In all honesty I would not recommend a Sportage for your mother. They are an excellent vehicle for their intended purpose. That is, as a small and economical SUV with full off road capability and they are also excellent in snow if you live in that type of climate. However, Sportages require a high degree of maintenance, both routine and not so routine. If you are looking for a "drive and forget" vehicle then look elsewhere. They are certainly not "junk" but if you are expecting something like a Honda or a Toyota which can be driven forever and abused you will be disappointed.

Hope this helps.