Sportage diesel is a school run champ but not an athlete
13 July 2023 - 05:00
byPhuti Mpyane
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The boldly styled Kia Sportage now features a diesel engine derivative.
Picture: PHUTI MPYANE
The Kia Sportage is a five-seater SUV offering below the larger Sorento and Carnival seven-seaters. Attributes include bold frontal styling thanks to a large and gaping maw, a modern looking and practical interior.
Now there’s a diesel engine upfront. Despite positive attributes of frugality, diesel cars aren’t as popular in this market as their petrol counterparts. At the launch of the diesel model a few weeks ago the company said it was for customers who still prefer the yellow pump fuel.
Three turbo diesel models are on offer and all are powered by a 1.6l CRDi engine paired to a dual clutch automatic transmission. They all have the same brilliant and digital dashboard with a touch-operated, curved main display screen, and equal safety items.
The entry-level LX is sold with cloth-covered seats and smaller 17-inch alloys as standard fitment for R597,995. Adding 54k to the outlay nets you the EX grade, which brings partial cloth and leather upholstery, electric seats with heaters for both front and rear rows, and for the steering wheel. It also gains 18-inch wheels, park distance control and privacy glass.
Our Jungle Green test unit is the range-topping GT-Plus model and it costs R84,000 more than the EX. It’s perched on even larger 19-inch wheels and treats owners to extras such as a panoramic sunroof, a powered tail gate and lane keep assist. The diesel engine is not available in the sportier GT-Line Plus S specification available in the petrol Sportage.
The Kia Sportage comes with a neat interior and digitised displays whichever model you choose. Picture: SUPPLIED
The driving position is good, and there is ample view of the outside world with enough space for five adults to stretch out inside. The boot is a capacious 571l with the rear seats in place and is deep and wide enough to handle family goods. Drop the seats down to create a huge 1,760l flat bed.
An SUV needs a decent engine, and the Sportage’s new 1.6l diesel heart isn’t top shelf. It produces 110kW and 320Nm, a bit noisily and it doesn’t feel perky enough. The Sportage CRDi struggled to accelerate swiftly to reach highway speeds, and though the seven-speed automatic transmission and engine operate smoothly in unison, the vehicle would bog down on take-off.
Kia says it can cover the 0-100km/h sprint in an unhurried 11.4 seconds with a maximum speed of 180km/h. The 4.9l/100km fuel consumption average claimed is the big enticement, but the vehicle returned a higher but still impressive 6.0l/100km in a mix of urban and highway driving.
On the road the Sportage felt balanced and poised, with the wind and diesel noises effectively blocked out. It has feather-light steering and great damping which Kia is known for, and the car was an easy and comfortable steer everywhere. Driver safety and convenience features included the ability to steer itself inside lanes, and autonomously brake and throttle in reply to a lead vehicle.
All these features and low fuel consumption make the Sportage 1.6 CRDi an urban champion, especially if you have school and work runs in mind. It’s a tonic for today’s exorbitant fuel prices, but the two petrol models are just as fabulous looking, well stocked and have relatively good parsimony at the pumps.
The diesel engine doesn’t ruin the Sportage recipe. It places it in a low-fuel consumption priority niche, but tractability and turbo lag are a concern. The company’s more powerful 2.2l CRDi engine could have made it a great all-rounder but it isn’t offered in the Sportage.
As a range there’s little to fault the Kia Sportage. It’s a flamboyantly styled SUV and one of the educated choices in the segment. The petrol 1.6T GDi GT Line Plus with similar tech, luxuries and peppier performance costs R24,000 less, while the 1.6T GDi GT Line Plus S, the top model in the entire range, commands only R33,000 more than this diesel Sportage.
It has a usable 571l of cargo space under the designer posterior.
Picture: PHUTI MPYANE
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Road Test
Sportage diesel is a school run champ but not an athlete
The Kia Sportage is a five-seater SUV offering below the larger Sorento and Carnival seven-seaters. Attributes include bold frontal styling thanks to a large and gaping maw, a modern looking and practical interior.
Now there’s a diesel engine upfront. Despite positive attributes of frugality, diesel cars aren’t as popular in this market as their petrol counterparts. At the launch of the diesel model a few weeks ago the company said it was for customers who still prefer the yellow pump fuel.
Three turbo diesel models are on offer and all are powered by a 1.6l CRDi engine paired to a dual clutch automatic transmission. They all have the same brilliant and digital dashboard with a touch-operated, curved main display screen, and equal safety items.
The entry-level LX is sold with cloth-covered seats and smaller 17-inch alloys as standard fitment for R597,995. Adding 54k to the outlay nets you the EX grade, which brings partial cloth and leather upholstery, electric seats with heaters for both front and rear rows, and for the steering wheel. It also gains 18-inch wheels, park distance control and privacy glass.
Our Jungle Green test unit is the range-topping GT-Plus model and it costs R84,000 more than the EX. It’s perched on even larger 19-inch wheels and treats owners to extras such as a panoramic sunroof, a powered tail gate and lane keep assist. The diesel engine is not available in the sportier GT-Line Plus S specification available in the petrol Sportage.
The driving position is good, and there is ample view of the outside world with enough space for five adults to stretch out inside. The boot is a capacious 571l with the rear seats in place and is deep and wide enough to handle family goods. Drop the seats down to create a huge 1,760l flat bed.
An SUV needs a decent engine, and the Sportage’s new 1.6l diesel heart isn’t top shelf. It produces 110kW and 320Nm, a bit noisily and it doesn’t feel perky enough. The Sportage CRDi struggled to accelerate swiftly to reach highway speeds, and though the seven-speed automatic transmission and engine operate smoothly in unison, the vehicle would bog down on take-off.
Kia says it can cover the 0-100km/h sprint in an unhurried 11.4 seconds with a maximum speed of 180km/h. The 4.9l/100km fuel consumption average claimed is the big enticement, but the vehicle returned a higher but still impressive 6.0l/100km in a mix of urban and highway driving.
On the road the Sportage felt balanced and poised, with the wind and diesel noises effectively blocked out. It has feather-light steering and great damping which Kia is known for, and the car was an easy and comfortable steer everywhere. Driver safety and convenience features included the ability to steer itself inside lanes, and autonomously brake and throttle in reply to a lead vehicle.
All these features and low fuel consumption make the Sportage 1.6 CRDi an urban champion, especially if you have school and work runs in mind. It’s a tonic for today’s exorbitant fuel prices, but the two petrol models are just as fabulous looking, well stocked and have relatively good parsimony at the pumps.
The diesel engine doesn’t ruin the Sportage recipe. It places it in a low-fuel consumption priority niche, but tractability and turbo lag are a concern. The company’s more powerful 2.2l CRDi engine could have made it a great all-rounder but it isn’t offered in the Sportage.
As a range there’s little to fault the Kia Sportage. It’s a flamboyantly styled SUV and one of the educated choices in the segment. The petrol 1.6T GDi GT Line Plus with similar tech, luxuries and peppier performance costs R24,000 less, while the 1.6T GDi GT Line Plus S, the top model in the entire range, commands only R33,000 more than this diesel Sportage.
TECH SPECS
ENGINE
Type: Four-cylinder diesel
Capacity: 1.6l
Power: 110kW
Torque: 320Nm
TRANSMISSION
Type: Seven-speed DCT
DRIVETRAIN
Type: Front-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE (CLAIMED)
Top speed: 201km/h
0-100km/h: 11.4 seconds
Fuel Consumption: 4.3l/100km (claimed), 6.0l/100km (as tested)
Emissions: 129g/km
STANDARD FEATURES
Six airbags, ABS brakes, stability control, rain sensor wipers, auto on/off lights, parking aid, rear camera, adaptive cruise control, touchscreen infotainment, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB ports, remote central locking, panoramic roof, partial leather upholstery, lane-keeping aid, LED daytime running lights, climate control, electric front seats, advanced driver assistance systems
OWNERSHIP
Warranty: Five years/unlimited km
Service plan: Six years/90,000km
Price: R735,995
Lease*: R16,374 a month
* at 10% interest over 60 months no deposit
Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi GT Line
WE LIKE: Looks, space, fuel consumption
WE DISLIKE: Turbo lag
VERDICT: Stylish and frugal but a little underpowered
Motor News star rating
Design * * * * *
Performance * * *
Economy * * * * *
Ride * * * * *
Handling * * * *
Safety * * * * *
Value For Money * * * *
Overall * * * *
COMPETITION
* Toyota Rav4 2.5 Hybrid GX-R E-Four, 163kW/221Nm — R719,700
* Hyundai Tucson 2.0D Elite, 137kW/416Nm — R764,900
* Mazda CX-5 2.2DE AWD Akera, 140kW/450Nm — R765,300
* Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4Motion R-Line, 130kW/380Nm — R818,600
* BMW X1 sDrive18d M Sport, 110kW/360Nm — R845,617
* Mercedes-Benz GLA 200d AMG Line, 110kW/320Nm — R912,568
REVIEW: Kia Sportage cuts a dashing, practical and economy-minded figure
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