KIA Sportage

• The 1.6-liter turbocharged engine produces 177 hp, which is what defines the Sportage's character. You get to choose from three variants, LX, AWD, and EX variants; it delivers a confident in-gear response between 60 and 110 kph, where most Saudi city and highway driving actually happens. The eight-speed automatic manages gear changes smoothly, and the shift-by-wire electronic selector frees up center console space and gives the cabin a cleaner look.
• The AWD system on the 1.6T is not full-time 4WD, but it provides meaningful traction on sandy shoulders and unpaved surfaces outside cities. For families who occasionally venture to desert areas around Riyadh on weekends, it handles those conditions without complaint. Drive Mode Select switches between Normal, Sport, Eco, and Snow without complicating the driving experience.
• The 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine on the LX 2WD at SAR 95,720 is the honest entry point. The turbo may be less thrilling, but it's dependable and adequate for everyday urban use.

Things to Know 

• The 2.0L naturally aspirated engine works noticeably harder at sustained highway speeds between 120 and 130 kph, especially when the air conditioning is running and the vehicle is full of family passengers. Overtaking requires more planning than the turbo variant allows.
• In the real world you can expect a mileage of 12 to 14 km/L on the 2.0 L and closer to 11 to 12 km/L on the turbo AWD under mixed usage. By looking at it, not great figures, but both are reasonable, well, for a family SUV of this size and weight.

• The Sportage rides well for its segments and price; don’t feel underwhelming at all. Let's take Riyadh's traffic on the King Fahd Road or navigate Jeddah's Tahlia Street; the suspension absorbs routine potholes or bumps without the feel inside the cabin. The steering is light and responsive at low speed, which makes the car easy to maneuver in tight parking conditions.
• On highways, the Sportage feels composed at higher speeds, even at 140 kph, as a heavier SUV, but for a compact crossover in this price range, it maintains stability without feeling nervous. Wind noise is manageable, and cabin insulation is noticeably better than the previous generation. The higher seating position is one of the Sportage's genuine practical advantages for buyers moving from a sedan, with superior forward visibility and a commanding driving position that suits city use well.
• You may feel the body roll in faster corners is present and more noticeable than in driver-focused segment rivals. The suspension is clearly tuned for comfort over handling precision, which suits the vast majority of Sportage buyers, but anyone expecting a sporty compact crossover experience will need to adjust their expectations.
• At speeds above 130 kph, the Sportage is stable but not planted; this is one thing certainly missed by those who race on the highway occasionally. On an open Saudi highway on a windy day between In Riyadh and Al-Qassim, for instance, the car requires more steering attention than a heavier body-on-frame SUV or a lower European sedan. This is not unusual for a compact crossover, but it is worth knowing before expecting highway cruising dynamics.

• The fifth-generation Sportage made a visible leap in interior quality, and it shows. The dual-curved 12.3-inch display for both the driver's cluster and infotainment gives the cabin a modern feel that most buyers at this price will not expect. The ambient mood lighting, drive mode themes, and an uncluttered dashboard make the Sportage feel more expensive than it is.
• The second-row legroom at 1,050 mm is a specific claim, and it is earned. Adults in the back are not cramped, which matters for Saudi family use where rear passengers are often adults. The panoramic sunroof opens the cabin considerably on shorter city trips. Also, the rear passengers also get USB-C ports in the front seatbacks and coat hangers in the front headrests. Boot capacity at 637 liters is generous, and the remote-folding 60/40 rear seats from the cargo wall mean reconfiguring for luggage on a trip from Riyadh to Abha does not require climbing inside.
• The EX 1.6L AWD is the top of the current range, and it does not include ventilated seats. In Saudi Arabia, where cabin temperatures during summer months can make sitting in a sun-parked car a physical endurance event, the absence of seat ventilation at any trim level is a genuine inconvenience. This feature is one area where rivals at similar prices do better.
• The wireless CarPlay is not available across the range in the standard configuration. The curved display is impressive, but buyers who expect to connect their phones without a cable will find this limits the convenience the screen promises. At SAR 115,000 to 118,000, the price is a gap that feels avoidable.
• The Sportage is also a compact SUV, and it is honest about that. The boot space with the rear seats up is good, but it is not large-family territory. Buyers who regularly travel with five people and luggage will feel the limits on longer trips, as the Sportage's boot space may not accommodate all their belongings comfortably, leading to potential discomfort during extended journeys.

• Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Blind Spot Collision Warning, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warnings are standard across the range. Throughout the range, include ABS, electronic stability control, hill-start assist, driver and passenger airbags, front side airbags, and curtain airbags. ISOFIX child seat anchors are standard across all variants
• Smart Cruise Control with stop and go capability is available on higher trims, and Lane Following Assist, which actively centers the vehicle within its lane on highways, reduces driver fatigue on long Saudi inter-city routes. The 360-degree camera option on upper trims makes urban parking significantly less stressful.

Things to Consider

• The base LX 2WD comes with a well-equipped foundational active safety package. Smart Cruise Control and Lane Following Assist require stepping up to the EX and above.
• For buyers financing through Murabaha who are deciding between the LX and EX trims, the difference in purchase price changes the monthly aqsat by a modest amount when spread over five years.
• The active safety features and the turbocharged engine both come at that step, which makes the jump to the EX worth considering seriously before committing to the entry variant purely on headline price.