it all standard.

When equipped (an option on EX, standard on SX Turbo), IIHS rated the Sportage's front crash prevention system Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle and Advanced for daytime pedestrian detection — top-tier results, though the system is optional rather than standard on the volume trim and no nighttime pedestrian rating was published.

Blind-Spot Detection and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert are standard from the EX trim up (not the base LX), and both are alert-only radar systems with no active braking or steering intervention.

The 2019 Sportage offers only Lane Departure Warning (an audible/visual alert), not an active lane-keeping or centering assist — Kia's Lane Following Assist/Highway Driving Assist systems arrived on later Sportage generations. LDW itself is optional on EX and standard only on SX Turbo.

Smart Cruise Control (radar adaptive cruise with stop-and-go) is available on the Sportage but only as an option on EX and standard on SX Turbo — it is not offered at all on the base LX, and there is no combined highway-centering assist on this generation.

No hands-free highway driving system was offered on the 2019 Sportage or any 4th-generation Sportage — Kia's Highway Driving Assist debuted on later models (e.g. EV6, post-facelift Sportage) with subsequent generations.

IIHS rated the headlights Poor on the base LX and EX (including EX with the Technology Package), the volume configurations; only the low-volume SX Turbo scored Acceptable (pre-August 2018 build) or Marginal (after July 2018), and no trim reached Good.

Reviewers note large side glass and mirrors that keep track of adjacent traffic, but a high beltline and thick rear roof pillars cut into rear visibility versus segment rivals like the CR-V and Forester, and the standard backup camera is low-resolution.

LATCH lower anchors at the two outboard rear seating positions are exposed and easy to find/use for installing car seats, but there is no center-position LATCH anchor, limiting simultaneous multi-seat installs to the outboard positions.

Two-row compact SUV, 5-passenger seating standard across all 2019 trims (LX, S, EX, SX, SX Turbo).

Manufacturer-published front headroom for the 2019 Sportage.

Manufacturer-published front legroom for the 2019 Sportage.

Manufacturer-published second-row headroom for the 2019 Sportage.

Manufacturer-published second-row legroom for the 2019 Sportage; on the tighter end of the compact SUV band.

The 2019 Sportage is a strict two-row compact SUV — no third-row seat is offered on any trim, so it carries no third-row usability whatsoever.

Manufacturer-published cargo volume behind the second row for the 2019 Sportage, near the bottom of the compact SUV range.

Manufacturer-published maximum cargo volume with the 60/40 rear seat folded flat.

Conventional but competitive console bin, door pockets and a sliding front armrest cover storage; no standout innovation like a giga-console, in-bed trunk or household outlets.

Reviewers repeatedly praised firm, long-lasting front seat support and a reclining rear bench that made it easy for rear passengers to find a comfortable position.

Reviewers noted a compliant, cushioned ride over rough pavement with composed body control — one of the class's stronger rides even if not outright plush by luxury standards.

Wind and road noise were specifically called out as well-suppressed relative to similarly priced crossovers, though the base 2.4L four-cylinder is audible under load.

Heated front seats and heated steering wheel are available starting on mid trims (EX) and cooled front seats arrive on the range-topping SX Turbo, but rear climate vents and remote pre-conditioning are not offered.

Base LX FWD trim for MY2019, before the mid-2019 facelift that ushered in the 2020MY.

EX is the best-selling mid trim, adding the 7-inch touchscreen, alloy wheels, and additional convenience features over LX.

Kia's low-cost maintenance schedule and strong reliability reputation for this generation keep 5-year projected costs toward the low end of the compact SUV segment.

Kia Sportage resale sits mid-pack for the segment — better than Kia's own history a decade earlier, but still behind Toyota/Honda leaders like RAV4/CR-V.

Standard Kia basic bumper-to-bumper coverage for MY2019.

Kia's signature 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty for the original owner remains one of the longest in the industry (5 years/60,000 miles transfers to subsequent owners).

No multi-year complimentary scheduled maintenance program comes standard on the 2019 Sportage (unlike some luxury or Hyundai-family programs of the era), but Kia backs it with 24/7 roadside assistance for the full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty period, including trip-interruption coverage — a solid, if not class-leading, perk package.

$26,600 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (50% retained, or about $13,300) leaves about $13,300 in depreciation. Add the projected $2,900 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $16,200 in total.

Contemporary quality signals were strong (JDP IQS segment win) but subsequent owner-reported reliability was only average, dragged down by the shared Theta II 2.4L GDI engine's oil-consumption and rod-bearing wear pattern that emerged in this generation.

Kia's brand dependability standing through this era was genuinely strong by mass-market standards, not just marketing claim: repeated IQS wins and a landmark VDS win for the exact 2019 model-year cohort.

Recall count for this exact model year is modest (two NHTSA campaigns), but one is a genuine fire-risk safety recall on a core control module, which keeps this out of the clean-record top band even though it isn't a systemic, repeated pattern.

The volume 2.4L Theta II GDI gas engine in this generation carries a documented, well-corroborated durability problem (oil consumption leading to rod-bearing wear) serious enough to trigger a nationwide class-action settlement extending a lifetime short-block warranty for the affected model years — this is a known-problem powertrain, not a clean track record with isolated complaints.

Reviewers consistently singled out the cabin as class-leading for the price, with broad soft-touch coverage well above what a mainstream compact SUV buyer expects.

Assembly quality was a genuine strength at launch, backed by both press test-car impressions and the segment-topping initial-quality result, though it isn't a perfect record given the powertrain issue noted above.

Kia's US dealer network was well-established and nationwide by 2019 but smaller and less dense than the Detroit Three or Toyota/Honda, placing it mid-pack rather than best-in-class for coverage.

Real-world ownership cost data for the Sportage runs below the segment average, and parts sharing with the closely related Hyundai Tucson keeps availability reasonable, though the Theta II engine issue above can produce an expensive repair when it occurs.

The volume EX trim carries a 7-inch UVO touchscreen; base LX ships a 5-inch unit (7-inch with the Popular Package) and range-topping SX Turbo steps up to 8 inches.

Kia's UVO system of this era was regarded as user-friendly with logical menus and useful physical volume/tune knobs, but response times and graphics were behind class leaders and the base 5-inch screen was dated.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available (standard on EX and up, optional on LX via the Popular Package) but only via wired USB connection — Kia did not offer wireless projection on the Sportage until later model years.

UVO's built-in voice commands and nav (SX Turbo only) were functional but basic compared with contemporary rivals, and most owners default to phone-projection voice assistants instead.

Base six-speaker audio is adequate; the SX Turbo's optional Harman Kardon 8-speaker/external amp system is a genuine step up for the segment.

All 2019 Sportage trims use analog speedometer/tachometer gauges with only a small 3.5-inch monochrome/color LCD trip-computer readout between them — no configurable full-digital cluster is offered at any trim.

The 2019 Sportage predates Kia's OTA infrastructure; software and map updates require a dealer visit or USB download, with no over-the-air delivery of any kind.

UVO eServices/UVO Link (EX and up) provides remote start, lock/unlock and vehicle diagnostics, but remote start and climate control require a paid UVO Link subscription after a one-year complimentary trial, and there is no digital key.

A single front USB port plus a 12V outlet is standard, with no rear-row USB ports and no wireless charging pad offered on any 2019 Sportage trim.

Proximity smart key with push-button start is standard from the S trim up (optional on base LX), and remote start is available via UVO Link on EX and higher — but there is no hands-free/power liftgate and no phone-as-key.

A standard rearview camera is offered across the range, with rear parking sensors available on upper trims, but no 360-degree surround-view camera is offered on any 2019 Sportage trim.

No head-up display, fixed or projected, is offered on any 2019 Sportage trim including the range-topping SX Turbo.

Wide-opening rear doors and a reasonably tall beltline make car-seat installation easy for a compact SUV, and LATCH anchors are clearly marked, but the 38.2-in rear legroom gets tight once a rear-facing seat is installed behind a taller front passenger.

The 2019 Sportage earned IIHS Top Safety Pick and 5-star NHTSA overall ratings, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking is standard across the range — but blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning are optional on the base LX, keeping the family-priced trims from getting the full ADAS suite.

A quiet, well-damped ride and supportive, reclining rear seats suit medium-length family trips, but there is no rear climate control, no rear entertainment option, and 30.7 cu ft of cargo behind the second row is modest once four occupants' luggage is loaded.

Light, well-weighted steering, a smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic and a compliant low-speed ride make the Sportage an easy, low-fatigue daily driver; the base 2.4L is unremarkable but never a chore in traffic.

The standard 2.4L FWD returns roughly 21/26/23 mpg city/highway/combined (EPA), average for a gas compact SUV of this era; the optional 2.0L turbo and AWD both cut into that further, so running costs sit squarely mid-pack rather than being a strength.

A compact footprint and a tight 34.8-ft turning circle make the Sportage easy to place in city traffic and tight parking structures; a standard rearview camera helps, though the lack of a 360-degree camera on any trim keeps it from the top tier.

A 2,000-lb tow rating across all trims and no available bed or dedicated cargo upfit leave the Sportage with negligible real work capability — it's a passenger crossover, not a work tool.

Kia's mainstream reliability reputation and simple naturally-aspirated 2.4L powertrain suggest reasonable toughness for light-duty use, but the Sportage has no fleet or commercial-use track record and no work-oriented durability features to draw on.

No onboard/household power outlet, no rated tie-down or upfit ecosystem, and cloth or leatherette upholstery rather than washable work surfaces make the Sportage a poor fit for jobsite use.

A quiet, composed highway ride and supportive front seats support long stints, but a roughly 400-mile highway range on the base engine and only entry-level driver-assist tech (no adaptive cruise on lower trims) limit true mile-eating credentials.

Available AWD and roof rails support light gravel-road and gear-hauling duty, but modest ground clearance and street-oriented tires mean the Sportage is best described as pavement-plus rather than a genuine off-road enabler.

The 60/40 split-folding rear seat and 60.1 cu ft of maximum cargo volume handle typical road-trip and outdoor gear well for a compact SUV, though the figure trails larger compact-SUV rivals and there's no underfloor storage bin.

Reviewers consistently praised the Sportage's composed, nimble cornering manners for a compact SUV, though rivals like the Mazda CX-5 were noted as more engaging.

The electric power steering was called out as responsive with appropriate weighting for the segment and a thoughtfully designed wheel, an improvement over prior Sportage generations, though feedback remains modest rather than exceptional.

Braking was specifically flagged as a strong point in period reviews, with a firm, confidence-inspiring pedal; no instrumented stopping-distance figure was found to corroborate further.

The 6-speed automatic shifts smoothly with either engine, but the standard 181-hp 2.4L four is unremarkable and needs to work hard for passing power, while the optional 240-hp 2.0T is markedly stronger and more responsive.

The base naturally-aspirated four-cylinder is audible and somewhat coarse under hard acceleration, typical of the segment, while overall cabin noise suppression (praised in reviews) helps mask it at cruise.

Manufacturer-published turning diameter for the 2019 Sportage, near the tighter end of the compact SUV band.

A commanding SUV seating position, clear sightlines and a straightforward control layout with real climate knobs make the cabin easy to get comfortable in, though seat/wheel power adjustment range is limited to upper trims.

The Sportage is pleasantly nimble and Kia clearly aimed for some driving enjoyment in the chassis tuning, but the base engine's modest output and a general lack of driver engagement keep it from truly standing out to enthusiasts.

Even the base LX carries a 7-inch touchscreen with standard Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, cloth seats, cruise control, and 17-inch alloys — content many rivals reserved for higher trims in 2019.

The Sportage undercut segment leaders on price while matching most of their feature set and adding an available turbo-AWD SX trim, earning it a 2019 'Best Compact SUV for the Money' finalist nod.

Three trims (LX, EX, SX Turbo) each with FWD/AWD choice span a work-a-day base model up to a 240-hp turbocharged AWD flagship, though there's a real gap between EX and the pricier SX Turbo.

The Sportage posted its best-ever annual US sales for the second year running in 2019 (~89,000 units), a strong mid-pack showing in a segment dominated by RAV4/CR-V/Rogue.

By 2019 Kia's image had climbed well past its budget-brand origins on the strength of design and warranty reputation, but it still sat behind Toyota/Honda and non-aspirational mainstream rivals in brand cachet.

Kia was a routinely incentive-heavy mainstream brand through 2019, with regular dealer cash and low-APR financing offers on the Sportage rather than at-MSRP selling.

2019 is the third US model year of the fourth-generation (QL) Sportage launched for 2017 — current and unrevised, with the mid-cycle facelift arriving mid-2019 as an early 2020 model, so 2019 buyers got the pre-facelift look and tech.

Well-reviewed for its quiet cabin, roomy interior and value, and named #1 Affordable Compact SUV plus a Best Compact SUV for the Money finalist by U.S. News, but it wasn't typically the outright pick over RAV4/CR-V/Forester in head-to-head comparison tests.