Hybrid variants of the new Kia Sportage and Sorento, as well as the hybrid and electric Kia Niro, are currently being investigated for a South African introduction, Kia confirmed to TopAuto.
“All of the aforementioned models are highly successful in several global markets, and we will only introduce such models if global demand and supply normalises, and if the vehicles can be competitively positioned in the South African market,” said the subsidiary.
As such, no plans to bring these vehicles to local showrooms have been set in stone, though on the bright side, the company previously confirmed that it’s aiming to make the battery-electric EV6 available in our market in “limited volumes”.
What to expect
Kia said it’s looking at the hybrid (HEV) Sportage and Sorento for South Africa, these vehicles only going on sale in the United States (US) a few months ago.
The SUVs are also available in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) form in this market, though the manufacturer did not confirm whether it is considering these variants for our region.
For the Sportage HEV, the powertrain consists of a 1.6-litre, turbocharged petrol block in partnership with a 44kW electric motor connected to a 1.49kWh battery.
Combined, the configuration generates 169kW while reporting an average fuel usage of 6.0l/100km.
It can further be bought in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive specifications, each equipped with a six-speed automatic gearbox.
Moving to the Sportage PHEV, it sees the same base engine as the HEV, but this time around it’s connected to a 66.9kW electric motor and 13.8kWh module.
This lends the SUV a 195kW overall output along with a driving range of 51km on battery power alone. It also claims to drink petrol at a rate of 1.1l/100km.
In the US, the Sportage starts at $27,290 (R496,000) for the HEV and $38,490 (R700,000) for the PHEV.
As with its smaller sibling, the Sorento HEV gets a 1.6-litre, turbo-petrol layout in collaboration with a 44kW electric motor, the powertrain also providing 169kW at a consumption rate of between 6.4-7.0l/100km.
The Sorento, too, is offered in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive options.
Meanwhile, the Sorento PHEV can only be purchased in all-wheel drive and again, it sees the same drivetrain as the Sportage PHEV generating 195kW.
It also offers 51km of non-polluting driving while a 3.0l/100km consumption rating is on the books.
In the US, the Sorento starts at $36,590 (R665,000) for the HEV and $49,890 (R907,000) for the PHEV.
As for the Niro, this crossover has never been on offer in South Africa and it can currently be had in other countries in HEV, PHEV, and electric (EV) variations.
In HEV spec, the Niro gets a 1.6-litre, petrol engine coupled with a 32kW electric motor for a combined 103kW, targeting an average fuel consumption of 4.4l/100km with a maximum driving range of 946km.
The PHEV sees a larger 62kW electric motor connected to the same petrol unit, resulting in a higher 134kW power figure.
A more substantial 11.1kWh battery is also needed in this application which gives the plug-in hybrid Kia an all-electric driving range of 53km.
Thanks to a newly-added “Green Zone” drive mode, both the Niro HEV and PHEV can be transferred into EV drive in residential areas, and nearby schools and hospitals.
At the top then sits the fully-electric Niro EV, boasting a 150kW motor powered by a 64.8kWh lithium-ion module.
This provides up to 407km of emission-free driving, while intelligent regenerative braking aims to improve the range even more.
Plugged into a Level 3 fast charger, the Niro EV can replenish from 10-80% in under 45 minutes at a maximum incoming current of 85kW.
In the US, the Niro starts at $26,490 (R481,000) for the HEV, $33,740 (R613,000) for the PHEV, and an estimated $40,000 (R727,000) for the EV which will be going on sale in a few months’ time.
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