Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDI MHEV: From the challenger to the champion | Reviews & tests

First Ceed. This is the answer to most people when you ask them when they started taking Kia seriously. It was written in 2006. I personally started a little earlier. That was in 2002, when the Sorento SUV came on the market. Maybe you remember him too. Large SUV on the frame, with bulky engines and plenty of space inside. And the confirmation of the established route arrived two years later with the second generation of the Sportage model (the first one, built on the basis of a van from Mazda, you better forget). It was these two SUVs that forced me to place the Kiu among the established manufacturers that have something to offer even more demanding customers. With the growing popularity of compact SUVs, the Sportage has just begun to gain in importance. The third generation was created completely under the auspices of the European development center and its design was taken care of by the renowned Peter Schreyer. It had a distinctive face in which we could find certain features of Lexus, specifically the successful RX. The very pleasing fourth generation resembled a Porsche Macan from certain angles. Each intergenerational shift meant turning the rudder in a completely different direction, at least in terms of design. Therefore, it was eagerly awaited where the fifth edition of this Korean bestseller would move. And finally we arrived.

The brand new Kia Sportage did not disappoint and in the spirit of its traditions, it again has nothing in common with its predecessor. This time, however, there is little difference. It is no longer possible to find inspiration from other brands in this car. This is a complete original that looks completely different from anything that travels on the roads today. The Koreans found confidence and gave their very important model a completely unmistakable face. Kie’s chief designer is the well-known Lebanese Karim Habib, whom you may remember from his time at BMW. It seems that he was given the task of creating a unique, confident and completely unique model line. And he’s obviously doing well, because the latest innovations of this brand resonate with the public in terms of design. Sorento looks great. EV6 as if. And now here stands Sportage.

Quite frankly, I really have no idea if I like the car or if I’m outraged by its appearance. This in itself is a master design. When I took over Sportage, I didn’t like it. During the week I rode in it, I was able to find the details, connect them into a functional whole and come to the realization that I might even like it. Now, about two weeks after my return, I’m on dragonflies again and I don’t know what to think about it. The look of the Sportage is completely incomprehensible and does not fit into the usual boxes at all. It attracts attention, excitement and does not leave people cold. I guess that was probably the intention, most of the feedback from other people was positive. It probably doesn’t make sense for me to describe the individual details here, when the whole is so incomprehensible to me. One has to realize the whole design concept in oneself, because it will affect everyone quite differently. I will just point out that the photo cannot faithfully capture the whole essence and it is definitely better to look at it in real life.

As surprising as the exterior is the interior of the car. This time, however, it is clearly meant in a good way. The moment I first opened the Sportage door, my chin dropped a little. I don’t like this comparison, but I really seriously think that if I affixed the Kia logo on the steering wheel with a three-pointed star, it could be sold like a Mercedes without fear. The interior is absolutely great without discussion. Excellent design is complemented by good ergonomics. Despite the large alarm and infotainment displays, Kia has decided to keep the physical buttons for easier control of common functions. In the middle tunnel you have a surprising number of strangers. In the same way, the control of the air conditioning or the radio is done with the dials, although here it is a bit more complicated. The narrow panel below the center display combines both ventilation and radio options and shows you the controls exactly what you currently require. It is very effective and highly functional. Great praise. The interior can withstand the highest standards and I’m not just talking about direct competition now. Some representatives of even the premium segment might learn something. The fact that we are sitting in a relatively affordable car reveals only a few details, such as the ugly click-through center compartment or the lack of automatic rear windows. It had to be saved somewhere, but overall I have an above-average positive impression of the interior.

We basically got basic motorization for the test. Gasoline six with automatic, front-wheel drive and mildhybrid system. I guess it will be one of the most sought after combinations ever. And I have to say I’m not surprised at all. Despite the completely uninteresting paper parameters (110 kW and 250 Nm), the drive unit works pleasantly beyond expectations. Mild hybrid smoothes all potentially deaf places. He helps so much during the start that I almost didn’t want to believe that the Sportage has only 150 horses. Traffic light starts are surprisingly fast. The machine is so smooth and gentle that if someone told me it was a classic hydraulic converter, I probably wouldn’t need to refute it. For such an ordinary ride from point A to point B, it is a perfectly acceptable power unit. Of course, at higher highway speeds, you will then encounter performance limits. Consumption could also be slightly lower, I usually ranged between 8 and 9 liters. But for a potential target group, this will be a completely sufficient engine. And if you don’t like it, then you can still indulge in diesel or two more powerful hybrids. The offer is wide.

Driving with the Kia Sportage is a sign of comfort. The chassis of this SUV is properly flexible and very carefully tuned. Don’t expect a district predator to pounce on every turn. It’s not in her repertoire. The most important concern of the car here is not to shake the soul out of its crew. And it performs at number one. The strokes of the shock absorbers are long enough so that they easily absorb all the imperfections of Czech roads. Very decent acoustic comfort also contributes to pleasant travel. It does not disturb aerodynamic noise, not even the one from the wheels. The only situation where I managed to upset Sportage was to cross the transverse deceleration threshold at a higher speed. There was a bigger bang and a more pronounced bounce. Otherwise, however, I have no significant reservations. And keep in mind that we are talking here about the basic variant on ordinary shock absorbers. In the highest equipment you can have electronically controlled, which move the comfort two groups higher.

Verdict

You probably understood that living a week with Kia Sportage was very pleasant for me. This car just succeeded. Great interior and comfortable chassis make it a very attractive choice for anyone looking for a compact SUV. I think some more established competitors may have less of a problem because the Koreans have set the bar really high this time. Only that debatable appearance does not fit everyone. However, if Sportage has met your taste, then it will probably be difficult to resist. Kia offers a really good piece of car for quite reasonable money.

Specifications

Engine: petrol supercharged four-cylinder 1,598 cc
Power: 110 kW (150 hp) / 5,500 rpm. for min
Torque: 250 Nm / 1,500 – 4,000 rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch
Top speed: 189 km / h
Acceleration 0–100 km / h: 9.6 s
Operating weight: 1505 – 1653 kg
Average consumption according to the manufacturer: 6.6 l / 100 km combined
Average consumption in the test: 7.9 l / 100 km combined
Price from: 599 980 CZK (tested version – 885 980 CZK)

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