It’s been nearly four years since Kia’s third-generation Sportage first made its way to South African shores. While the Korean compact SUV has remained very popular, Kia hopes the updates to the 2014 model should add to its appeal in a segment that is hotly contested.
With over 9 000 local sales and plenty of awards, the current version Sportage has set a strong precedent for the facelift, which is now available to order.
At the local introduction of the facelifted Sportage, I was glad to find that Kia hasn’t messed with the Sportage’s winning formula too much, especially with regard to the Peter Schreyer-penned exterior. The alterations are mostly subtle, such as the slightly restyled grille and headlamps. The new front bumper, with revised foglamp design, increases the Sportage’s rear-view presence. There are also new alloy wheels in 17-inch and 18-inch sizes.
Inside, the new Sportage has benefitted from the inclusion of certain elements that further raise its perceived quality, such as soft-touch surfaces on the upper door panels. Occupants are also greeted by a new 4,2-inch TFT LCD infotainment touchscreen mounted mid-facia that also doubles as a rear-view camera screen. The range-topping all-wheel-drive version I drove also comes with a sound system by American audio specialists Infinity that has a built-in subwoofer, external amplifier and hard drive.
I drove the full-fat 2,0 CRDi automatic in Cape Town. The turbodiesel powerplant still produces the same 130 kW at 4 000 r/min and 382 N.m of torque between 1 800 and 2 500 r/min. The auto’box handles an urban environment well enough, and performs even better on the highway, with just prods of the throttle required to muster up enough torque for overtaking.
The Sportage has also benefitted from the employment of bush-mounted subframes, sound-proof windshield, and new transmission mounting brackets in an attempt to control NVH levels. Kia claims that road noise has decreased by 1,3 dB, and wind noise improved between 1 and 4 dB, but the truth is that I could barely tell the difference. The key here will be a more comfortable driving experience over longer distances, where the NVH-reduction measures will come into full play.
One of the more noticeable improvements is in the area of steering. An electrically assisted system has now been fitted to the Sportage diesel in favour of the old hydraulic-assisted steering. Low-speed manoeuvres are now performed at the lightest touch without sacrificing too much weight and feel at higher velocities.
Specifications*
Model: Kia Sportage 2,0 CRDi AT AWD
Price: R408 995
Engine: 2,0-litre four-cylinder, turbodiesel
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 130 kW at 4 000 r/min
Torque: 382 N.m at 1 800 to 2 500 r/min
0 to 100 m/h: 9,90 seconds
Fuel consumption: 8,9 L/100 km
CO2: 198 g/km
Top speed: 195 km/h
Service plan: 5 years/ 100 000 km
Warranty: 5 years/150 000 km
*According to Kia
