cars news 10: 2017 Kia Sportage EX AWD Update 6: Storage Ups and Downs

That just-in-case feeling influences some to get crossovers when a similarly sized sedan would probably work just as well … until one day next month, next year, or three years from now when you might need to carry All The Things in your car. Beyond the visual appeal and elevated seating position of crossovers, cargo flexibility keeps them rolling off dealer lots at a record pace, and after months of driving our long-term 2017 Kia Sportage EX, I’ve found it deserves a mixed review in this department.

Let’s start with the cargo area, which is mostly flat but not as spacious as those of its competitors, both with the rear seats up and folded. The 2017 Sportage’s 30.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place is near the bottom of the class. In fact, in our nine-SUV Big Test comparison, that figure was lower than everything except the Jeep Cherokee and effectively tied with the Hyundai Tucson. The reality is that 30.7 cubic feet is actually a lot of space for someone who is more accustomed to, say, an 8-year-old midsize sedan, but if you’re seeking a crossover because of its cargo space, wouldn’t you want as much as you can get?

I place more value the cargo capacity behind the second row because I rarely fold those seats down to carry stuff. When that happens, though, I start missing the long-gone 2015 Honda CR-V long-termer, and not just for its sizable cargo capacity advantages. That crossover, the redesigned 2017 CR-V, the Subaru Forester, and the 2016 Mazda CX-5 can fold down the second-row seats from either the cargo area or the side doors. With the Sportage (and most other crossovers in this class), you can only fold them down from the side doors. Although it’s easy to fold them down, the task was still easier in the Honda.

2017 Kia Sportage EX AWD front interior seats

2017 Kia Sportage EX AWD rear interior seats

The Sportage gets the rear-seat recline controls right, though. A huge lever, which is easy to find and use, is positioned on either side of the rear-seat bench. It’s too bad that taller rear-seat passengers will have to deal with hard plastic on the front seat backs, but the addition of a USB port back there is cool. Up front, there’s another USB port at the bottom of the center console, and unlike the similar phone-storage area in the RAV4, it’s depressed and partially closed in so your phone won’t go flying after taking a curve too quickly.

That’s great, but it’s difficult to overlook the Sportage’s spatial shortcomings. If there’s one way the Kia crossover makes up some ground, however, it’s exterior design. Check back for thoughts on design and more in future long-term updates.