Once upon a time, a brave (and assertive) little four-wheel-drive refused to eat crow in the company of gigantic and more traditional activists in the off-road arena.
While that original Kia Sportage leaves a void, corporate morphology has seen the little car grow significantly in size, shape and demeanour to the elegant SUV that is the GT-Line today – the fifth generation of Sportage to emerge from the Korean automaker.
The first-generation Kia Sportage made its debut in 1993 and, during its 10-year lifespan, was offered in various body styles, including a short and long-wheelbase five-door model and a three-door convertible.
Using Kia’s revamped design language – Opposites United – and to quote the marketing speak: “Harnessing every part of Kia’s design philosophy, tense and crisp lines ripple along the body to amplify the dramatic styling tensions. At the same time, clean but muscular surfaces join forces with intricate graphics to give Sportage a dynamic and assertive road presence.”
Wearing the new Kia logo with poise, it is elegant, stylish, and easy on the eye. Perhaps the standout feature is the one-piece digital dashboard looks like an initial blueprint rather than an add-on.
The Sportage has a wheelbase of 2 680 mm, a width of 1 855 mm, a length of 4 515 mm and a height of 1 650 mm, offering 996 mm legroom for second-row passengers and 1 000 mm headroom, while luggage capacity is 591 litres, rising to 1 790 with the seats folded.
The new Sportage costs in the same range as the likes of the Nissan X-Trail 1.6dCi 4x4 Tekna, BAIC B40 Plus 2.0T Champion and Peugeot 3008 1.6T Allure and is shorter and lower than all. But the Peugeot flexes a more spacious boot.
Car buyers face an often-bewildering array of choices within the ever-expanding SUV playground as automakers try to capitalise on even the smallest increase in market share. This Sportage is the middle of the range, with two more luxuriously appointed above it on the price ladder.
Cosmetic and convenience features include the addition of alloy pedals, an electric tailgate and paddle gear-shifters for those who want more control over the Sportage’s performance and acceleration. Its interior upholstery is a combination of artificial leather and suede.
Essentially, the seat size, shape and bolstering provide the kind of comfort and support that calls out for long-haul travel – and this, in turn, is supported by a MacPherson strut-type suspension up front, while the rear has a four-link type set-up. Stopping power is provided by ventilated discs at the front (325 mm) and solid discs (300 mm) at the back.
The dimensions, suspension, and 2 115 kilograms of GVM combine to produce a gentle ride with little care for bumps and road ripples. The vehicle feels well seated on the road – backed up by a willingness to make sudden directional changes on the twisty bits.
Stable in normal cornering, the steering is accurate and goes where you want it to, even when a little of the hooligan mode creeps in.
This generation is available only with a 1,6-litre T-GDi petrol engine, driving through an advanced version of Kia’s 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT).
The turbocharged engine features continuously variable valve timing (CVVT). It delivers 132 kW of power at 5 500 r/min, with 265 Nm of torque available between 1 500 r/min and 4 500 r/min, allowing it to reach the 100 km/h mark in 8,8 seconds, with a top speed of 201 km/h and 149 g/km CO2 emissions.
In comparison, it has slightly less power and torque than the BAIC B40 but the best fuel consumption at 6,5 l/100 km, not quite as keen as the Nissan (which, like the BAIC, features an all-wheel drive).
Still, not too shabby for a two-ton vehicle.
Occupant safety includes six crash bags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, an anti-lock braking system with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), as well as Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), Downhill Brake Control (DBC) and Trailer Stability Assist (TSA).
The Sportage GT-Line gains Lane Follow Assist and Lane Keeping Assist along with Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), which helps avoid collisions with objects in front of the vehicle while driving.
The former activist in the sector has settled in nicely as a challenger, with ongoing technology processes added to each model iteration.
