THE FIFTH era Sportage arrived in Australia in the beginning of November with the type of eager pricing and a beneficiant gear checklist we’ve come to count on from South Korea’s second-biggest automobile model.
Though it’s nearly $2000 costlier than the outgoing mannequin, the brand new Sportage vary represents distinctive worth. The entry-grade S variant examined right here is provided with an environment friendly turbo-diesel engine, clean eight-speed auto, part-time all-wheel drive (AWD) and is priced from simply $39,845, plus on-road prices (ORCs).
That worth undercuts these of the vast majority of the Sportage S’ diesel-powered AWD rivals significantly. The Hyundai Tucson AWD diesel vary kicks off with the Elite from $45,000 (+ORCs), whereas the most affordable Mazda CX-5 diesel AWD – the Maxx Sport, is $42,690 (+ORCs). It’s the same story with Volkswagen’s Tiguan 147 TDI Class, which is priced from $52,290 (+ORCs).
In actual fact, the one competitor to beat the Sportage on this section is the ageing Nissan X-Path TS, from $37,465 (+ORCs).
In contrast with the outgoing mannequin, the “entry-level” Sportage feels positively house age. It has LED headlights, a digital instrument cluster, entrance centre airbag, AEB with pedestrian and bike owner detection, lane- comply with help and even adaptive cruise management, all of that are commonplace subject.
The rest of the characteristic checklist is intensive – and much better than these supplied by most entry-grade medium SUVs with which the Sportage competes.
Highlights embody 17-inch alloy wheels (together with a full-size matching spare), an 8.0-inch infotainment array (that includes wi-fi Apple CarPlay and plug-in Android Auto connectivity), Bluetooth telephony and -audio streaming, partial LED tail-lights, a leather-accented steering wheel, tyre stress monitoring, rear parking sensors, in addition to an electrical park brake.
The Sportage S CRDi, on take a look at right here, is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces 137kW at 4000rpm and 416Nm between 2000-2750rpm. Mixed-cycle gas consumption is listed at 6.3 litres per 100km, with CO2 emissions of 163 grams per kilometre.
These numbers see the diesel-powered Sportage provide 1kW and 16Nm extra grunt than the outgoing mannequin, whereas additionally being 0.1L/100km extra environment friendly and 5g/km cleaner.
The Sportage measures 4660mm in size, 1865mm in width, 1660mm in top, which makes it 175-mm longer, 10-mm wider and 5-mm shorter (in top) than the outgoing mannequin.
Kia’s latest medium SUV rides on a 2755-mm wheelbase, which provides it 85mm of extra house between the axles in comparison with the earlier mannequin.
A few of that house is felt within the Sportage’s roomier cabin, however the greatest good points are seen within the load bay. Cargo house has been upped to 543 litres (+77 litres) in five-seat mode (as much as window top), whereas the general carrying capability has elevated to 1829 litres in two-seat mode, which is a staggering 374-litre acquire in utility house over the outdated mannequin.
Kia continues to supply its whole passenger automobile vary with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee, which incorporates capped-price servicing and roadside help.
