New vs Used: Is the 2024 Kia Sportage Worth Buying in KSA?

Saudi Arabia: The Kia Sportage is one of those compact SUVs that have gained respect in Saudi Arabia, not just among buyers who prefer the Korean brand but also among professionals across Riyadh who look for a practical daily car and families in Jeddah who want style without the full Toyota price. The 2024 model faces fierce competition in a crowded market, with Chinese rivals closing in and updated Japanese models vying for attention. Yet the Sportage keeps showing up in top 10 lists and showrooms. We take a look at key considerations to help you decide whether buying new or used is the better option. 

The 2024 Sportage at a Glance

The fifth-generation Sportage that launched in the Saudi market is still the model most buyers encounter in a 2024 trim on used platforms. It is a really significant redesign over the outgoing version. The dual-curved display inside, the dramatically restyled exterior with connected LED lighting, and a wheelbase that stretches to 2,680 mm put it in a different league visually from what Kia was producing just a few years earlier.

New buyers today are looking at the 2026 model, which carries the same platform and body with refinements. Used buyers are finding very clean 2024 examples on platforms like Syarah, Motory, and CarSwitch, often with well under 50,000 kilometers.

Variant Breakdown

Variant	Engine	Drive	Notable Additions
LX 2WD	2.0 L, 153 HP	Front	Touch screen, nav, base features
LX 1.6L AWD	1.6T 177 HP	All Wheel	Wireless charger, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, blind spot warning
LX 2L AWD	2.0 L, 153 HP	All Wheel	AWD traction, city and highway capable
EX 1.6L 2WD	1.6T 177 HP	Front	Leather seats, sunroof, curtain airbags, rain-sensing wipers
EX 1.6L AWD	1.6T 177 HP	All Wheel	Adds paddle shifters to EX spec
SX 1.6L AWD	1.6T 177 HP	All Wheel	Ventilated seats, adaptive cruise, power seats, lane tracing

Design

When you come across the fifth-generation Sportage in any Riyadh car park, it is hard to ignore. The front end with its wide connected LED light bar and split headlamp design borrows from Kia's global design language, and it really works. The body lines are sharper, the greenhouse is more confident, and the overall design looks like it belongs in a segment above its price.

Inside, the dual 12.3-inch curved display is the centerpiece. It is quite large, well-positioned, and pairs cleanly with the Shift by Wire rotary gear selector, which frees up center console space. The interior materials in EX and SX trim are noticeably higher in quality than the outgoing generation, and rear passengers get 1,050 mm of legroom, which Kia claims is the most in the segment.

The panoramic sunroof in EX and above is a welcome addition, particularly for buyers who want the cabin to feel larger without the actual size of a bigger car.

Powertrain: Two Engines

The base 2.0L naturally aspirated engine produces 153 HP and is paired with a 6-speed automatic. It is smooth and suitable for city driving, but it does not feel the same on highways. 

The 1.6 turbocharged engine offers 177 HP, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), which is the one to choose if you spend significant time on highways. It responds more eagerly, feels more composed at speed, and the DCT shifts quickly without fuss. The trade-off is that the dual clutch can feel slightly hesitant in very slow stop-and-go city traffic.

Safety Across the Range

• Base LX 2WD: Anti-lock braking, dual airbags, electric parking brake, lane change indicator, forward collision-avoidance assist 
• LX 1.6L AWD adds: blind spot collision warning, rear camera, auto hold
• EX trim adds curtain airbags, side airbags, rain-sensing wipers, and rear cross-traffic collision warning.
• SX AWD tops out with adaptive cruise control, lane tracing assist, ventilated front seats, power driver and passenger seats

The safety gap between the base LX 2WD and the EX grade is large. For buyers who regularly drive fast intercity roads between Riyadh and Dammam or Jeddah and Makkah, budgeting up to at least the EX 1.6LT makes real sense.

New or Used?

This is where the 2024 Sportage becomes a genuinely smart buy for Saudi buyers willing to consider the used market.

A brand new Sportage EX 1.6L AWD today sells for around SAR 118,608. A clean 2024 example with 30,000 to 50,000 kilometers is currently priced between SAR 88,000 and SAR 104,400. That is a gap of SAR 14,000 to SAR 30,000 for a car that is, in most practical cases, functionally identical in daily use.

Lower-mileage 2024 examples may still sit within Kia's 5-year or 100,000-kilometer warranty window. Always verify the price directly with the seller before committing.

What Matters? The monthly Aqsat through a Murabaha plan on a used vehicle carries a slightly higher rate than new-vehicle financing. That narrows the savings on paper, and so it is vital you do the total cost calculation across the full term, not just the purchase price comparison.

A new Sportage still presents a strong case for buyers who prefer Ijara with a fixed monthly plan and the certainty of a full warranty period. It depends entirely on what gives you more peace of mind.

Performance Experience 

If you've already driven it, you know. If not, the Sportage now drives with confidence, unlike the previous generation. The steering is better weighted, the cabin absorbs road noise well, and the turbocharged variant in particular feels composed at speed on the Riyadh to Khobar expressway. It is not a sporty SUV in the way the marketing might suggest, but it is a genuinely well-sorted family car.

The boot is at 637 liters, which is certainly quite generous for the class, and families find it useful. The rear seat folding is remotely operated, a small detail that earns its keep when you are loading luggage in a Saudi summer.

Rivals to Consider

If you look at the segment, there are some equally capable rivals, like the Hyundai Tucson, which is the closest direct alternative, sharing the same platform but promising a different character in feel and interior presentation. The Haval Jolion Pro undercuts the Sportage significantly on price. The Toyota Urban Cruiser and Corolla Cross attract similar buyer profiles at different sizes and price points. It is vital you drive the Tucson back-to-back before deciding. Many Saudi buyers have a clear preference after one test drive.

The Verdict

The 2024 Kia Sportage is a very good compact SUV at a fair price, and the Saudi used market makes it an even sharper proposition for buyers with a realistic budget ceiling. The 1.6 turbo AWD EX grade delivers the most complete value for the money. The base LX 2WD is not a bad car, but the gap in safety and comfort between it and the EX is wide enough to justify stretching the budget if you can. Whether buying new or used, the Sportage in 2026 remains one of the best value-for-money options in the Saudi compact SUV segment.

Also Read: Is the Kia Sportage Good for Saudi Roads and Long Drives?