Kia Sportage review: an evolution from tat to triumph
The all-new Kia Sportage
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KIA SPORTAGE |
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★★★★☆ |
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from €38,000 - €43,000 as tested in GT-Line trim |
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a 1.6 diesel in mild hybrid format |
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pretty comprehensive and bang-up-to-the-minute |
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dull but immensely popular |
Time was when Kia were renowned for making cheap and pretty nasty cars which had little to recommend them other than their value.
As such, Kia did have a decent fan base, but they were cast among so many buyers as cars only to be rented or discussed dismissively.
That’s all changed in recent years as Kia has opened the taps on an increasingly popular range of machines which not only have broad popular support, but also appeal to a new coterie of buyers anxious not only to connect with a manufacturer which is showing a very distinct inclination for displaying a new-found engineering and design elan, but also to get on board something with an upmarket swagger.
Kia’s evolution from the manufacturer of cheap tat to a carmaker which produces sassy and engaging product has been a long one. Originally founded towards the end of WWII as Kyungsung Precision Industry as the manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts, it eventually produced Korea’s first domestic bicycle – the Samchully – in 1951 and became Kia Industries in 1952.
Its motorised production began in 1957 when it began making small motorbikes under licence from Honda and then focused on making Mazda-licenced trucks in 1962 and cars in 1974.
Its first automotive assembly plant was established in 1973, although it stopped making cars briefly from 1981 to 86 when, in partnership with Ford, it made things such as the Kia Pride and the Avella, which were marketed in the US as the Ford Festiva and the Aspire.
But then everything went pear-shaped as Kia went bankrupt in 1997 and was taken over by fellow Korean manufacturer Hyundai, which, to this day remains Kia’s biggest shareholder. The two companies operate independently, although they share R and D costs and the development of new powertrains, gearboxes and chassis platforms.
The biggest difference between the two companies is on the design front and in 2005 they appointed Tom Kearns from Cadillac as Chief Design Officer and the following year they snagged Peter Schreyer from the VW Group as head of design and between them they created a new design language for all Kia models and gave them the ‘Tiger nose’ grille which nowadays identifies all Kia models.
The Sportage, which Kia actually introduced in 1993, was based on the platform of the ridiculously-named Mazda Bongo and signalled a partnership with both Ford and Mazda, who were financially linked back then. It was pretty terrible and even sold in small numbers on the company’s home market.
It was the second generation of the car which got Kia on the road – as it were – internationally and although there were quality issues and it was cheaper than boiled sweets, it was hugely popular and reliable as hell, even winning several awards on this front.
It turned out to be also very cheap to insure and as a result was hugely popular as a small SUV, even though it had no off-road abilities and was much bigger than its predecessor.
The third iteration of the Sportage was the one which really kicked ass for Kia. Released in Europe in 2010 and featuring Schreyer’s ‘Tiger nose’ grille, it really caught on with the buying public, as well as winning bundles of ‘Car of the Year’ awards globally.
Most importantly, from a PR perspective, it also topped the JD Power survey of customer satisfaction, scoring five stars in every category – from mechanical reliability to ownership costs and on to dealer satisfaction.
That generation truly established Kia as a worldwide entity and allowed the company to finally shed the ‘cheap’ image which had actually served it so well. Of course, there were many other Kia models which each, in their own small way, contributed to a growing sense of confidence in the brand – something which is now a given.
When the fourth generation of the Sportage arrived in 2015 the company was finally in a position to exploit the car’s potential and the fact that a growing cabal of buyers could see no further than it was the car for them. That fact applied across many markets and countries and, as a result, Kia started climbing up the sales charts everywhere from Australia to Allihies.
In the background, but in tandem with its global expansion and ever more ambitious growth plans, Kia and Hyundai were investing heavily in electric vehicles, something which came to fruition with the launch of their respective EV6 and Ioniq 5 models last year, both of which are among the most in-demand electrics on the go right now.
While the EV6 got an ecstatic press review – including in these columns – Kia also knew that core models such as the Sportage were still vital to their growth prospects and around the same time as the EV6 hit the streets, so too did the fifth generation of their best-seller. And what a thing it is.
Even from a distance, the new car cuts an impressive figure and from the front view, it is at its most dramatic. The ‘arrowhead’ LED lights are a standout and the full-width grille is a very toned-down version of the original ‘Tiger nose’ it still identifies the car definitely as a Kia. The ‘flying Z’ motif on the C-pillar is another eye-catching element of the new car.
Some might say it is a little bland across its flanks and to the rear, but Kia has pulled off a trick here as the car does stand out from the growing band of small SUV contenders.
On the inside too there are many stand-out features, some of which have been taken from the EV6, including the conjoined 12.3” screens for the instrumentation and the infotainment systems which are modern, easy to assimilate and easy to use.
Cabin space is on the excellent side of good and the seating arrangements too very welcoming for the passengers, although the middle seat in the rear is a little tight for the rounder amongst us.
Comfort levels are on the high side and the décor no longer resembles something from a Shanghai plastics factory. Interior space is generous and so too the boot, but the so-called ‘tyre mobility kit’ instead of a spare is a waste of time and space.
Understandably, given the times we live in, Kia has invested lot in hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions and there will be a full electric in due course. However, and somewhat against the grain, we tried the 1.6 diesel in a mild hybrid format and it was a pleasing surprise.
There is decent if uninspiring 136 bhp on offer, but the upside is 320 Nm of torque on offer between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm. Top speed is 180 kph but the 0-100 kph dash takes a while – 11.4 seconds in fact, so it’s not a dragster by any means.
This is a car with many apparent flaws – or at least weak characteristics – and performance is one of them. That said, for every downside, there is an automatic uptick and in this case it is the fuel consumption, which in this case works out over the combined cycle at 5.0 l/100km and that’s a worthy 56 mpg for those in need of an abacus.
On the road the car is smooth and refined, if a little dull. Certainly, it is not as dull as its forebears and there is no doubt it is among the best in class. The diesel, ironically for Ireland, is possibly a niche model right now and will not sell in the same sort of numbers that diesels used to. For all that, though, it is a decent option.
Time was when Kia was something of an after-dinner joke, but those days are long gone. Dealers are very happy to be associated with the brand, which was not often previously the case, and punters are delighted with the cars too. On this evidence, you can see why.
