Model Update

Major improvements to the latest Kia Sportage design have made the new model very elegant and structurally very rigid. Body strength is excellent, and this shows in the five-star crash test results. Safety is superb; and the long list of safety features like ABS, EBD, BA, SRS airbags, ESP, TCS, rear parking sensors, a high mounted stop light, and side and curtain airbags are just a few of the top safety items.

Inside the Kia Sportage interior is plenty of space, and the seats provide plenty of padding for your backside and support for the back. Driver ergonomics is very good, and the instrumentation and switchgear is pleasant on the eye, extremely modern and simple to use. Cruise control and steering wheel mounted audio controls offer a nice touch, while climate air with pollen filters keep the cabin fresh and balanced. There is an auxiliary input jack, a USB audio input with iPod compatibility, an MP3 compatible CD player and crystal clear six-speaker surround sound.

Two 2.0 litre versions are available. One of these is petrol and the other diesel – the diesel being a real beaut! Also available is the latest 2.4-litre petrol motor which is both powerful and quiet. All provide generous acceleration and surefooted handling.

Don’t reply to the insurer’s question: “What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?” with “Gucci sweats and Reeboks.”!

In the new Kia Sportage, safety is paramount. Kia cars are safe. The Sportage has done very well in crash testing results (five stars), and the new model will be all the more stringently designed. The Kia range has three models available. All Sportage models come with ABS, EBD, side door impact beams, child seat anchorage points, airbags and three point rear seat belts as standard. Even TCS, ESP and side and curtain airbags are standard items.

The driver will enjoy how the new Sportage sits on the road in a confident manner, and the steering feel is always accurate. Being of a higher SUV body-style, body roll is suppressed brilliantly. Riding higher gives you a commanding view of the road ahead. This is one car that feels very solid and very safe at speed.

What’s under the hood? Plenty of power, for sure. Kia engines are well designed and are therefore very refined and responsive. Two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive variants are available. And five-speed manual and six-speed sportronic automatic variants are also available. The Si 2.0-litre petrol is a 2WD model. And with the 2.0 four cylinder petrol motor comes 122 kW of grunt. A very useful 197 Nm of torque is at the ready. In this guise, the manual five-speed or optional six-speed automatic gearbox performs very manfully. Slip into any of the 2.4-litre models, and grip is standard. Power also steps up to 139 kW. Torque is a hefty 227 Nm. This petrol motor is smooooooth! You will enjoy quiet and refined progress behind the wheel of this machine.

The motor that has all the power needed to pull heavy trailers on holiday has to be the technologically up-to-date 2.0 CRDi engine. This turbo diesel engine has 392 Nm of twist that kicks in at a very impressive 1800 rpm. The Kia 2.0 CRDi model is therefore decently brisk in its operation, and the six-speed automatic gearbox is a great connection between the engines power and on road application. You can opt for the five-speed do-it-yourselfer. Ground clearance (172 mm) makes the Sportage a capable light off-roader, and the part time AWD system searches for every bit of traction possible. The AWD system is lockable to make grip and traction even more ferocious.

Inside, you are treated to a funky fresh cabin that is pleasantly roomy and well put together. Interior colours are bright, and they make for a pleasant cabin ambience. The driver will get a comfy and relaxed driving position with an excellent 8-way adjustable driver’s seat (Platinum model). A leather steering wheel and gear knob are nice touches. The Si and SLi have the very comfortable, hard-waring standard cloth trim seats, while the Platinum model boasts outstanding leather seats. Rear passengers are not forgotten either. The rear seats are super snug, and they are able to recline in some models. Storage spaces are well catered for, and, as the Kia Sportage is family orientated, the pockets will take a large volume of kids toys, books and jelly beans. Luxury models are equipped with satellite navigation, and a premium six-speaker audio system is available.

Exterior lines are futuristic, a little aggressive and aerodynamic. The body coloured door handles, mirrors and bumpers are classy. The Kia Sportage comes with powerful front and rear fog lights, roof rails, dual mufflers with a chrome finish, a high quality anti-corrosion treatment, and robust under-body skid plates at the front of the vehicle and over the fuel tank at the back. The wheels leave a large foot print on any surface , as you have, as standard, the 225/R60 tyres (Si and SLi) or 235/R55 on the Platinum. Seventeen-inch alloys or eighteen-inch alloys provide stunning looks and are a real hit.

Set the pace with the all new, and very affordable, Kia Sportage.

The current model series includes the:

• Sportage Si
• Sportage SLi
• Sportage Platinum

For any more information on the Kia Sportage, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Kia dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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