Kia has made a series of updates to its Sportage SUV, giving buyers a long list of safety and comfort equipment as well as a new, good value, mid-range trim level.
The reworked Sportage range starts at £23,445 with the first of its four trim levels – confusingly named ‘2’, after the entry-level ‘1’ trim was dropped. That’s followed by a new ‘3’ grade, topped with ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ models.
All Sportages come well equipped, with even entry-level trims coming with Kia’s latest eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, connected telematics, TomTom satellite navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Rear parking sensors and a reversing camera also come as standard, as well as front and rear heated seats, dual-zone climate control, automatic lights and wipers and cruise control.
The newly-introduced ‘3’ grade brings a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, electrically-adjustable front seats, keyless entry, a heated steering wheel and an electric parking brake, plus LED headlights.
GT-Line is based on ‘2’ trim but with sporty styling flourishes including a body kit, 19-inch alloy wheels and dual exhausts. Range-topping GT-Line S models get everything mentioned above plus adaptive cruise control, ventilated front seats, a premium JBL sound system, powered tailgate and a wireless smartphone charger.
There’s nothing new on the engine front – buyers still get a choice of three 1.6-litre engines, two petrol and one diesel. The entry point to the range is a non-turbocharged 1.6 GDi with 132hp and fuel economy of up to 36.2mpg. A turbocharged version of this engine – badged T-GDi offers 176hp for a lower economy of 33.2mpg.
The likely best-seller will remain the 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine, which features a mild-hybrid assistance system to return 137hp and up to 52.3mpg. Six-speed manual gearboxes are standard for all three engines, with a seven-speed automatic available on the more powerful two, as well as the option of all-wheel drive.
What this means for you
You know the score – you get more tech for the same, and sometimes less, cash. Prices kick off at £23,445 for a 1.6-litre GDi, manual, 2WD model in ‘2’ trim. The well-equipped new ‘3’ trim starts at £26,445, and the range tops out at £33,325 for a 1.6-litre CRDi GT-Line S with the automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive.
Deliveries of the new model range are naturally dependent on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but if you’re interested in grabbing one, you should contact their Kia dealer for more information. It might also mean some opportunities to get a discount on the outgoing entry-level models, which now look great value.
