THE adage that “it is no more expensive to design and build stylish vehicles than produce unattractive ones” must really irk motor industry bean counters. Manufacturers have invested billions in setting up design studios across the globe and, in the case of Kia, dug into their proverbial pockets to secure the services of renowned designer Peter Schreyer. The reward for the Korean company’s outlay is a new generation of vehicles that captures the public’s imagination while also appealing to their sense of value for money. As a result, fresh faces are flooding into showrooms.
The level of anticipation ahead of this Kia’s local introduction was such that one enthusiastic reader ’phoned CAR in response to the driving impression of the Sportage that appeared in the September 2010 issue and didn’t ask the customary “do you think it would be a good purchase?” question. Instead, he posed the following: “I’m going to buy one, which model should I go for?”
As it turned out, nearly every tester applauded the Sportage’s strong lines, well-balanced proportions and butch looks after viewing this Vintage Blue coloured test unit in the metal.
The broad front end is characterised by imposing LED-detailed headlamps, the sides by overt swage lines and reverse-angle C-pillars, and it’s all squared-off by a chunky rear bumper with integrated foglamps and parking sensors. Chrome-look roof rails, door handles and window trims, as well as handsome 17-inch alloys, add just the right amount of dash.
The Sportage interior doesn’t quite live up to the expensive look of the exterior, although the capacious cabin feels solidly built, durably finished and ergonomically sound. Most testers remarked that the ambience of the black-on-black leathertrimmed interior was a trifle sombre and that some of the plastics felt unyielding. Yet virtually everyone liked the tiered facia layout, complete with an intuitive audio system interface at the top, piano-black climate control console in the middle and the iPod-friendly auxiliary and USB input sockets directly below it.
As a whole, the Sportage seems particularly well suited to the transportation of young families; there is more than adequate rear legroom and over and above the lidded storage bin in the centre console, cooled glove box and other oddment spaces, the luggage capacity is good in standard configuration when one considers a full-sized (alloy) spare wheel is provided and the split rear seatback can be folded 60:40.
From the electrically-folding mirrors and automatic lights to the electrically-adjustable driver’s seat, the Sportage clearly feels like a premium product, yet not all the editors found the driver’s chair to their liking in terms of cushioning, bolstering and adjustability. The steering column can only be adjusted for rake and, although the multifunction steering wheel and cruise control work very well, the vehicle’s basic key and separate remote fob combination seems a bit low-rent.
On-road, the Sportage driver enjoys a commanding view courtesy of an elevated seating position and the MacPherson strut front and independent multi-link rear suspension set-up endows Kia’s newcomer with a forgiving ride quality that almost seems too spongy, which explains why some testers felt the suspension seemed to over-compensate when traversing broken surfaces. There is little amiss with the general roadholding ability and body roll is restricted to acceptable levels during hard cornering.
The 2,0-litre petrol engine feels a bit lethargic from low revs but pulls willingly thereafter. The five-speed gearbox has a pleasingly straightforward action through the gate, but the clutch bites frustratingly late and abruptly, which makes for jerky progress in stop-start traffic. The Sportage’s most notable shortcoming as a driver’s car, however, is its electrically-assisted steering system – the responses to driver inputs are fast and reasonably accurate, but there is a typically artificial feel through the wheel.
To be fair, our critique of the Sportage’s on-road dynamics should be read in context. The compliant ride quality, effortless steering and a willing engine are well suited to the newcomer’s inferred role as an urban transport solution, especially in the case of this two-wheel drive version. Consumers who are looking to trade-in their luxury SUVs or saloons and scale down to the Sportage might find the relative harshness of the Korean’s powertrain, in particular the manner in which mechanical vibrations tend to translate to the cabin when the vehicle is pushed to its limits, somewhat sobering though.
TEST SUMMARY
Minor refinement issues aside, the Sportage 2WD 2,0 is extremely competitive considering the newcomer’s combination of arresting looks, generous specification and Kia’s impressive fi ve years/100 000 km service plan and warranty. Its price tag (R274 995) places it among crossovers, but in reality the Sportage competes with compact SUVs in the low-to-mid R300 000 bracket and it does so on sheer merit. It’s an easy sell.