Sportage returns to Kia PH stable

MANILA: The Sportage nameplate has been around for three decades, and after a short hiatus from Kia Philippines’ stable, the crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) returns to the market. 

Now reinvented to suit the style and needs of modern car buyers, the Kia Sportage dons a new look, gets new toys, and now packs an electrified and turbocharged powertrain. 

Here is what customers can expect from the returning model. 

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Turbo-hybrid powertrain

The Kia Sportage now packs a 1.6-liter Gamma II turbocharged gasoline engine mated to a Smartstream six-speed automatic transmission with a front-wheel drive layout. 

In unison with the permanent magnet synchronous motor and a 1.49 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, the above setup dishes out 231 horsepower and 367 Newton-meters of torque. 

Familiar design language

It is worth noting that the Kia Sportage now adopts the design language used by other modern models from the South Korean carmaker, like the Carnival and Sorento. 

As such, it wears a mesh-like main latticework and a lower grille with long horizontal slats. These are flanked by LED projection-type headlamps and daytime running lights, as well as fog lamps with LED technology. 

The chin of the Kia Sportage gets a brushed silver trim, which will prove to be a recurring exterior feature of the vehicle. 

On its sides are classic crossover SUV appointments like cladding on the wheel wells and side sills, blacked-out pillars, roof rails, and a decent ground clearance. For added flair, it also has a set of two-tone 18-inch wheels with 235/60 road tires, chrome accents on the windows, and the brushed silver trim we mentioned earlier, now slapped on the bottom portion of the doors. 

Its rear gets fitted with a roof-mounted spoiler, some angular and sleek-looking taillights with LED technology, a black garnish to connect the rear illumination together, and a chunky bumper rounded up by a brushed silver trim. 

Interior for the modern driver

The cabin of the Kia Sportage is somehow driver-centric. 

Eye-catching is the clean layout of the dashboard with no floating display to interrupt the line of sight of the person behind the wheel. Speaking of wheel, the crossover SUV is equipped with an oval-shaped steering wheel with paddle shifters, typically found in sporty models. These are favored by performance-oriented drivers since they offer better legroom and cleaner instrumentation. 

That said, the instrument panel past the multi-function, leather-wrapped steering wheel is fully digital and is tightly placed beside the 12.3-inch infotainment system. This creates a display screen that lies flat with the dashboard. 

For smartphone connectivity, the infotainment unit has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Meanwhile, audio is sent to an eight-speaker Harman/Kardon premium sound system. 

Notably, the Kia Sportage also comes with the below features: 

• Power seat
• Pull-down armrest in second row
• Automatic dual-zone air conditioning 
• Dedicated air vents 
• Large seatback pockets 
• Hooks behind seats 
• Charging ports on front-row seats 
• Physical climate control knobs, buttons 

It is also worth pointing out that the Kia Sportage rolls off the dealership with a spare tire, which is a feature that most hybrid and electric cars no longer offer. 

Versatile safety

The Kia Sportage gets both standard and advanced driver-assist systems, which can add peace of mind to one’s journeys. 

Its list of basic technologies include: 

• Airbags 
• Seatbelts 
• Anti-lock braking 
• Electronic parking brake 
• Electronic stability control 
• Downhill brake control 
• Hill-start assist 
• Tire-pressure monitoring system 

Additionally, it can be had with the Kia Drivewise, which bolsters the features with: 

• Cruise control 
• Forward collision avoidance assist 
• Autonomous emergency braking 
• Lane departure warning 
• Lane following assist 
• Lane keeping assist 
• Blind-spot collision avoidance system 
• Parking sensors 
• Rear-view parking monitor
• Parking distance warning system 

Variants, pricing

The Kia Sportage is sold in two variants, here are their respective price tags: 

• Kia Sportage EX: P1.978 million
• Kia Sportage SX: P2.098 million 

The range-topping Kia Sportage SX can be optioned with a two-tone interior for P2.128 million. 

Per Kia Philippines, the entry-level model is offered for a limited time with an introductory price of P1.898 million. 

Also read:

Kia PH launches exclusive Sonet K-Style

Kia displays upcoming EV5 at 13th PEVS

ACMobility brings out new Kia Sorento Hybrid Turbo

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