Updated Kia Sportage now in SA, but there’s a catch

Kia updates Sportage range to offer better value for money.

Kia South Africa introduces a revised line-up of its multi-award-winning Sportage range, building on the success of the new model since its local introduction in September 2022.

The latest Sportage has garnered acclaim from customers and critics alike for its future-forward design, high-quality interior finishes and vast list of standard features, bringing life to Kia’s multiple global awards for quality and reliability.

Gary Scott, CEO of Kia South Africa, said: “We are very proud of the current Sportage and take great joy in that fact that it has consistently garnered favour amongst press and customers alike in a segment where customers are spoilt for choice.

“The variety of accolades it has gathered in just more than a year reinforces our belief that Sportage truly is the ultimate urban SUV.”

Engine choices

In a segment where diesel-powered options are becoming fewer, the introduction of the 1.6 CRDi powertrain to the Sportage line-up in May this year offered a solution to the many South African customers who enjoy the better power delivery and increased fuel efficiency that comes with a turbodiesel engine.

The 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine delivers 100kW of power at 4 000r/min, with 320Nm of torque available between 2 000 and 2 250r/min.

READ | 2021 Kia Seltos 1.5 CRDi EX Auto: Installment, specs, economy

It completes the 0-100km/h sprint in 11.4 seconds, with a top speed of 180km/h. CO2 emissions are rated at 129 g/km in the combined cycle. Going forward, the entry-level LX and EX models in the Sportage line-up will be on offer only with the 1.6 CRDi engine.

Kia claims a 4.9-litres/100km fuel return on this engine, giving a theoretical driving range of 1102km on the 54 litre fuel tank.

The punchy 1.6 T-GDi powertrain remains available in the three GT-Line models in the range as the perfect companion to its sportier positioning.

The 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine delivers 132kW of power at 5 500r/min, with 265Nm of torque available between 1 500 and 4 500r/min. It allows the Sportage to reach the 100 km/h mark from standstill in 8.8 seconds, with a top speed of 201km/h.

Both engines are married to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Features and safety

The complete Sportage line-up already benefits from a raft of active and passive safety features, including 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).

All Sportage models include a total of 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, as well as 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. However, as of this month, Kia has added these features across all models.

Regardless of which derivative in the range a customer opts for, Lane Follow Assist and Lane Keeping Assist are included as standard, as is Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA).