9 February 2011
New car report; Will it ever stop?
The continued rolling out of one good product after another from the Korean stables seems to have no limit.
The new Kia Sportage, launched around Queenstown this week to the New Zealand, Australian and Philippine motoring media is no exception, with the newcomer CUV being stylish, spacious and with a high quality fit and finish.
Based on the same platform as Hyundai’s new ix35, the Kia Sportage is likely to give its Korean stable mate a real run for its money, being similar in concept but differing in execution.
Immediately appealing to the eye, the Sportage was conceived on a drawing board manned by two of the best; Peter Schreyer, the ex-Audi stylist now Kia resident and Massimo Frascella, Kia’s Design Manager based in California.
Educated in Italy, Massimo Frascella’s CV includes stints with Italian design studio Bertone as well as work with Jaguar and Aston Martin.
Frascella, who was present at the Kiwi launch, says “Our brief was to get away from boxy and aim for sporty. With a high belt line creating a narrow glasshouse and wide expanse of sheet metal, Kia has created a vehicle with sports car-like ratio between metal and glass.” It’s fair to say, they’ve the spot.
Localised suspension tuning.
Adding to the appeal Downunder, Kia engineers have localised the suspension tuning, recognising that driving conditions in our part of the world are unique enough to require a specialised suspension set-up.
Kia engineers spent 4 days, travelling over 1,700km of roads in Australia, fine-tuning suspension settings. While the development was carried out across the Tasman, New Zealand road conditions are closer to Australian conditions than those in Korea.
Mindful that Korean speed limits are predominantly 60km/k, and ours are 100km/h, Kia in Australasia say they were given access to very senior engineers in order to get the set-up right.
The result is quite impressive. The Sportage sits well on the road, and most impressively, tyre noise is minimal compared with others in this class, all the more remarkable given that some launch cars were fitted with 18” alloys, which are not likely to be part of the standard New Zealand spec.
Due for launch in New Zealand on October 1, we will be given the option of two petrol and one diesel engine, although the diesel is still a few months away due to international demand.
Starting with a 122kW/197Nm 2.0 litre Theta II petrol with 2WD, there will be two spec levels, an LX Urban and an EX Urban. Both will be fitted with 16” alloy wheels, with all models being surprisingly well equipped.
All other models get power to the road via Kia’s exclusive Dynamax 4x4 set-up. Developed with Kia in conjunction with Magna Powertrain, Kia claims this hi-tech 4x4 set-up anticipates drive requirements, guaranteeing immediate availability of the AWD system as soon as the vehicle is moving, and is superior to other AWD systems which can only react to conditions after they occur.
Much of the research and development for the Dynamax system was carried out right here in New Zealand at the Southern Hemisphere proving ground near Queenstown.
During our brief drive on snow, ice and mud, along with a fair distance on gravel surfaces, traction was never called into question.
Diesel power with particulate filter.
4x4 models are powered by either a 2.4 litre 130kW/227Nm Theta II petrol engine or Kia/Hyundai’s excellent 2.0 litre 130kW/392Nm R Series diesel engine. We’ve seen this diesel engine previously in the Kia Sorrento without a particulate filter, and are pleased to learn that the filter is standard in the new Sportage.
Kia execs tell us they expect it to be included in the 2011 Sorrento too.
The 2.4 petrol and R Series diesel powered models are offered in EX or LTD spec levels. All models will get a 6 speed automatic transmission.
Kia quotes fuel consumption figures for the petrol engines slightly higher than Hyundai's ix35, at 8.7L/100km for the 2.0 litre and 9.2L/100km for the 2.4. The diesel figure is even par with the ix35 at 7.5L/100km.
All but the entry level LX Urban get 17” alloys, a reversing camera, daytime LED running lights, heated external mirrors, roof rails and a rear spoiler. LTD models come standard with electric driver’s seat, heated front seats, rain sensing wipers and proximity key with start/stop button.
Pricing is yet to be confirmed for the New Zealand market, but we’re told to expect a start price of between $32,990 - $34,990 for the entry level LX Urban 2WD up to $45,990 - $47,990 for the range-topping LTD 4x4 diesel.
There’s not much to fault with the new Sportage, but there are a couple of grumbles. As yet, still no Bluetooth in a market where hands-free calling is the only legal way to communicate with the outside world and the wide C pillar, while a styling feature Massimo Frascella tells us was a must have, makes for quite a blind spot when reversing.
And while it may have been asking a lot from a 2.0 litre, 1,500kg CUV to climb the Crown Range at pace, as the inclination increased we found the entry level Sportage running out of breath a tad. But that’s hardly the sort of task likely to be asked of the family runabout on a daily basis, and for day to day urban use, power is adequate.
Overall, Kia is onto a real winner with the new Sportage and competitors need to look out, especially if Kia New Zealand is able to persuade their parent company in Korea to bring the Sportage to market here at the indicative pricing.