There are models that alone represent an entire company. And this may be the case Sportage from Kia. Especially in a market like ours, where the number of its sales is inversely proportional to the desire of many people to become users of the brand.
This is fifth generation of this medium SUV is now available in Argentina and the Clarion we tried it. Advance: this is the evolution where it is the fastest style, quality and technology.
Sportage is responsible for expand the Kia name in our territory, a company that in the early 90s was only associated with minibuses. But the Korean brand was one of the first to choose to offer a medium SUV and that’s how it conquered users all over the planet.
He saw this result year after year and in 2022 it came almost 500 thousand units sold all over the planet. With the launch of this new generation the numbers should grow even more by 2023.
Set the bar higher
But in Argentina the story is different, not because the product coming into the country is different or because local customers have very different preferences. The truth is that import restrictions and tax burdens mean that models of this class have sale prices of luxury modelswhen in the rest of the world they belong to a mid-range.
Not only the nose is new in the new Sportage, the folds and the rear trim create a very special shape of the tailgate.
Despite seeing how this last generation, the Kia Sportage is not the envy of a premium car brand.
The case of Korean brands shows how, by dint of quality and technology, you can easily change your mind, Kia and Hyundai. Non-Western manufacturers have a harder job trying to convince users that their products are good. And the Koreans do it very quickly.
And to that already recognized quality, Kia began to add design, which in the middle of the last decade began to show what it could do. Now the Sportage is one of the avant-garde exponents in the middle of the SUV segment, with a modern and different image and not only attractive.
Materials, fittings and finishes are of a high standard.
The use of LED lights, colors, materials and shapes, create a car that in proportions does not differ much from the others but that. big difference. There is no stridency but there is complete modernity.
The same formula is repeated inside, with two 12.3″ screens creating a large curved screen greater than 24″where the instrument panel and multimedia center are grouped.
Under the latter, a detail that combines good taste and technology: a black panel with a touch surface and two knobs at the ends change the functions of your commands depending on the choice Even the knobs! This can be used to control the volume or radio dial or select temperatures.
The two 12.3” screens create a large curved display of more than 24”.
Materials, fittings and finishes are of a high standard. Not only beautiful to look at but also to touch. There are many combinations of textures and colors and the only regret is that the “piano black” type coatings trap a lot of dust.
The driving position is excellent, with a steering column adjustable in height and depth and with a seat that supports the body accordingly without sacrificing comfort. The controls are at hand and involve the driver. The passenger, on the other hand, was left out a bit.
An interesting solution was adopted for the rear passengers, who now have more space. But Kia has two USB ports on the backrests of the front seats, thus preventing chips or cables of devices from getting on the road at knee level.
The instrument panel offers good image quality.
The new Sportage engine is a 1.6 turbo with 178 horsepower, more vibrant and lively than the previous 2.0. The good response comes from very low and has great power to recover speed, but that power is sometimes delivered with a lot of “nervousness” and can create some scary jerks.
The automatic transmission is now seven relations and double clutch, with an outstanding performance. The traction is integrated in the tested version (the other is 4×2), with the distribution of demand between the two axles.
The wheels, which are clearly pointed at the asphalt, cannot perform great feats from the pavement. The choice of size (235/60) should be emphasized, because it contributes to the comfort of the ride, another high point of this model.
Intelligent solution for the rear USB ports: they are located on the front seats so as not to interfere with knee height.
Through design, quality, technology and behavior, the new Kia Sportage shows why it is a model that many want to own but few can afford in Argentina, not only because of the aforementioned availability problems but also because at its price.
Prices
- Sportage X-Line: US$61,000 (tested version)
- Sportage EX: US$55,000 (entry level)
Datasheet
- Size: 4.660 mm
- Height: 1.865 mm
- Size: 1.680 mm
- Wheelbase: 2,755 mm
- Weight: 1,575 kg
- Trunk: 543 dm3
- Fuel tank: 54 liters
- Engine: 1.6L nafta, turbo
- Power: 178 CV and 5,500 rpm
- Torque: 265 Nm to 1.500 rpm
- Traction: Integral
- Transmission: Automatic (dual clutch), 7 speed.
- Top speed: 184 km/h
- Quick 0-100 km/h: 9.2 seconds
- Average consumption: 8.5 L/100 km
Basic equipment
- ABS and stability control
- Front, front side and curtain airbags
- adaptive cruise control
- Lane keeping system
- Autonomous emergency brake
- Blind spot radar
- Rain sensor
- Tire pressure sensor
- 12.3″ digital dashboard
- 12.3″ multimedia screen
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Wireless cell phone charger
- Adjustable front seats. electric and heated
- Heated steering wheel
- sports pedal board
- Keyless access system (Smart Key)
- Open the far and near tailgate
- Panoramic sliding roof
- Faux leather upholstery
