Kia dominates sales in the Netherlands, and this Sportage isn’t even part of that! Nevertheless, it’s an important car, both in our country and in the rest of the world. It received a significant update, and we drove it.
The Kia Sportage is very popular, isn’t it?
Indeed, but especially elsewhere. It’s the best-selling Kia in the world. Only in the Netherlands, other Kias dominate the sales charts: the Niro, the Picanto, and the EV3. But within its segment, the Sportage does quite well in the Netherlands as a competitor to models like the Tiguan and the Toyota RAV4. We are already at the fifth generation of the Sportage, which arrived in 2021. The generation before that, number four, came in 2016 and was one of Kia’s most groundbreaking cars because the leap in quality compared to the generation before that was so extreme. It turned out not to be a coincidence because Kia sales went straight up from that moment on. The purchased European knowledge for things like design and chassis paid off. It has led to the current reality, where three of the four best-selling cars in the Netherlands are a Kia. Who would have thought that ten years ago?
What’s new with the Kia Sportage?
But now the facelift of the Sportage, and it entails more than just a new nose that immediately catches the eye. The car now has a rectangular grille, and the headlights are different. They run straight down the sides, where they were previously more angular and pointed towards the grille. The lower grille is now rectangular. The new design language that started with the EV9 is clearly recognizable. Fewer interventions at the rear, but the taillights were renewed. The changes are also significant on the inside. The ventilation grilles are lower and more in line. The button island in the center of the dashboard is framed differently and cleaned up a bit. The contagious piano lacquer on the center tunnel has disappeared. Also striking is the new two-spoke steering wheel. Two 12.3-inch screens are standard, one for the instruments and one for the infotainment. There is also a new 10-inch head-up display. It’s nice that Kia doesn’t hide all the options in the touchscreen but also keeps physical buttons under the screens. Partially hidden in the bar that switches operation between navigation and climate control, but this works fine.
The exterior dimensions remained the same, and so did the interior space. That means a substantial 583 liters of luggage space and a particularly pleasant back seat. Head and legs are doing well, and the seat is also very comfortable.
The interior has received a major update.
And are there any updates for the engines?
In terms of powertrains, there has been some cutting. The mild-hybrid is no longer coming to the Netherlands, and the diesel wasn’t there before the facelift either. Only the full hybrid and the PHEV remain on the list. But that plug-in will only follow later, so for the time being, only the hybrid is available. This still has a 1.6 turbo engine with 180 hp and an electric motor with 87 hp. Surprisingly, the maximum combined power did increase from 210 to 239 hp. According to Kia, this is mainly thanks to a new starter-generator motor, which provides enough support to allow the other engines to peak longer. Anyway, the difference is noticeable. You just have that extra push when accelerating and overtaking. Something that the previous version lacked on provincial roads. It’s a shame there is still no ‘normal’ mode between the Eco and Sport modes. The relatively high weight of the Kia has also remained: at just under 1,800 kilos, it is easily 300 kilos heavier than a Niro, and you can tell. Moreover, it naturally affects your consumption, hybrid or not.
Pleasant amount of space and a good seat in the back.
And how does the Kia Sportage drive now?
The chassis is still firm and robust. The SUV is on a different platform than the Niro and therefore drives significantly better. Comfort lovers may find the Sportage a bit on the firm side, but the road holding is very good, and during our wet test kilometers, the traction was fabulous. Even when we forced it a bit, the tires kept grip. If you want four-wheel drive, you can, but you have to wait for the PHEV. Before the facelift, it always had 4WD, but now you can choose between front-wheel or all-wheel drive. There is also competition from within the company: the new Kia EV5 is a fully electric alternative to the Sportage, which – unlike the smaller Niro – has never been available as a fully electric car. So there is even more to choose from.
