Active safety tech can be a worthwhile automotive investment, but not every system out there is equally valuable. The features vary in quality and the number of options they include, which can make it difficult to determine whether they’re worth adding. With that in mind, how well does the technology on our 2017 Kia Sportage EX work?
Thankfully, I’ve not yet had an opportunity to test out the most important feature of any active safety tech package: the automatic braking system that can reduce the impact of a collision if a car ahead has slowed or stopped earlier than expected. Although I haven’t experienced the system’s automatic braking in the real world, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the 2017 Sportage with the optional equipment a top rating of Superior for front crash prevention. In the IIHS’ tests, the Sportage avoided a collision in 12- and 25-mph tests. The 2017 Sportage’s safety record becomes more impressive when you consider that the crossover is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for 2016 (the highest rating possible) and gets five stars out of a possible five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for safety. Not to take away from the Sportage’s safety scores, but you’ll find similar safety performances from the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, and Honda CR-V.
What I really wish our Sportage EX offered as an option was active cruise control, the type of system that can adapt with the flow of traffic up to your designated speed. Having experienced it on my last long-termer (a 2015 Honda CR-V), I can speak to the value of that admittedly compromised system, which couldn’t handle speeds below around 20 mph. I’d also like Kia to make available lane keeping assist tech that does more than warn that the Sportage is drifting from its lane, but actually helps keep it centered in the lane by subtly nudging the steering wheel, as on other systems.
What’s especially great about Kia’s available safety features is the rear cross-traffic alert system. It’s great for when you’re stuck reversing in a parking lot, sandwiched between two Suburbans with limited visibility in either direction. The system uses a visual alert on the reverse-camera screen display as well as an audible warning to notify if anyone is driving toward you in the parking lot. It’s a helpful feature, like the automaker’s blind-spot monitoring system. What’s started to bug me about this technology isn’t just that I miss Honda’s amazing LaneAssist camera on the 2015 CR-V, but also the audible warning’s loudness when you use your turn signal and the car senses another vehicle in your blind spot. It’s loud enough that it interrupts conversation when I’m with others. Having a lower-volume option might add complication in a settings menu, but would be much appreciated when I want to use the tech in a car full of people.
On the 2017 Sportage EX, Kia splits up these advanced safety features into two separate packages that also add features such as a panoramic sunroof, smart power liftgate, and an upgraded sound system. The active safety tech isn’t offered on the budget-focused LX model, and it’s all standard on the SX Turbo. The 2017 Sportage’s suite of active safety tech is missing features offered on competitors, but the ones Kia makes available are executed well enough and are welcome on our Sportage EX AWD, which carries an as-tested price of only $32,595.
More on our long-term Kia Sportage right here:
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