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2014 Kia Sportage facelift arrives with updated 2.4L, new grille

The third-generation Sportage has been around for a few years now, but Kia is making some minor changes to its compact crossover for 2014. As expected with a small, mid-cycle refresh, there isn't anything too major to report here, but the important news for the 2014 Sportage involves what's behind that modestly updated fascia.
Kia has revamped the Sportage's base 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine to add direct injection, which is said to improve efficiency, although no fuel economy numbers have been released yet. Switching to DI has also increased the engine's output, up slightly from 176 horsepower and 168 pound-feet of torque in 2013 to 182 hp and 178 lb-ft for 2014. Additionally, LX models now receive the sportier shock setup previously available only on EX and SX trims.
More importantly, the base trim level has been dropped from the 2014 Sportage lineup, meaning the car's manual transmission has been axed, as well. Pricing hasn't been released yet, but the 2013 Sportage already undercut competitors like the Chevy Equinox and Toyota RAV4 by thousands of dollars, so even a modest increase for 2014 would still position the Kia rather nicely in the segment.

2021 Kia Sportage Review | Sporty-ish value

The 2021 Kia Sportage picks up right where last year's mid-cycle refresh left off, with some modest improvements to design and technological updates that make driving easier and safer. An often overlooked vehicle in the increasingly crowded compact crossover segment, the Sportage provides comfort and value on a budget, but doesn’t quite match the style, fuel economy or cargo space of its competitors, many of which have been recently revamped as all-new models. Still, with the features available for the price, itÂ’s worth a test drive if youÂ’re looking at vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape or Toyota RAV4. You just might find the Sportage to be the right fit for you and your budget, and with its roomy backseat — at the expense of cargo volume — it might be the right fit, literally, for you and your passengers. Finally, if you like the packaging of the Sportage, but are looking to save some money up front, as well as at the pump, it might be worth taking a look at the similarly sized Kia Seltos. YouÂ’d be giving up some power and nicer interior materials, but would be getting a more efficient and arguably more stylish Kia for about $2,000 less. What's new for 2021? The 2021 Kia Sportage builds upon the previous model yearÂ’s mid-cycle refresh with an update to S trim level offerings. The new Nightfall Edition and Nightfall Edition Premium appearance packages replace the S Sunroof and Premium Package, respectively. Nightfall gets unique 18-inch wheels with blacked-out center caps, and adds piano black trim on the front bumper, side sills, front and rear skid plates, and fog lights. It also gets unique Sportage badging on the liftgate. The LX, EX and SX Turbo trims remain unchanged. What's the Sportage interior and in-car technology like? The Sportage's interior styling is straightforward and functional. ThereÂ’s not much to visually break up the square footage of plastic, but the materials donÂ’t scream “cheap.” In fact, its superior materials quality to the Seltos is one area that justifies the Sportage's higher price. The leather seating in the SX Turbo trim looks and feels quite nice, especially when you consider those front seats are heated and, optionally, ventilated. The seating position is upright for a good view of the road, and the center stack tilts slightly toward the left to give a sense of ergonomic care to the driver.

Hyundai, Kia warn of $2.9B earnings hit over engine issues

SEOUL — Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Motors warned of another $2.9 billion of provisions related to engine issues, bringing their total hit from the years-long quality problem that has tarnished their credibility to nearly $5 billion. Hyundai Motor Group said on Monday their third-quarter earnings would reflect quality-related costs of a combined 3.36 trillion won ($2.94 billion), of which Hyundai accounted for 2.1 trillion won and Kia for 1.26 trillion. Hyundai and Kia, together the worldÂ’s No.5 automaker, recalled nearly 1.7 million vehicles in 2015 and 2017 in one of their biggest recalls in the United States, citing an engine failure that raises the risk of crashes. In 2017, U.S. safety regulators began to investigate if the recalls had covered enough vehicles and were done in a timely fashion. That followed concerns reported by a South Korean whistleblower, a former quality official at Hyundai, to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Hyundai was being investigated by U.S. prosecutors over whether vehicle recalls were conducted properly, Reuters reported in 2018. From 2017 to 2019, the two firms have earmarked a series of provisions mostly to address engine-related issues, which amounted to about 2.04 trillion won, according to Reuters' calculation. The latest provisions reflect higher-than-expected replacement rates for Theta II GDi engines of old vehicles subject to recalls, as well as growing consumer complaints over the same engine and other engines not subject to recalls, Hyundai said. The engine is in a wide variety of vehicles. "Hyundai has repeatedly said it does not see any more costs related to the Theta II engine issues, and the latest recall would deal a fatal blow to Hyundai's credibility," Sean Kim, an analyst at Dongbu Securities said. "I am worried." He expected Hyundai and Kia to swing to losses for the quarter from July to September, hit by the provisions. Hyundai Motor closed down 2.3% and Kia Motors ended down 1%. ($1=1,141.42 won)   Earnings/Financials Recalls Hyundai Kia