The all-new Kia Sportage has landed. Here are the details and prices

Kia has revealed prices and full details of its all-new fifth-generation Sportage, which has arrived in SA.

Boasting a bold new design with improved space and technology, the Korean SUV arrives in a line-up of five models priced between R539,995 and R734,995. All versions are powered by a 1.6l petrol turbo engine that feeds the front wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT). The previous normally aspirated 1.6l engine is no longer available.

The turbo engine features continuously various valve timing and delivers 132kW of power with 265Nm of torque, allowing the Sportage to do the 0-100 km/h sprint in a claimed 8.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 201km/h.

It’s the futuristic styling that really stands out. In what Kia calls its Opposites United philosophy, the design takes a more daring, emotional and organic form. The most striking aspect is the boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights, with the minimalist headlamps reduced to two pairs of small Matrix LEDs.

“With the all-new Sportage, we didn’t simply want to take one step forward, but instead move on to a different level in the SUV class,” said Karim Habib, Kia’s senior vice-president and head of the global design centre.

A strong road presence at the rear is created by a swooping fastback design, with rear lamps connected by a strip emphasising the vehicle’s width.

Depending on model, the new Sportage rides on 17-, 18- or 19-inch wheels, with a choice of 12 exterior colours. 

The SUV has also gone upmarket with a more premium interior, highlighted by a high-gloss centre console with soft-touch switches.

The dashboard features a sculpted, integrated, curved display with a slim touchscreen pad and finely detailed air vents. The curved display, which includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen, sweeps across the front of the interior, giving the cockpit dramatic width and depth.

The wheelbase has shrunk by 10mm, but Kia says the cabin has class-leading passenger room, while boot space has grown to a capacious 591l.

Based on the company’s new N3 architecture, the Sportage boasts a more refined and comfortable ride, with agile and dynamic handling. At the front it gets MacPherson strut-type suspension, while the rear gets a four-link-type set-up.

All Sportage variants feature six airbags, ABS brakes and electronic stability control (ESC), as well as hill-start assist, downhill brake control and trailer stability assist (TSA). All models also have smart-entry with push-button start, as well as an electric parking brake with auto-hold functionality. A variety of Kia’s acclaimed in house-developed advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technology is also on offer, depending on the model.

The entry-level Sportage LX comes standard with auto light control, cloth upholstery, 17-inch wheels, reversing camera, cruise control, a six-speaker audio system, an infotainment system, and front and rear USB charging ports. Included in the Sportage LX package is drive mode select, allowing the driver to select from Comfort, Eco, Sport or Smart sub-settings. Also included as standard is a blind-spot collision warning system to monitor your blind spots and warn you of oncoming cars with a symbol in the side mirrors.

Moving up to the EX model brings additional features such as 18-inch wheels, gloss-black grille, seats covered in a cloth and artificial leather combo, electrically adjustable front seats, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats and rear-seat backrests that have a remote control for folding.

The Sportage GT-Line gets a sportier vibe with deluxe scuff plates, artificial leather and suede seats, and alloy pedals. It ups the luxury ante with an electric tailgate and paddle gear-shifters on the steering wheel, and adds driver assistance systems for lane keeping, blind-spot warning and forward-collision assist, the latter automatically applying the brakes in an emergency.

The Sportage GT-Line Plus adds LED interior lamps, panoramic sunroof, 19-inch wheels, and gloss-black exterior trim for a sportier, more luxurious look.

The range-topping Sportage GT-Line S gains a front-seat ventilation function, interior mood lighting and a rotary gearshift dial that uses shift-by-wire technology for effortless gear shifting. The GT-Line S gets an intelligent front lighting system that automatically switches from high to low beam to prevent dazzling other drivers. Also included is adaptive cruise control, while the forward-collision assist gains a junction-turning functionality: if the system detects a potential collision when making a turn at an intersection, a warning signal appears on the instrument cluster and maximum braking power is applied to avoid a crash.

PRICES

Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi LX — R539,995

Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi EX — R593,995

Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line — R649,995

Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line Plus — R677,995

Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line S — R734,995

Includes unlimited distance/five-year warranty with roadside assistance, and six-year/90,000km service plan.