2017 Kia Sportage EX vs 2016 Mazda CX-5 Skyactiv AWD || Drive Exterior & Interior

2017 Kia Sportage EX vs 2016 Mazda CX-5 Skyactiv AWD. The all-new Sportage’s roomier, more luxurious cabin features an impressive level of craftsmanship, with high-quality, soft-touch materials and a range of technologies improving overall comfort, convenience, and connectivity. Updates to the drivetrain provide enhanced efficiency and performance, while changes to the suspension deliver better ride and handling. Like the outgoing model, the all-new Sportage will be built at Kia’s production facility in Gwangju, Korea, and be available in three distinct trim levels (LX, EX, SX Turbo) when it goes on sale in 2016. The structure of the all-new Sportage is significantly improved due to the extensive use of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS). With 51 percent of the Sportage’s body-in-white consisting of AHSS versus the outgoing model’s 18 percent, torsional rigidity has improved 39 percent. Furthermore, the increased use of advanced hot-stamped steel improves body integrity. The material has been used to reinforce the A-, B- and C-pillars, side sills, roof structure, and wheel arches. As a result of its stronger core, Sportage engineers are targeting the compact CUV to earn an overall five-star National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rating and an Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ designation.

The 2017 will be available with a wide range of driver assistance features including:

Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), which can detect a potential collision with another vehicle or pedestrian and help bring the Sportage to a halt
Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), which emits an audible alert when it detects the driver straying from the current lane without using a turn signal
Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Lane Change Assist (LCA), which can monitor cars up to 230 feet behind the Sportage and provide the driver with a visual warning in the door mirror when another car enters the blind spot
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), which can warn the driver when other cars pass behind the Sportage as it backs out of a parking space
Bi-HID headlights with Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) technology

The 2016 Mazda CX-5 features the following enhancements. While the exterior retains its distinctive SUV looks, the updates to the front grille and other design features refresh the model with the latest design expression of the Mazda brand. For the interior, particular effort went into improving the quality feel of the ornamentation and materials used, and also to improving the functionality and usability of the cockpit zone, based on Mazda’s unique Human-Machine Interface (HMI). Enhancements to dynamic performance include updates to the front and rear seats and suspension system, as well as to sound insulation performance throughout the body. The result is greater ride comfort and cabin quietness that makes time spent in the vehicle more pleasant. Mazda’s renowned AWD system is also updated and real-world fuel economy improved.

For this round’s update, Mazda added further polish to these unique characteristics in the pursuit of higher quality. The front grille was evolved to create a design that is bolder and tauter, while the eye-like design of the headlamps further heighten the car’s look of vitality. The refreshed CX-5 also adopts a new 19-inch aluminum wheel design and newly developed body colors. Taking to new heights its presence and powerful looks as a crossover SUV, as well as its level of quality, the refreshed CX-5 realizes a sophisticated exterior design that conveys the evolution of the brand.