Kia Sportage 16/08/2010
 
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The 2010 Sportage is Kia’s latest model and, although increasingly ‘rationalised’ there are some distinguishing features between Kia and major partner Hyundai’s range.

The latter’s headline-grabbing five-year warranty was a sharp move some time ago but Kia’s ante-upping seven-year package heralded its take on a whole new generation of cars from the giant Korean combine.  

The latest Sportage also displays the full impact of Kia’s new Head of Design, Peter (ex-Audi) Schreyer.  It is a strikingly attractive vehicle.
Sister-car to this Kia is Hyundai’s ix35 – and both arrived hard on the heels of Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Kia’s Sorento.

The compact/mid-range SUV class is a broad church now and the ix35/Sportage take care of the entry point while the Sante Fe/Sorento offer a larger, up-market proposition – overall a real grip on the sector.

Earlier than expected, Kia launched a ‘First Edition’ Sportage this month while cheaper, front wheel drive (4x2), petrol and supplementary diesel versions will arrive in November.Best foot forward 2.0 CRDi First Edition AWD comes with an asking price of £20,777 (auto: £22,077) and the six-speed manual’s official combined average is 47.1mpg – 7mpg better than before; CO2 at 156g/km is 31g/km less bringing the car down to Road Tax ‘G’ and £155 – a saving of £80.

Claimed top speed is 112mph and 0-62 in 10 seconds (Auto.11.6 and it’s heavier on fuel and CO2 as well).  Like many manufacturers the talk is now of “All Wheel Drive” rather than “4x4” – i.e. front wheel drive with a wake-up call to the back axle as and when required. Kia’s system can divert up to 40% of torque to the rear axle when necessary and a simple button on the dashboard will lock the drive into 50-50 mode (up to 25mph) should things get a bit serious.

There is Hill Descent control and the Magna Steyr AWD unit in the Kia is more sophisticated, apparently, than the system used by Hyundai. It should react more quickly and has a proactive capacity (cornering, steering input, etc.) which senses when drive to the rear might be better sooner rather than later.  Towing capacity is 2000kg for a trailer with brakes.

It might not be as big as the Sorento but the Sportage is not a small car – it feels much more substantial than a “jacked-up” lower medium hatch, for example.  A spacious cabin is matched by a generous level of kit and the expected SUV elevated driving position (good adjustment range) and commanding view is there.

Competent dynamically, ride-comfort is good and, if no ball of fire, the new Sportage has a relaxed and effortless way of covering the ground.  Front seats which are short for the taller and leggier are the only apparent faults on first acquaintance.

The usual audio-visual park-assist device is there but images from the camera at the back are displayed on to a section of the rear-view mirror – very clever.  In ‘one bound’ Kia has produced a highly credible light SUV replacement – others could easily take two or three “iterations” to do this.


By Huw Thomas
 


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