Kia has quietly added three turbo-diesel specifications of the popular Sportage to its South African catalogue.
When the SUV launched in the country in September last year, it was only available with a turbo-petrol setup and in five equipment levels comprising the LX, EX, GT-Line, GT-Line Plus, and GT-Line S.
Now, there are eight Sportage variations to choose from, with the LX, EX, and GT-Line Plus gaining the diesel units.
New diesel engine
The new Sportage models are driven by a 1.6-litre diesel plant generating 100kW and 320Nm, which compared to the petrol versions, is 32kW less power but a noticeable 55Nm more torque.
As a result, the diesel sprints to 100km/h in a slower 11.4 seconds (petrol = 8.8 seconds) and reaches a lower top speed of 180km/h (petrol = 201km/h), but it does have a far better fuel consumption of 4.9l/100km versus the 6.5l/100km of its counterpart.
However, all specifications of the Kia use a seven-speed automatic gearbox and direct power to the front wheels only.
Equipment
Available in three variations, the diesel driveline can be had in LX, EX, and GT-Line Plus grades.
For the base LX, standard fittings encompass an artificial leather multifunction steering wheel, a 12.3-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, smart entry with push-button start, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, a reverse camera, rear parking sensors, six speakers, cruise control, blind-spot collision warnings, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, a 4-inch multi-information driver’s display, and 17-inch wheels.
Opting for the EX further gets you cloth/artificial leather upholstery, electric front seats with remote folding rear seats, heated seats for both the first and second rows, a heated steering wheel, artificial leather cabin finishes, a wireless charger, front parking sensors, tinted rear windows, a gloss-black grille, and 18-inch alloys.
On top of this, the priciest GT-Line Plus adds a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, artificial leather/suede seat covers, a panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate operation, gearshift paddles, front collision avoidance assistant, lane-keep warnings with lane follow assist, and 19-inch rims.
Six airbags, ABS, hill-start and downhill brake assist, and trailer stability assist are standard across the entire range, too.
Price
The South African pricing and expanded line-up for the Kia Sportage are as follows:
- Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi LX – R567,995
- Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi LX – R597,995 (new)
- Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi EX – R621,995
- Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi EX – R651,995 (new)
- Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line – R677,995
- Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line Plus – R705,995
- Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi GT-Line Plus – R735,995 (new)
- Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line S – R762,995
Each model is sold with a 5-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, a 6-year/90,000km service plan, and 5-year/unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance.
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