first drive
Kia Sportage 1.6 GT-Line S HEV FWD
King Kia Cometh ProDriver TESTED 42.7mpg / 29mph FEB 2022
K
ia celebrated 30 years in the UK market last year, and it’s
been quite a ride for the Korean automaker. The transformation from quirky budget car brand to Europe’s fastest-growing volume brand has been rapid, especially since the opening of European production in 2005. Much of the focus is now on electric cars, such as the e-Niro and the hugely impressive EV6, which we tested last year and has now been crowned European Car of the Year. But Kia’s growth to date has been built on a more conventional model, and one that dates back almost to the brand’s launch – the Sportage. Sportage was a pioneering compact SUV when the first generation cars arrived in 1995. These days it is Kia’s number one seller, and it regularly features toward the top of the UK sales chart. And now, Sportage has reached its fifth generation, with an all-new model that looks to remain Kia’s prime weapon in the market. With large saloons dying on the vine – Kia has not replaced the Optima – operators looking for a roomy five-seater are increasingly having to go down the SUV/Crossover route. Sportage is not a full electric car, and plug-in hybrids are not part of the launch stock – though
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they are on their way very soon – Kia says April 2022. All PHEV models will come with all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission as standard, across ‘GT-Line’, ‘3’, ‘4’, and ‘GT-Line S’ trim levels. Right now there is a choice of diesel, petrol and petrol-electric hybrid, so the Sportage is not licensable in London. But elsewhere there are no problems. Visually, the new Sportage has some links to the EV6 – you can see where Kia’s design is heading. It’s a bigger car than the outgoing model – 30mm longer, 10mm wider, 10mm higher and with a 10mm longer wheelbase. This makes for a roomy cabin with 996mm of legroom for second-row occupants, largely thanks to new slimline front seats, and a capacious 587-litre boot. Inside there are even more similarities with the latest electric Kia. The dashboard uses similar twin widescreen 12.3in digital panels, and the
data price as tested warranty ved
£38,645 7 years/100,000 miles H
performance engine transmission power
1,598cc 4-cyl 16v petrol w/electric drive assist 6-speed auto, FWD 226bhp@5,500rpm
torque
350Nm@1,500-4,500rpm
battery
1.49kWh Li-ion polymer
0-62mph top speed combined economy
CO2 emissions
7.7sec 120mph 48.7mph (wltp) 132g/km
dimensions length
4,515mm
width
1,865mm
height
1,645mm
wheelbase
2,680mm
fuel tank
52 litres
loadspace
587 litres
MARCH 2021
