The Sportage is the sister vehicle of the Hyundai Tucson and scores similarly. It is a contemporary and pleasant small SUV. The base engine gets relatively decent fuel economy at 22 mpg. Handling is fairly nimble and very secure. The base powertrain is fairly pleasant but acceleration approaches being leisurely. But the ride is stiff and there is pronounced road noise. The rear seat is decent, but rear visibility is problematic.
Opting for the top-level turbocharged SX model greatly improves acceleration and adds some nicer interior furnishings and features, including some available luxury items like a cooled driver seat. Fuel economy only goes down 1 mpg compared to the standard non-turbo model. However, its stiffer suspension and larger wheels and tires make the ride stiffer and increase road noise, all without making the car dramatically more sporty to drive, so the SX is not for everyone.