Kia Sportage arrives in Los Angeles with two different engines

A 1.2-inch longer wheelbase makes for increased interior room compared with the previous Sportage, with more space in the rear seat and the cargo area. Kia has just released full details of the 2017 Kia Sportage, and trust us, it really doesn’t look appealing.

Three trim levels will be offered, starting with the LX and moving up to the EX and top-flight SX Turbo.

While it lacks the flash that brands like Porsche, Bentley and Fiat displayed this week, the new Kia Sportage is probably among the most attainable cars to burst on to the scene this week. The result is modest, but noteworthy, increases to headroom and legroom, according to Kia.

The price tag of the 2017 Kia Sportage has not been announced yet. The EX has a 7.0-inch capacitive touchscreen with Kia’s new UVO3 telematics package. Going for the medium-priced Sportage EX customers will also have amenities such as leather upholstery and the UVO3 infotainment system that upgrades the screen to a seven incher and comes packed with Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay functionality. The top-line SX Turbo goes one step beyond, adding a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen and navigation.

Motivation for the 2017 Sportage continues to come from a 181-horsepower/2.4-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine in LX/EX models and a 241-horse/2.0-liter turbo four in the SX Turbo. Both are matched with a 6-speed Sportmatic transmission and have been retuned for better efficiency and with turbo models, enhanced mid-range torque.

The new 201 Sportage will be available in three different trims levels.

While we are still not too happy about the new design, we still wanted to know that the USA version of the Kia Sportage had to offer when it arrives.

As is customary these days, the Sportage gains a plethora of active and passive safety features, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, a lane-departure warning system, and rear cross-traffic alert.

In a segment that is overcrowded, it can be hard for crossovers to set themselves apart, but it looks like the 2017 Kia Sportage won’t have any problem.

Amidst the glitz and glamour in Los Angeles this week, Kia debut a model that likely won’t be joining the A-listers on the walk of fame for this year’s L.A. Auto Show.