Publications
Partners
- Kia has given its Sportage models more standard features across its range.
- This means the SUV now offers better value for money against its competitors.
- The Korean brand is one of few local automakers that offers a product for every price bracket in the compact to medium-sized SUVs.
How do you take a winning recipe and make it even better? Just ask Kia South Africa.
The Korean automaker recently introduced a revised line-up of its award-winning Sportage range, building on the SUV's success since its local introduction in September 2022.
Personally, I rated it as the most beautiful car I had driven in 2022. And, I was pretty close on the mark since the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists declared it the best midsize SUV introduced last year, too, awarding it with a category win in the annual South African Car of the Year competition.
Cars.co.za also crowned the Sportage CRDi EX a finalist in the publication's authoritative Consumer Awards. At the same time, Car Magazine named it Best Buy in the midsize SUV category in their Top 12 Best Buy Awards for 2024 earlier this month.
All this is no surprise with its future-forward design, high-quality interior finishes and comprehensive list of standard features. And, not only that, the folks at Kia SA do their homework rather thoroughly.
"We have long maintained that the Sportage is a flagbearer of the Kia brand's pioneering DNA and that it has always been a car of 'firsts' for the brand," said Kia South Africa CEO Gary Scott.
READ | This is the most beautiful car driven in 2022
Plenty of boxes to tick
Kia literally has a product to suit every need in their range - across a broad price spectrum. This is because the local automaker constantly evaluates market trends and customer needs to ensure their product ranges offer customers the best features, benefits and value for money.
Diesel-powered cars are seemingly supposed to be on their way out in global markets - but not here in South Africa. We're a country where electric mobility won't take off at a fast pace for a long time, and South Africans pretty much still prefer diesel-driven cars around here.
So, when Kia introduced the 1.6 CRDi powertrain to the Sportage line-up earlier in May, it offered a solution to many local customers who enjoy the better power delivery and increased fuel efficiency of a turbodiesel engine.
The 1 582cc common rail injection diesel engine delivers 100 kW of power at 4 000r/min, with 320Nm available between 2 000 and 2 250r/min. It completes the zero to 100km/h sprint in 11.4 seconds, with a 180km/h top speed. CO2 emissions are rated at 129g/km in the combined cycle.
ALSO READ | Review: Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi GT Line Plus - perfect economic SUV in the age of R25/l fuel
From now on, Kia says, the entry-level LX and EX models in the Sportage line-up will only be available with the 1.6 CRDi engine.
"The 1.6 diesel engine, paired with Kia's 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, has found favour, especially among customers who prioritise practicality and efficiency," said Stephen Crosse, sale and marketing director at Kia South Africa.
"These models strike the optimal balance between power, performance and frugality at a price point where it's truly unrivalled without any compromises on standard specification or value for money."
Kia says the punchy 1.6 T-GDi powertrain remains available in the three GT-Line models. The 1 598cc turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection engine delivers 132kW of power at 5 500r/min, with 265Nm of torque available between 1 500 and 4 500r/min. This helps the Sportage reach the 100km/h mark in 8.8 seconds from standstill, with a top speed of 201km/h. CO2 emissions are rated at 149g/km in the combined cycle.
Increased safety with advanced technology
The fifth-generation Sportage comes with a MacPherson strut-type suspension at the front and a four-link type set-up at the rear. Kia says this makes for a refined, stable and comfortable ride with agile and dynamic handling, supported by an advanced steering system, meticulously tuned to help bring these qualities together. The Sportage also has a class-leading package for legroom, headroom and luggage capacity (591 litres VDA).
Volvo might be considered one of the safest brands around, but Kia packs vehicles to the rafters with safety features, and they're all included as standard equipment, making them a pretty good contender for the title. The Sportage range consists of a host of active and passive safety features, such as an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), Downhill Brake Control (DBC) and Trailer Stability Assist (TSA).
The upgraded models also include six airbags: a driver's airbag, front passenger airbag, side airbags, and side curtain airbags. ISOFIX child seat anchors are also a standard inclusion across the range, as is Smart Entry with Push Button Start and an electric parking brake with auto-hold functionality.
A variety of Kia's in-house developed Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technology was previously also included on the GT-Line derivatives. So, how can they add even more to an already extensive list? Now, Kia has added these features across all models. So, that means regardless of which derivative a customer opts for, in the range, Lane Follow Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) are also included as standard equipment.
"There are a wide variety of factors that contribute to South Africa's alarming high road fatality rate, including factors such as the general roadworthiness of cars on the road, speeding, unsafe pedestrian behaviour and distracted driving," Crosse said.
"Features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have become as much a safety feature as a convenience feature, but with the rapid advances in technology, we can now include a range of active safety systems to help drivers avoid collisions even better."
So, how do these features work? According to Kia, Lane Follow Assist and Lane Keeping Assist work alongside the standard Blind Spot Warning system, using cameras and radar to ensure the vehicle is electronically aided to stay in its lane.
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) helps to avoid collisions with objects in front of the vehicle while driving. FCA provides a warning if the preceding vehicle suddenly slows down or a forward collision risk is detected, such as a stopped vehicle, a pedestrian, or a cyclist in front of the Sportage. After the warning, if the risk of collision increases, FCA automatically assists with emergency braking of the vehicle.
What adds to its value-for-money offering?
All Sportage models come with an unlimited kilometre or five-year warranty, including roadside assistance. A pre-paid six-year or 90 000 km service plan is included to give customers peace of mind and predictability regarding vehicle maintenance.
South Africa's local market is oversaturated with choices in the SUV market, and even more so in the compact and medium diesel-powered segment. Pricing starts from R387 999 for the Renault Duster to R1 884 725 for the BMW X7 for medium-sized SUVs.
Smack bang in the middle at the R500 000 to R700 000 price range, there's been a gaping hole with hardly much available for customers looking for an SUV in this price margin.
In the R600K to R800k bracket, where the top-sellers in this segment are the Mazda CX-5 (R778 700) and the Hyundai Tucson (R779 900), the Sportage is priced from R637 995 to R765 995 - with a lot more up its sleeve.
The 1.6 CRDi GT-Line at R765 995 versus the Tucson 2.0-litre CRDi Elite 8AT (R779 900) is a close comparison. The Sportage offers a 12-inch infotainment screen, an electric tailgate, remote folding rear seats, heatable rear seats, stop/start technology and leather/suede upholstery.
On the other hand, the Tucson offers Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist - which provides a warning only, adaptive cruise control, fatigue detection warning, ventilated front seats, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. But weighing up the features against the two, the Kia comes out tops - and cheaper.
When comparing the same Sportage model against the Volkswagen Tiguan TDI R-Line 4Motion DSG, the VW is at a higher price premium of R829 200 and does not offer items such as a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, panoramic sunroof, smart entry, review camera, wireless charging pad, a full-sized spare wheel.
The Sportage also has Lane Keep /Change Assist, lane departure warning and blind-spot collision warning. The VW's few items include triple-zone climate control, all-wheel drive, fatigue monitoring and an eight-speaker sound system.
Then there's also Kia's unlimited kilometre warranty.
Crosse said this bears testimony to the automaker's faith in the quality and reliability of their vehicles.
"At the same time, the prepaid service plan across the range gives customers additional peace of mind and predictability of spend concerning vehicle maintenance," Crosse said.
"The standard inclusion of more advanced driver assistance systems across the range makes the Sportage offering unrivalled in its segment, with a truly unbeatable value proposition."
Pricing
Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi LX: R637 995
Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi EX: R691 995
Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line: R713 995
Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line Plus: R741 995
Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi GT-Line Plus: R765 995
Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line S: R798 995
