The all-new Kia Sportage is a boldly styled family SUV that’s full of high-tech equipment and quality finishes. However, in a segment awash with excellent models – does the Sportage stand out enough? We test the top-spec GT Line S to find out.
We like: Interior quality and upmarket feel. Drivetrain refinement
We don’t like: It’s pricey. Design may not appeal to all.
FAST FACTS
- Model: 1.6T-GDi GT Line S
- Price: R734 995 (October 2022)
- Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol
- Power/Torque: 132 kW/265 Nm
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
- Fuel consumption: 6.5 L/100 km (claimed)
- 0-100 kph: 8.8 sec (claimed)
- Luggage capacity: 591–1 780 litres
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The Kia Sportage has evolved into one of the most adventurously styled models in the medium-SUV segment.
Where does the Sportage fit in?
A few years ago, family cars (medium SUVs) were the hottest segment in the new-vehicle market. However, the proliferation of small crossovers has seen once top-selling models such as the Volkswagen Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Toyota RAV4 lose sales to their smaller T-Roc/T-Cross, Creta/Venue, Seltos/Sonet and Corolla Cross siblings.
Much of that has to do with rising new-car prices – medium SUVs are now barely within reach of cash-strapped family-car buyers, plus the segment has been adversely affected by stock shortages (more so than most). The entry price of the previous generation Sportage in 2016 was R370k but that’s moved up to R540k for this generation, with the top-spec GT Line S coming in at R734 995. It’s not just Kia – the entire market has seen double-digit percentage price increases.
The GT Line body kit sees the addition of sporty gloss black exterior accoutrements that complement the light-grey accents.
The 5th-generation Sportage is positioned to win over premium-car buyers, especially those who’d usually consider luxury brands’ compact crossovers and lower-end executive SUVs; in other words, those who want to downsize/buy down without losing much in terms of luxury. Whereas previous Sportages offered excellent value for money in the middle of the family-car segment, the new model sits right at the top of the segment, where it rivals the likes of the VW Tiguan.
The interior looks so sophisticated; the fascia features digital displays, piano black surfaces and brushed-metal finishes.
How the Sportage fares in terms of…
Premium cabin ambience
Specification-wise, the 1.6T-GDi Sportage GT Line S is equipped with virtually every feature that Kia can offer on the local market. The expansive infotainment touchscreen is the first fixture to catch your eye when you step into the cabin – it genuinely resembles a small, curved LED TV!
Mind the bend! The generously sized touchscreen is encased in a curved section of the fascia.
Underneath that is a climate control panel complete with physical knobs to adjust the left/right temperature zones. The clever part is that if you press the up arrow on the panel, it transforms into a media console with the knobs becoming volume- and track selection controllers. Of course, those settings can also be adjusted within the infotainment menu, but integrating them in a panel like that makes good use of shortcuts within the otherwise expansive digital interface.
The connectivity options are plentiful. Apart from a high-speed wireless charging pad, USB-A and USB-C ports are availed at the front, while rear passengers are provided access to USB-C ports in the backs of the front seats. The front seats are heated and cooled (plus there’s a steering-wheel rim warmer), while the rear seats are equipped with a heating function only.
The climate-control console supports both analogue and digital inputs and doubles as an audio/media playback shortcut menu.
Suffice it to say, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility is standard and Google Maps looks impressive – almost mesmerising – when displayed on a 12.3-inch high-res curved screen. It certainly makes navigation easy, even in the tightly knit grid of a city’s CBD.
In terms of comfort, you sit deep in the front seats, but they still offer good outward visibility and facilitate a comfortable driving position, courtesy of plentiful thigh and lateral support. The rear legroom is acceptable; the new Sportage is based on the European model (rather than the longer general-market variant), so its wheelbase is only 10 mm longer than that of its predecessor.
Rear occupants are afforded reasonable legroom, even though the new Sportage’s wheelbase is nominally longer than before.
As a result, the new Sportage measures a mere 4 mm longer than the older-generation (but recently updated) Tiguan, but features a bigger load bay (591 litres vs 520 litres) and more utility space once the rear seats have been folded down (1 780 litres vs 1 655 litres) – that’s something to bear in mind if you are looking for outright practicality in a family car/medium SUV.
Driving comfort
Kia continues to improve the level of noise, vibration, and harshness control in the Sportage with each and every new iteration of the model. The 1.6T-GDi GT Line S was serenely quiet inside and the excellent refinement speaks volumes of the cabin’s overall build quality and the upmarket nature of its materials.
The GT Line S’ standard 19-inch wheels aren’t shod with super-skinny tyres, but the ride quality is still a trifle too firm.
The newcomer’s suspension is probably tuned for smoother road surfaces than what we have in the Republic, which is why the ride quality is a bit firmer than ideal. Bear in mind the GT Line S is fitted with 19-inch alloys (with 235/50 tyres), so its suspension doesn’t absorb abrupt impacts entirely.
However, on better-maintained roads (such as freeways), the Kia feels eminently planted, easily controllable and well-damped. It’s a comfortable family car for travelling long distances and one that continues to surprise you with just how capable it is in every situation, whether it be the school run, the holiday trip (to the bush/coast) or dealing with the traffic on the way to (and from) work.
When the Sport drive mode is active, the digital instrument cluster displays retro-inspired sportscar-like dials.
Engine performance
The Sportage range consists of a single powertrain – a 132 kW/265 Nm 1.6-litre turbopetrol mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheels. We understand that all-wheel-drive derivatives won’t be available soon, but a hybrid version (as Toyota and Haval offer in their RAV4 and H6 line-ups) would be a welcome addition. Given the GT Line S’ already lofty price tag, such a derivative might be prohibitively pricey, however.
In developed overseas markets, diesel engines are being substituted with hybrid- and battery-electric drivetrains (in passenger vehicles) and small-capacity turbopetrols are preferred to larger, non-turbocharged motors. But although they lack the torque and towing ability of diesel motors, turbopetrols can be quite fuel-efficient… During the Sportage’s tenure in our fleet, it averaged 9.2 L/100 km (indicated), which is above the claimed 6.5 L/100 km, but not drastically so.
The Sportage’s dual-clutch transmission shifts crisply, but manages not to stumble in stop-start driving conditions.
The 1.6-litre turbopetrol motor certainly feels well up to the task in the Sportage, but at this price point (well beyond R700k, remember?) some buyers may expect a more powerful and torquier powerplant. That said, the engine-transmission combo is particularly well-calibrated; it provides smooth acceleration and is well-tuned for the hustle and bustle of inner-city driving.
Price and after-sales support
The Sportage 1.6T-GDi GT Line S retails for R734 995, which includes Kia’s class-leading 5-year/unlimited km warranty and a 6-year/90 000 km service plan for added peace of mind.
Verdict
The new Sportage represents a conscious foray into the premium family-SUV space on the part of Kia South Africa. Whether you love or hate the standout exterior styling (few observers seem to be indifferent to it), the newcomer looks suitably sharp, sophisticated and expensive (but in a good way).
Although the Sportage is priced towards the top of the family-car segment, it has aspirations of snaffling sales from premium marques.
From the moment you step into its cabin, you’re treated to a luxurious experience. The sizeable, curved touchscreen is the highlight, but the overall quality of materials and smart finishes should not be overlooked. This is a premium product from top to bottom.
The engine and transmission deliver smooth progress, but the Sportage doesn’t provide the most exciting or brisk driving experience in the segment. Performance-wise, it matches the similarly priced Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4TSI 110kW R-Line, so if you want more punch, you’d need to fork out another R49k for the Tiguan 2.0TSI 162kW 4Motion R-Line, which is not an insignificant premium.
At close to R740k, the top-of-the-range Sportage 1.6T-GDi GT Line S is expensive, but it lacks for nothing in terms of specification – or style. Compared with its direct rivals and, if you take the price out of the equation for just a second, the Sportage is arguably the best family car in the segment.
