Can the X-Pro Live Up to Its Rugged Appearance?
by Sean McElroy
Much like the Hyundai Kona N-Line I drove recently, the Kia Sportage X-Pro feels a little like a poser. X-Pro is meant to be more rugged, but it doesn’t have the kind of features that make it capable of conquering the Rubicon Trail. The most off-road things about this model are a set of 17-inch B.F. Goodrich tires and a Multi-terrain drive mode. Even so, I’m not calling the Sportage X-Pro a full poser because, even with the little amount of off-roading I’ve done, I know you could still have a lot of fun on trails with it.
Those big B.F. Goodrich tires also do a good job of soaking up bumps when you’re driving on actual paved roads. And they don’t have any perceptible impact on acceleration and braking in normal, everyday driving. Overall, I think it’s a very easy vehicle to operate, but if I had any complaint it would be that it felt a little top heavy. However, I’d be curious to know how a Sportage without the X-Pro package drives. I want to know how big of a difference different tires would make.
It’s strange, but I didn’t realize until I was writing this how big of a role the tires played in my opinion of the car. Anyway, on to other things.
Under the hood is a new 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that makes about 185 horsepower and is mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission. It’s a decent setup with good power when you need, but it’s certainly not a powertrain that shocks you when you put your foot in to it. Not like the Range Rover SE that I just drove. It pulled harder off the line than a 600+ horsepower Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe. Don’t worry, reviews on both will be coming soon.
Back to the Sportage again. I don’t know why but the interior of the Sportage reminded me of the Hyundai Kona. They look completely different from each other and I didn’t get the feeling like the dash was a million miles away from me, like in the Kona. But for some reason the long display screen across the dash and the cup holders had me feeling like I could sense the Hyundai/Kia relationship between the two. Truth be told, I even checked to see if they share a platform, but they’re different from each other, which makes sense because the Kona is a whole segment size smaller.
