Kia Sportage HEV
By Ian Strachan.
Every iteration of the Kia Sportage gets better and better. And now a plug-in hybrid version has brought the fifth generation of this attractive SUV bang up-to-date.
There was a day when this Korean 4×4 was a not very attractive, cheap, noisy and not particularly well built alternative to a real off roader. But the ugly duckling has had the swan treatment over recent years, with European influenced design. The vices are gone and this is a now a very nice car with distinctive good looks, and only the name remains from its venerable predecessors.
It is Kia’s best-selling model in the UK and the latest iteration, based on the bigger Sorento platform, benefits from efficient, cleaner engines, sporty trim and more advanced features across a wide model range.
This Sportage is certainly a good looker – every bit as attractive as some of its more exalted competitors, which it consistently outsells. The latest design is more aggressive and assertive, with has a strong side-on presence, helped by beefy alloys.
Inside the car has a lot of class about it. My test vehicle had suede leather upholstery of a surprisingly high quality. The dash is simple and attractive, with sensibly placed, easily accessible controls. Functional without being spartan. The leather trimmed heated steering wheel is pleasant to use.
Interior space is very good, and can be further improved with the 40/20/40 split rear seat which can be folded flat without the hassle of removing the rear headrests. Specification includes front and rear parking sensors and 360 degree camera, satellite navigation with 12.3 inch touchscreen, premium voice-control sound system with DAB radio with MP3 compatibility, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay.
Other standard features on the 1.6 GT LIne S HEV which I tested include privacy glass, panoramic sunroof, front fog lights, automatic wipers and headlights, heated front and rear seats, dual automatic air conditioning, powered front seats, smart cruise control with speed limiter, blind spot warning, hill-start assist, remote smart parking assist and lane keeping assist system.
The 1.6 petrol engine, with 44.2kw battery assistance gives a more than adequate 226 bhp and 0-60 time of 7.7 seconds. Linked to a smooth six-speed automatic gearbox, this is a good unit, offering plenty of power with little noise or fuss. Acceleration is pleasingly brisk for a vehicle of this size.
Kia claims fuel consumption of 48.7 mpg in mixed driving, which isn’t exceptional, but this is a fairly big car with power under the bonnet, which will always have a frugality penalty.
My test vehicle came at £38,655 on the road, which is competitive for such a high specification. You get a lot of car for your money and you also get Kia’s industry-leading seven year warranty. The new Sportage range starts at £24,815.
It’s difficult to fault this offering from Kia which is winning awards and deservedly so. It’s a huge improvement on early models, and with a keen price which will keep other manufacturers on their toes.
