Thank you Drive Shop USA and Kia for giving me an opportunity to review the 2017 Sportage SX FWD.
A few weeks before the sweltering summer heat hit the Delaware Valley, hubby and I spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon walking through Battery Park in Old New Castle. If you remember this post, I stated that I wanted to return to the park with my husband as it had such a nice walking trail.
Also, if you follow me on Instagram you would have seen the pictures we took at the 1/4 mile marker. Hubby is still working on getting his energy level back up after those 6 months of chemo for small intestinal cancer.
The day started out being very beautiful however, we got some well needed rain towards the end of our walk, so we left earlier than we wanted. Both of our sons are working this summer so it was nice spending some quality time alone as an “old married couple”.
We both loved the 2017 Kia Sportage as it was a smooth ride with comfortable leather front seats and best of all, it was equipped with a Dual-Zone Auto Climate controls. I don’t know how it is in your house, but in ours, my husband and I often disagree on the temperature so we are in constant duel over the controls. Although the seats were leather, it wasn’t an uncomfortable sitting situation if you know what I mean!
The 2017 Kia Sportage comes with many standard features including Dual Front Airbags, Front Seat Mounted Airbags, and side Curtain Airbags which are great safety features. All of the other features on this model were standard and a few of them are listed below. The MSRP of this vehicle is $33,395.00 and the fuel economy is listed as 23 MPG, 21 city, 26 highway which makes it a negative for me.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
4.2” Color Infotainment Center LCD with Navigation
Sirius/XM Satellite Radio w/free 3-mo subscription
Leather Seat Trim
Push button start with Smart Key
Rear Camera Display
Blind Spot Detection
Lane Departure Warning
Front/Rear Parking Assist System
10 year/100,000 mile limited Powertrain warranty
5 year/60,000 mile roadside assistance
The fuel economy may be a negative on this vehicle, but here are my Top Five Favs:
Smart Hands-Free Power Liftgate and large storage capacity
Adjustable lumbar seat support controls
Power Folding Heated Side View Mirrors with LED Turn Signals
Lighted Door Handle
Panoramic Sunroof
The 2017 Kia Sportage did have a jerky acceleration on the back roads however, was smooth as silk on the highway at higher speeds. Also, as you can see the rear seat comfort is one of concern especially for adults as there isn’t much leg room in the back.
Overall, I would say that this is a great vehicle for someone who unlike me doesn’t have a 100 mile daily commute as the fuel economy is low, however, the seat controls with lumbar support made the commute a lot less uncomfortable.
The color of this 2017 Kia Sportage is Burnished Copper and it was so gorgeous, it actually complimented my maxi dress – what do you think?
The Blind Spot Detection and Lane Departure warnings are also great features for long distance travel and the rear trunk is a definitely a great size for loading it with shopping bags, luggage or dorm room supplies when taking a kid back to college which is what we will be doing in a few weeks – where did the summer go??
Check out the following YouTube video to get a better view of the inside and outside of the 2017 Kia Sportage then leave a comment below as to which feature you liked best.
Daylight Saving Time might be a bit harsh on the body initially, but once you get used to it and the fact that we have more sun during the day, it makes it all worthwhile.
Feeling the warmth of the sun’s rays on my face always makes me want to linger longer outdoors.
Thank you Drive Shop for giving me an opportunity to linger longer outdoors in this beautiful Kia Sorento SXL V6 AWD.
I wasn’t home when the 2016 Kia Sorento SXL was delivered to my driveway as I was out running errands, but once I got the call I hustled home!
She was definitely a delight to see and the sunshine made her look even better.
Hubby and I took our customary drive through the neighborhood to get a feel for it, but since we had to leave town early the next morning to attend the funeral for my cousin, Anthony Frazier, I didn’t get a chance to take her out on the road until the weekend.
Saturday morning, hubby and I decided to go back to Bayberry, the 55+ Adult Community in Middletown. It seems as though this is where we will purchase once we decide to downsize.
Didn’t she look good sitting in front of the Ponds of Bayberry?
The Kia Sorento SXL is by far one of the more luxurious vehicles that I have had an opportunity to test drive and review. I found it hard to narrow down to just my 5 Fab Features, but here is what I came up with plus a few more!
1. LDWS – Lane Departure Warning System
visual and audible warning when veering outside of lane without change signals activated as I tend to pull to the right shoulder
2. FCWS – Forward Collision Warning System
never activated – thankfully!
3. BSD – Blind Spot Detection System
yellow indicators on side view mirrors and alarm when signal is activated if another vehicle is detected
4. Reverse Parking Aid Function
when you gear shift into reverse, the outside rear view mirrors will rotate downward to aid in reverse parking
5. Surround View Monitor (SVM)
parking camera view will display in both front and in reverse with 4 different angles – great for pulling out of driveways with side bricks like we have!
Engine Start/Stop Button
3rd Row Seating/with fold down seating providing ample cargo space
Auto Truck Release with Sensor
Dual Zone Heat and AC
Panoramic Sunroof
Retractable sun visors on windows of 2nd row passenger
Bluetooth and WiFi
Aux/Rapid Charge USB/IPod Ports and Power Outlets
Sunday, my son and I decided to spent the day together with a leisurely drive around town, relaxing and listening to jazz which is what I wrote about in my “Bring Back the Blue Laws” post.
He really liked how smooth the ride was and didn’t try to change the station which I had tuned into SiriusXM Radio Channel 67 Watercolors.
This fully loaded vehicle has an MSRP of $46,495 and has a low mileage rating of 19 MPG, 17 city and 23 highway. This is a drawback for me because of my long distance commute.
Monday I drove the Kia Sorento to work and two of my co-workers and I decided to go out for lunch, a rarity since we normally eat at our desks.
It was another bright and sunny day, perfect for lingering longer, styling and profiling in the Kia Sorento. Afterwards this is what one of my co-workers had to say about the Kia Sorento SXL:
“As a Techie Guy I loved how everything is set up from the Steering Wheel to the Touch Screen Console. The power of the Kia is perfect, and the Infinity Stereo is out of this world! I love the DRL LED Lighting, it is so bright, people can definitely see you from a distance. I love the Double Sun Roof and the Duel Control AC/Heating System, plus the 2 Driver Set up Options. I am very impressed in how far Kia has come to compete with other luxury brand vehicles.”
Needless to say, he was very impressed, so much so, he even assisted in the taking of these pictures!
Once again, I would like to thank Drive Shop for giving me opportunity to review the Kia Sorento SXL, which in my opinion is by far a more superior SUV than most on the road, however, I will need to test drive a few more to make it official!
Head over to my YouTube Channel to see this vehicle in action!
Disclosure Statement: I was provided with a Kia Optima LX Turbo for a week to review, however, all opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. #Kia #DriveKia #DriveShopUSA
Two weeks ago a 2016 Kia Optima LX Turbo was driven into my driveway and needless to say, I was over-the-top excited to have her a as loaner for the entire week.
Thank you @Kia #DriveShopUSA and you can plainly see, we definitely belonged together as she complimented my outfit quite nicely! #kuteinaKia
Later in the day hubby and I sat inside listening to jazz on the Sirius Satellite Radio while checking out the bells and whistles, some of which included:
Then together, we took a slow, leisurely drive around the neighborhood before the sun set for the evening.
Wednesday, I left her in the driveway as I also did on Thursday because of the drenching rains. Having driven a small compact car (Bloggy Buggy) for the past 2 years, I was a bit apprehensive about driving this larger, more luxurious vehicle to work. I work in West Chester, PA, which is a 100 mile, 3 hour daily round trip commute.
The 32 MPG highway gas mileage for the Kia Optima LX Turbo is awesome, therefore, I doubt that I would have needed to stop and get gas to fuel up had I driven it to work those two days.
32 MPG
Friday was a vacation day from work but not a day off without a purpose as I attended a Friday Fuel Up, sponsored by Troy Farmer, www.tfarmerforeva.com This wonderful Women in Business event was enlightening and definitely rewarding as a new business owner.
Oh, I forget to tell you that I had officially launched my own business, A.Blake Enterprises, Social Media Management on the 13th of November. I will bring you up to speed with all the details but in the meantime, check out the website www.ABlakeEnterprises.com for more information.
After the empowerment session, driving home on a bright and sunny mid-afternoon, I took my time, leaned to the side and cruised along listening to Jazz playing on the Watercolors station from the Sirius Station. All the while thinking “I could get used to driving a car like this!” I pulled into the driveway, picked up hubby then we headed to the Dutch Country Farmers Market to get a late lunch.
Not wanting to buy too much because it was the week before Thanksgiving, we just bought some wings and pasta salad for the weekend and a few pounds of Oxtails for next week’s Slow Cooked Oxtail Stew – stay tuned for that recipe.
The Smart and spacious trunk of the Kia Optima LX makes it easy to load packages when your hands are full.
The MSRP on this fully loaded Kia Optima LX is $27,415 and these are just a few of the many standard features:
USB/Auxiliary Input Jack and 12 Volt Outlet
Bluetooth Wireless Technology
60/40 split-folding rear seats which are perfect for travel back and forth to college or a quick trip to your local Home Improvement Store
Push Button Start / Smart Key / Smart Trunk
The additional LX Technology Package Features on this vehicle included:
Dual Zone Auto Climate Controls with Rear Vents
Navigation System with 8” Display
Memory Driver’s Seat and Mirror Position
Blind Spot Detection System
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Rear Parking Assist System
Auto-dimming Rear view mirror
There are many safety features in the LX Technology Package which are definitely of benefit to me because I spend a lot of time on the road. With so many distracted drivers and others who need a remedial Driver’s Ed course, having these options are a definite plus especially the “Blind Spot Detection System”.
Saturday, hubby was feeling well enough to take another “Road Trip to Retirement” which was a regular feature on my YouTube channel before he began his chemo treatments. Check out the latest video of this visit to the Village of Eastridge, a 55+ Community in Smyrna.
I had an evening appointment with a Venetia Thompson, a small business owner in New Castle, who is featured this year on my blog in honor of #ShopSmall Saturday. When I got home there was another surprise…our youngest son was home from college.
He had come home early for the Thanksgiving break with a big bag of laundry, fortunately he has been washing his own clothes since the age of 10 so it was not my responsibility to handle!
The Kia adventure continued into Sunday when my oldest son and I went shopping and then created this mini video, once again touting a few of the cool features of the Optima LX.
On Monday hubby had a chemo treatment, so the Kia spent the day parked at the Helen Graham Cancer Center, then Tuesday morning, I had to say, “See Ya” to the Kia.
It was definitely a fun filled, wonderful way to spend the week with a Kia. Now it’s your turn to tell me what you would do if you had a week with a Kia Optima LX Turbo…where would you go, leave a comment below.
