Three affordable crossovers with all-wheel-drive and some off-road ability

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On the two middle Fridays every month, Graeme Fletcher combines manufacturers’ incentives from Unhaggle.com with resale value, dependability and overall ratings to find you the best deal for your money in new cars.

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This week, we look at compact crossovers with all-wheel-drive. The hot deals are on the 2019 Kia Sportage EX, Nissan Rogue SV and Volkswagen Tiguan Trendline.

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Three affordable crossovers with all-wheel-drive and some off-road ability Back to video

2019 Kia Sportage EX

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $30,595
Kia Canada Incentive: $2,500
Unhaggle Savings: $250
Total Savings: $2,750
Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $1,915
Total Before Tax: $29,760

The 2019 Kia Sportage stands pat — the face-lifted 2020 model is already sitting on dealer lots.

The Sportage’s cabin is a clean and classy affair that splits the layout along the steering wheel’s crossbar. Everything above the bar is about information; everything below is about control. The layout is logical with the seven-inch infotainment screen looking after the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions.

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The front seats are comfortable and there is enough room for a pair of adults in the back — three is not a good idea. The cargo space measures 868 litres with the seats upright; and 1,703 litres when folded flat. The plus is the privacy cover stows under the trunk floor when not in use.

It requires upgrading to the EX Premium to get auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and front/rear parking sensors. This adds $3,400 to the featured EX.

The Sportage EX is powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder that generates 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. It’s teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission and a solid all-wheel-drive system. The latter works to divvy up the power in a seamless manner and it comes with a lock mode and downhill descent control. These add-ons give the Sportage some semblance of off-road ability.

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The combination brings a run to 100 kilometres an hour of 9.6 seconds; an 80 to 120 km/h passing time of 7.1 seconds; and a posted average fuel economy of 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres. The towing capacity is 907 kilograms.

On the highway, the Sportage’s ride is refined and very quiet, yet when pushed through a corner the suspension hunkers down and dials out unwanted body roll. The steering then delivers good feedback and on-centre feel. It is one of the sportier combinations in the segment.

The Kia Sportage EX arrives with a combined Unhaggle discount of $2,750 and a pre-tax sticker of $29,760.

2019 Nissan Rogue SV

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $31,398
Nissan Canada Incentive: $2,500
Unhaggle Savings: $500
Total Savings: $3,000
Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $1,945
Total Before Tax: $30,343

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The second-generation Nissan Rogue gets some extra safety equipment heading into 2019. The featured SV arrives with forward collision prevention with auto-braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning with keep assist, smart cruise control and auto high-beams as standard fare.

The infotainment system with its seven-inch screen supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While it’s functional, the appearance is dated. On the flip side, the “zero-gravity” front seats provide superior long-distance comfort. The rear seat accommodates two adults comfortably and there’s 1,112 litres of cargo space, seat up; and 1,982 litres when folded flat.

Rogue comes with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder that pushes 170 horsepower and 175 foot-pounds of torque through Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) and all four wheels. The CVT works better than most as it has predetermined shift points under normal-to-moderately-hard acceleration, which does away with most of the prolonged drone so many hate.

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The all-wheel-drive system splits the power evenly when pulling away, which dispenses with unwanted wheel-spin. Once up to speed, it drives the front wheels to improve fuel efficiency. The plus is the AWD model ups the fuel consumption by just 0.5 L/100 km when compared to the base front-driver. It also has a lock mode and hill descent control, which gives it some off-road ability.

The combination brings a run to 100 km/h in 10.1 seconds, an 80 to 120 km/h passing time of seven seconds and a posted average fuel economy of 8.7 L/100 km. The CVT limits the towing capacity to 454 kg.

The suspension is tuned to favour ride comfort over handling. As such it wafts along the highway as quietly and comfortably as many luxury cars. While the suspension does a fair job of limiting body roll when running down a looping on-ramp and the steering delivers decent feedback, the driving dynamics will likely miss the mark for anyone wanting a mildly sporty drive.

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The Nissan Rogue SV has a sticker of $30,343 after the combined Unhaggle discount of $3,000 is applied.

2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI Trendline

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $31,475
Volkswagen Canada Incentive: $2,000
Unhaggle Savings: $250
Total Savings: $2,250
Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $2,514
Total Before Tax: $31,739

Following its redesign last year, the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan sees little change this year. The featured Trendline arrives with nice materials, lots of space and the right amenities. The nit is the infotainment system works with a small 6.5-inch screen — the other models get a better eight-incher. It does work with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink. The latter is an alternative that gives access to apps and works with Android-based phones.

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There is lots of front seat room and the comfort needed for a long drive. Move rearward and the back seat accommodates two adults with ease. The cargo capacity follows this lead — 1,065 litres with the seats upright; and 2,081 litres with them folded flat. There is also a third row option ($750).

To get forward collision assist with auto-braking and pedestrian detection, along with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, requires moving up to the Comfortline model, which bumps the Trendline’s price by $3,200. Lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control are only offered on the top Highline model.

Tiguan arrives with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that twists out 184 hp and a healthy 221 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,600 rpm. The early torque banishes lag off the line and brings a strong mid-range. It works with an eight-speed automatic transmission and VW’s 4Motion system. It drives the front wheels, but can send up to 50 per cent of the drive rearward when conditions dictate.

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It has multiple driving modes — Snow, Off-road and Off-road Custom modes. The On-road mode also features Eco, Comfort and Sport settings. The system also uses a brake-based torque-vectoring system to improve the turn-in response.

The Tiguan runs to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds, turns the 80-to-120-km/h trick in 6.6 seconds and has a posted average fuel economy of 9.8 L/100 km. The towing capacity is rated at 680 kg.

The Tiguan takes a balanced approach to handling dynamics. On the highway it is comfortable yet when tossed into a corner the amount of body roll is limited to a handful of degrees. Likewise, the steering is easily wheeled in a parking lot and it has good on-centre feel when traveling at speed. The combination gives it sporty driving characteristics.

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The Volkswagen Tiguan Trendline has a combined Unhaggle discount of $2,250 and a sticker of $31,739.

The verdict

Transport Canada lists three recalls for the VW Tiguan. The first (#2019116) states, “On certain vehicles, the rear suspension coil springs may not have been properly manufactured and could break over time.” Dealer will replace the rear axle coil springs. If a broken coil spring is found, the rear tires should be inspected for damage and replaced as required.

The second (#2018664) says, “Certain vehicles do not to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 114 – Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention. Due to incorrect programming, the vehicle may fail to provide an audible warning when a driver opens their door after turning off the ignition, and the key is left in the ignition switch.” Dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster.

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The third (#2019158) says, “The compliance label may list the wrong tire size and recommended tire inflation pressures.” Dealer will inspect and replace the compliance label as required. There are 66 units affected.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Kia Sportage Good ratings for all crash tests, a Superior for forward collision prevention with optional equipment, but a Poor rating for headlight performance.

The Nissan Rogue has Good scores for the driver-side small off-set, moderate off-set, side, roof strength and head restraint/seat crash tests. It is not rated for the passenger-side small off-set test. It has a Superior rating for forward collision prevention, but a Poor score for headlight performance.

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The VW Tiguan has Good ratings in all crash tests, a Superior for forward collision prevention with options, but another Poor score for headlight performance.

The projected resale value of these entry-level luxury crossovers in 2022, after being driven an average of 20,000 km/year, is $13,100 for the Kia Sportage EX; $15,500 for the Nissan Rogue SV; and $15,900 for the Volkswagen Tiguan Trendline.

Three very capable crossovers that deliver the flexibility and utility demanded of the breed. The Nissan Rogue is the best if it is to be used as a long-distance cruiser; the Kia Sportage and VW Tiguan add a sporty extension to the drive. All offer a degree of off-road ability if required.