Kia has unveiled its new Sportage SUV at a live digital event held today. The new model differs from the version, previewed in July, which will be sold in other international markets, being smaller and more in tune with European conditions and tastes.
Tiger nose
The most noticeable thing about the new Sportage is its front end, designed, in Kia-speak, according to its new "Opposites United" design language which we've already seen on the EV6. The familial "tiger nose" grille is bigger and wider and framed by eye-catching boomerang-shaped LED daylight-running lamps (DRLs). Those DRLs form a visual barrier between the diamond-shaped LED matrix headlamps.
There's less visual drama the further back you move with a contrasting black roof and a light bar linking the two tail-lights across the boot-lid.
17-inch, 18-inch and, on some top-spec models, 19-inch alloy wheels in six different designs and finishes will be available, according to Kia.
Wall of screens
The high-tech cabin is dominated by touchscreens with the 12.3-inch LCD instrument panel blending almost seamlessly into the equally large infotainment touchscreen.
Chromed air-vent surrounds delineate the extent of the screens in a sharp, visually appealing way.
The centre console has storage space, a 15W wireless smartphone charging station and features, on automatic models, a "shift by wire" transmission dial.
In the back, there's 996mm of legroom and a 591-litre boot. The rear seats fold and can split in a 40:20:40 combination; folded totally there's 1,780 litres of cargo space.
Safety and stability
The cabin of the Sportage features airbags galore and comes with a raft of advanced driver assistance systems to improve safety and comfort, all of which will be particularly important to families who buy cars like this.
Highway Driving Assist and Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control all make driving on motorways safer and more comfortable. A Forward Collision Avoidance Assist system can help prevent crashes, as can the Blind Spot Collision Avoidance system which alerts drivers to objects in their blind spots, and, if they fail to change course, takes momentary control of the car to help avoid a collision.
In addition to standard driving modes like Eco, Comfort and Sport, the Sportage for the first time gets a Terrain mode which optimises the driving experience for tougher surfaces like snow, mud and sand. In conjunction with the all-wheel drive system and newly-developed electronically controlled suspension, this should give most families all the off-road performance they'll ever need.
PHEVourite option
For the first time, the Kia Sportage range gets a plug-in hybrid option.
The PHEV version features Kia's 1.6-litre T-GDI engine, a 66.9kW permanent magnet traction electric motor and a 13.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack, delivering a total output of 265hp. Judging from the closely-related Hyundai Tucson, that should provide an electric-only range of around 50km.
For those regularly travelling long distances, diesel options are available with or without hybrid power. A 1.6-litre diesel delivers 115hp, though with mild hybrid assistance that output increases to 136hp, helping also to improve efficiency and emissions.
Elsewhere in the range, there's a standard hybrid model featuring the same 1.6-litre petrol engine as the PHEV delivering 230hp.
Engines can be mated to either a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic gearbox or a six-speed manual.
Prices
Kia hasn't revealed any Irish pricing for the new Sportage yet, though, judging by the current model, buyers could be looking at something starting from around the €35,000 mark.