2016 Kia Sorento Lx on 2040-cars

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2017 Kia Sportage First Drive

It's hard to get excited about most mainstream crossovers, but the truth is this is one of the hottest segments of the market right now. The automotive space is saturated with a glut of these profit-making, two-box, semi-practical, soft-roading vehicles, and the tide isn't likely to abate soon. At first blush, Kia's redesigned 2017 Sportage isn't the most eye-catching of new products, but it's poised to do very well in the ongoing CUV wars. Progress in this kind of battle is often measured in inches of space, and the 2017 Sportage grows both inside and out. The new Kia measures the same 73 inches wide as its predecessor, but it gains 1.2 inches on the wheelbase, and 1.6 inches in overall length. There's more room overall for passengers, and there's 18-percent greater cargo space in back. Plus, the luggage floor can be moved down into a lower position to make more vertical space when needed. The Sportage was penned by renowned designer Peter Schreyer (he of first-gen Audi TT fame), but the end result is a bulbous-looking crossover, especially when viewed from the front – it's like a chipmunk with too many acorns in its cheeks. The "tiger-nose" grille – a hallmark of Schreyer – was moved up to accommodate the "ice-cube" fog lamps, while the headlights sweep back along the sides of the car. The A and C pillars are thinner, allowing occupants better visibility from inside the car, but from the outside, the rear three-quarter view looks blocky and cut up. The rear doesn't seem to match the rest of the car, either – it's more svelte and understated. Looking past its exterior design, the new Sportage is marginally, uh, sportier, thanks to a new, lighter, stiffer body, a redesigned suspension, and new engine tuning. Kia is mostly chasing improved fuel efficiency with its latest powertrain updates, as both engines have slightly lower outputs than their predecessors but have marginal improvements in fuel economy. The entry-level 2.4-liter inline-four (same as the Optima and Sorento) puts out 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque – decreases of only 1 hp and 2 lb-ft – and can be had with front- or all-wheel drive. Step up to the top-of-the-line SX Turbo and you get a 2.0-liter turbo-four that puts out 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque (that's 20 hp and 9 lb-ft less than before). Kia estimates the 2.4/FWD combination will return 23 miles per gallon city, 30 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined, while the 2.0T/AWD will score 20/23/21.

Small 3-row crossover SUVs specifications compared on paper

There's no shortage of three-row vehicles on the market for carrying seven or more people and their stuff wherever they all need to go. Just about every car company has at least one large crossover or traditional SUV with three rows of seats, and there are still plenty of minivans to pick from. But most of these vehicles are large, pricey, and frequently thirsty. Fortunately, there are still a handful of smaller crossovers that deliver 7-passenger capability in a smaller, cheaper package. We've gathered four of the small three-row set here to compare them based on space, power, fuel economy, pricing, and more. They include the very old Dodge Journey, the slightly less old Mitsubishi Outlander and Kia Sorento, and the relatively new Volkswagen Tiguan. You can see the raw numbers in the chart below, followed by a more detailed breakdown and some notes on how we like each of these vehicles. For in-depth opinions on the vehicles, be sure to check out our full reviews, and if you want to compare these with other vehicles, try out our comparison tools. Engines, transmissions and performance Interestingly, three of the four crossovers here utilize similar engines for their four-cylinder offerings. The Dodge, Kia and Mitsubishi all feature naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines. Only the Volkswagen Tiguan chooses turbocharging and a smaller 2.0-liter displacement. But because of its turbocharger, the Tiguan's four-cylinder is easily the most potent, making a healthy 221 pound-feet of torque, which is more than 40 more than the Sorento, the crossover with the next most torque. The VW is also second-most powerful, just one horse behind the Sorento. The Outlander is the least powerful in the four-cylinder class. The Journey is only barely better, but it will probably feel as slow or worse thanks to its ancient 4-speed automatic. The four-cylinder Sorento and Outlander each have 6-speed automatic transmissions, and the VW has an 8-speed. The Sorento with a V6 has an 8-speed, too. View 17 Photos Moving up to the V6 class, the Outlander is once again at the bottom. It actually makes less torque than the turbo VW Tiguan. The Journey and Sorento are almost perfectly matched. The Journey makes a bit more torque; the Sorento makes a bit more power. The Journey also gets upgraded to a 6-speed automatic. Another powertrain consideration to bare in mind is whether all-wheel-drive is necessary.

12 best hybrid SUVs for 2022

If you're searching for the best hybrid SUV, the truth is there actually aren't that many choices. While there's an endless sea of those powered solely by gasoline, those that add batteries and superior fuel economy to the mix are few and far between. The very good news, however, is that the choices you have are actually excellent. The top-selling and top-rated Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are not only available as hybrids, for instance, but are actually at their most appealing as hybrids.  Luxury hybrid SUVs are a different story. While Lexus offers each of its crossover SUVs as a conventional hybrid, those of other brands are by and large plug-in hybrids that provide a relatively brief amount of all-electric propulsion, superior fuel economy and higher prices that are somewhat countered by EV tax rebates. We include both conventional hybrids and plug-in hybrids in the below list of best hybrid SUVs. All are listed alphabetically within each category. Best small hybrid SUVs   |   Best midsize hybrid SUVs Best luxury hybrid SUVs   |   Best luxury plug-in hybrid SUVs Best small hybrid SUVs Honda CR-V Hybrid Why it stands out: Best-in-class back seat space; hybrid's distinctive EV-like power delivery; middle lower LATCH anchorCould be better: Antiquated and glitchy tech interface; a bit dull Hybrid fuel economy: 38 mpg combined (AWD only) Read our 2022 Honda CR-V Review Consider the CR-V the baseline for any compact SUV search. Objectively speaking, it's tough to beat due to its massive cargo capacity, voluminous back seat, well-balanced driving dynamics, competitive pricing and features, strong safety ratings and well-regarded reliability. In terms of its hybridness, we like that Honda's distinctive hybrid system sees most of its propulsion handled by the electric motor (the engine rarely powers the wheels directly), resulting in a more EV-like, torque-rich power delivery and a less obtrusive gas engine. For the vast majority of compact SUV buyers, and especially families, the CR-V Hybrid checks every box.    Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Why it stands out: Beautiful interior; excellent infotainment and safety technology; traditional automatic transmissionCould be better: No spare tire; styling a tad outrageous Hybrid fuel economy: 37-38 mpg combined (AWD only) Plug-in hybrid electric range: 33 miles Plug-in hybrid fuel economy: 80 MPGe Read our 2022 Hyundai Tucson Review The Tucson is the new kid in town and it's made quite an entrance.