Some cars just have it, the appealing and sporty looking Kia Sportage Crossover is one of them
The Kia Sportage is being enjoyed by many these days, just check the roads. It is just one of those intriguing vehicles with its road presence and glitzy appeal, it looks great and ‘evoques’ that ‘feel good’ feeling like a more expensive 4×4.
I have always liked the sparkly daytime running lights. And the addition of shiny chrome bits on the Sportage add to the classy upmarket look. The sleek front aspect of the Sportage features designer Peter Schreyer’s signature Tiger’s Nose grille, which is making Kia cars instantly recognisable.
We were given the opportunity to review the Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi KX2 Auto. An ideal ‘active lifestyles’ family car it was perfect for a week of trips back and forth to Bournemouth on the South Coast – loaded up with children and all the associated beach clutter. The car when it arrived was in a brilliant bright blue finish called Byte Blue, the colour suited the car and wasn’t one I had seen on the road much. Immediately the children took to the car and enjoyed the size, the high up feeling, the sound system and the panoramic sunroof – these small backseat drivers are getting more picky these days!
As a family car, or a tow car and with room for five adults, the Kia Sportage makes sense giving you a lot of car for the money.
[portfolio_slideshow id=14188]The engine was surprisingly quiet cruising around and driving the car was a restful experience. I found it a very relaxed car to drive. Using the cruise control on a longish run the fuel consumption could be improved. With a lightish foot I easily managed to get around 40-45mpg with a good load on board. The steering has a sharp turn and the light steering is relaxing although possibly a bit vague at lower speeds. The six speed auto combined with the 2.0 litre diesel was a good choice and very smooth and refined.
The loading area in the Kia Sportage is more than adequate for a family and with seats folded down the folded flat loading area was immense with acres of space.
All 2.0 litre versions of the Sportage come equipped with the Dymax All Wheel Drive 4×4 system. The electronically controlled system anticipates when all-wheel drive is needed and selects the correct mode automatically dependent on the road. The Dymax system normally supplies 100% of engine torque to the front , electronically it is re distributed up to 60:40 front to rear if the road or conditions get worse. For off road the 4×4 system has a manual lock mode which gives a 50:50 split for speed up to 25mph.
The car had some good looking alloys on 17″ rims and the car also includes a full-sized spare, something that is becoming more unusual these days. The bodywork has been well styled and the addition of shiny chrome brightwork adds to the effect. The black interior was finished in a cloth and part leather combination. For larger drivers the drivers seat can also be adjusted for height giving more than enough headroom. The legroom in the rear and headroom was more than adequate for three adults on a long journey. The seats also can be changed to a 60/40 arrangement for luggage stowage or the middle one can be folded with cupholders in the rear.
Inside the car the dashboard was a little plasticky but of high quality and durable. Instruments were clear and well positioned. The overall effect with the Kia triple gauge signature style dash was quite pleasing.
The 6 speaker sound system in the car was good with iPod blue tooth connectivity, possibly not the nicest looking unit, but well equipped for the car. Like on many cars I found the voice control on the system fun to try and use and eventually gave up after trying many accents and ways to say ‘Lisa or Joe’. The system was easy to use with steering wheel controls and extra USB and AUX ports on hand for charging or addition of other equipment.
If you are in the market for a 2wd or 4×4 for the coming winter, the Kia Sportage should not be overlooked, overall it is excellent value for money. We haven’t tested the 2wd but the 4wd is the one to go for although the running costs will be lower on the 2wd model.
Also worth a look are the Kia Sportage eco dynamics models with lower emissions, they also feature the ISG system,’Intelligent Stop and Go’ which helps on reducing fuel consumption in an intelligent kind of way, we have been trialling it on the latest Kia Cee’d and it works very well.
There are eighteen models in the current range with prices starting from £17,300 to £28,500. The model tested was £24,325 and the only addition to the standard spec was the Byte Blue Metallic Paintwork (£475). With over 550,000 sold throughout the world and over 18,000 in the UK this car is proving very popular and keeping resale values strong. This is also helped by the famous Kia 7 year warranty.
Features of the Kia Sportage reviewed
Kia 7 year transferable warranty
0-60mph 10.9 secs
Top Speed 112 mph
CO2 179 g/km
Fuel Consumption MPG
Urban 32.5
Extra Urban 48.7
Combined 40.9
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