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The new Kia Sportage will go on sale next month with a choice of four feature-packed variants – but prepare for price rises of a few thousand dollars.
Pricing is yet to be revealed, however given the new Sportage’s larger body, new platform and significant increases in standard equipment, expect starting prices to increase to around $33,000 before on-road costs for an entry-level manual model, or around $35,000 before on-road costs for a base automatic – increases of around $2500 to $3000.
Sold in Australia in long-wheelbase guise (the short-wheelbase version is offered exclusively in Europe), the new Kia Sportage measures 4660mm long, 1865mm wide and 1660mm high, sitting on a 2755mm wheelbase – 175mm longer overall, 10mm wider, 15mm taller and 85mm longer in wheelbase than the outgoing model.
A full standard specification list for the S (and all variants) can be found at the bottom of this story, however highlights include an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, black cloth seats, rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels (with a full-size spare), and LED headlights and tail-lights – the latter pair only offered on the flagship Hyundai Tucson Highlander.
A full suite of active safety technology is standard, including autonomous emergency braking with junction support, lane-follow assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert – with automatic models adding adaptive cruise control, an electric parking brake, and the ability for the blind-spot and rear cross-traffic systems to brake for obstacles, rather than just detect them.
Stepping up to the mid-spec SX – available with the same engines and gearboxes as the S – adds niceties including 18-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, power driver lumbar support, and rain-sensing wipers.
The upper-spec SX+ variant – available with 2.0-litre petrol, 1.6-litre turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engines, all with automatic transmissions – adds 19-inch wheels, an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, artificial leather upholstery, heated front seats, an electric driver’s seat, power tailgate, keyless entry with push-button start, rear privacy glass, and more.
The flagship GT-Line (offered with 1.6-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engines) gains 19-inch machined alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, leather seats with suede upper sections, heated and ventilated front seats, driver’s seat memory, electric passenger seat, bi-LED headlights, wireless smartphone charging, a panoramic sunroof, and more.
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