2022 Kia Sportage Interior and Cargo

The interior of the Sportage feels remarkably upscale and refined for its price bracket, and we're impressed with the lack of hard plastics and the use of soft surfaces. The base model features woven cloth seats in black or gray, a smooth PVC shift knob, a soft-touch dashboard, armrests, and door trim, and metal surround for the dashboard. Nightfall Edition and EX models get SynTex leatherette seat trim in black and gray, as well as a leather steering wheel. Leather-upholstered seats are reserved for the SX Turbo. EX and SX Turbo get a leather-trimmed gearshift knob too. All versions have dashboard stitching, while EX and SX Turbo derivatives get Gloss Black interior fascia inlays. Leather seats are optionally offered in beige, black and gray on the EX as part of the $3,560 EX Technology package and are standard on the SX Turbo.

As with most SUVs, the Kia Sportage is all about interior space and making its occupants as comfortable as possible. However, this comes at a cost: the Sportage loses out in the trunk and cargo area, with some offerings from the competition providing more space. The Sportage offers 30.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, which is easily accessible despite the crossover's higher ride height. This space, in comparison to that of the Honda CR-V's 39.2 cubic feet, is clearly less impressive. The space is still enough for a decent run to the grocery store, or a weekend away for a small family. If you need more space, the Sportage's 60/40 split-folding rear seats fold down to offer an impressive 60.1 cubic feet, and the good news is that the back seats create a flat surface when folded.

Small items can be stored in the center armrest console, front glovebox, passenger seatback map pockets, rear center armrest console, front cupholders, as well as two cupholders in the rear center armrest. There's an additional overhead sunglasses console up front and small storage compartments in each door.

For such a budget-friendly crossover, the Sportage comes with some useful standard features. The base model LX features a backup camera, single-zone manual air conditioning, a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, cruise control, and remote keyless entry. Under the Kia DriveWise banner, driver assistance features such as forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, driver attention warning, a lane keep assist system with active steering, and a lane departure warning system are also included. Moving up to the Nightfall Edition adds LED interior lighting, illuminated vanity mirrors, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with two-way power lumbar support, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, a panoramic roof, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning. The EX model adds comfort features such as heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, and a power tailgate. If you're looking for the most refined experience, go with the SX Turbo: you get an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, an eight-way power front passenger seat, ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, as well as smart cruise control, and front and rear parking sensors.

Kia offers one of the better infotainment systems in its class. The standard eight-inch display is mounted nice and high and is intuitive enough for even the most technologically deprived to understand. The images it displays are crisp, too. Standard features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, Bluetooth streaming, aux and USB connectivity, voice recognition, a USB port, and a six-speaker audio system. The Nightfall Edition is available with an upgraded package that includes SiriusXM radio and UVO telematics. EX derivatives are offered with an additional rear-seat USB charging port, while navigation is optional. SX Turbo models also come standard with navigation, wireless device charging, and a Harman Kardon 320-watt sound system, which features eight speakers with an integrated subwoofer.