Bucket Seat: KIA Sportage

KIA Motors catch phrase in "The Power To Surprise" and to this day I can honestly say that I haven't driven a KIA model that hasn't surprised me. We've had KIA in our market for a long time now but still there's that element of doubt when it comes to a minority part of consumers with cars from Korea and for me, that needs to change. When the likes of Toyota and Honda first started to break into the country, people also had their skepticism about them but look at them now? When Toyota's president was questioned in the US about a two decades ago about the resurgent VW in the market, he was asked if he felt threatened by this and his answer was a shock to many, he said he isn't worried about the German rivals, it was the Korean ones that made him restless and if you have to look at what is on offer today from the likes of KIA, he had a very good point. 

Coming back to my test subjects, when the new Sportage was first released, I had the top of the range model on the test, the one with all the bells and whistles which was fair on them so I could tell you, my readers just what KIA has in store and that they meant business. With the recent face lift I got the opportunity to drive two of the entry level models, one the 1.6L Petrol GDI model and the 2.0L Ignite Plus Diesel model. It was nice having these two models so I could compare just what exactly you're getting with these models and how they compare to the top of the range models. 

DESIGN

The revised Sportage received some minor styling upgrades especially to the front of the car. The bottom bumper is more flared giving the Sportage a more aggressive look and accentuates the flow of front. There are elements introduced to the front to give it a more classy look as well, like high gloss details which flow from the ends of the number plate holder dissecting the area where the fog lamps are housed. The grille  remains the same apart from the inside finish which matches that of the Sorento. The Sportage comes with 16" 5 spoke alloy wheels but can be upgraded to the 17" bi-colour rims as I had on the diesel model which adds more character to the car. The rear also was handed some minor tweaks like the rear fogs and indicator split lights are the lower end of the tail. The interior remains virtually unchanged. 

PERFORMANCE

There would be a big difference between the two engines, I'm a bit biased when it comes to choosing between Petrol and Diesel, I tend to enjoy the higher torque and longer range given on diesel engines compared to the more power, less torque on the petrol engine. But with the KIA Sportage the Petrol range starts off at the 1.6L GDI Ignite which isn't too shabby, producing 97kW and 161Nm of torque. Even with the big body, the 1.6L engine was sufficient for urban driving. On the highways it did tend to lack power and with the automatic gearbox I found it dropping gears to find that surge when going up hill. Other than that, overall the car gave a decent drive in the suburbs with great fuel economy, but gets a bit high on the open road. The diesel engine is a class act and I've been a big fan of KIA's turbo diesel engines for a while now. The 2.0L turbo-diesel engine churns out 131kW and 400Nm of torque, more than enough power for both urban cruising and highway driving, this helped by the extra two gears in the box compared to the petrol. My commute to work with it was a breeze and seeing that fuel needle hardly move was a pleasure. 

COMFORT

Both vehicles cabins were more or less identical, apart from a few trimmings differences which are optional extras like leather seats and seat heating. The cabin itself is very spacious, can accommodate five adults comfortably with sufficient luggage space for them all. Being entry level models, they come with standard aircon controls and not climate controlled systems. The sound system was a normal radio system with Bluetooth connectivity for audio streaming and calls. I think with the price being what it is, they could have just had the entire range with the touch screen system, maybe cut back the navigation option but that is just me. With this normal LED type screen, if one opts to get a reverse camera, there is the option of having the screen in your rear view mirror. Both cars came with key-in ignition systems and not keyless like that range topping models. 

VERDICT

Overall, it all boils down to what type of engine you prefer, while there is a big difference in displacement with the two, I tend to side with the diesel but with a R75,000 price difference, many would opt to give the petrol a second look. There are pro's and cons to each so personal preference plays a big role on this decision. I enjoy the Sportage, I think in terms of compact SUV's on the market, this one is in my top 3 and while these entry level models didn't have all the fancy gadgets, my time spent with them was quite enjoyable. The ride comfort is brilliant for a car this size and price, the drive feels good and build quality is solid. It's an ideal car for small families or just someone who leads and active lifestyle and needs a car with some extra space. As the shift in market trends show that South Africans are leaning more towards crossover/ SUV's this is a great buy for someone looking at a medium to small sized car. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.6L GDI Ignite	2.0L Diesel Ignite Plus
Gearbox	6-Speed Auto	8-Speed Auto
Power	97kW	131kW
Torque	161Nm	400Nm
Acceleration (0-100khm/h)	12.1 seconds	9.3 seconds
Price	R389 995	R464 995

Bucket Seat: 2016 KIA Sportage

Not to long ago I partook in the World's Longest Test Drive record which was set by KIA Motors SA in the all new KIA Sportage. It was a great idea by KIA for not only launching the all new model of their popular SUV but also to announce it in such style with a world record! I take great pride in knowing that I was one of the test to kick off the mammoth drive around the country and last week I was given one of these great looking vehicles to test for a week. As fate would have it, the Sportage I got on test was the same car I drove during the test drive, I figured it must like me a lot to make it's way back into my life and by the time this post if over, you'd get the feeling that it was mutual.

Performance

There are five engines offered in the new KIA Sportage line up, the one I had on test was the range topping 1.6 T-GDi GT Line. Bit odd to have a smaller capacity engine as the range topper but compared to the 2.0l and 2.4, this is the only engine in the line up which is turbocharged. KIA say it is a further refined version of their original 1.6 tubrocharged GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine. It develops 130kW of power and 265Nm of torque. While the engine might be impressive it has to have an equally impressive gear box to suite and KIA stepped up to the plate with their new seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission, which ensures smooth, quick gear changes which intern offers the drive quicker acceleration and improves fuel consumption. There are three driving modes, Normal, Eco and Sport. With Eco mode, there was an evident lag in response, especially when taking off, but in Normal and Sport that lag fell away very quickly, knock the gear selector into manual mode and make use of the paddle shifts, then you will forget very very quickly that you are in a SUV! Fuel consumption on it is pretty impressive for a vehicle of it size and weight.

Style

I normally start with this aspect of the car first but that engine deserved to be up first, getting back to the looks department though, KIA got it spot on. During my time with the car, I got a lot of remarks about how it looks like other SUV's but while I do see their points here and there, the new Sportage has it's own unique charm. The prominent big front grille immediately draws your attention to the car, the high elevated, elongated headlamps with clear cover exposing the rawness and individual lamps adds great character to the front end and unique to the 1.6 GT model is the quad LED 'ice cube' front fog lights which complete and compliment the front of the car. The large 19" machined finished alloy wheels are also another unique aspect to the GT and adds to that sportiness of the car. The back end is sleek with the thin long tail lights that wrap around the back and side to enhance the side profile of the car all finished with silver trimmings and twin exhaust.

Comfort

KIA for me always has this sophisticated and luxury interior that lacked in other Korean manufacturers and that is continued in the Sportage. One would be easily fooled  to believe that the it belonged to a German counterpart but that is the quality that KIA gives it's custoemrs. The GT Line comes packed with extras, from the two tone leather electronically adjustable seats, which has both heating and cooling functions. Dual zone climate control for tempreature to suit the drive and his passengers, a large touch screen display with built in navigation, bluetooth telephone and audio streaming and the panoramic glass sun roof to allow you and your passengers to see the world around you as you travel. The ride quality is smooth and comfortable, the handling is superb and while it does feel a bit back heavy around bends it holds well. 

Tech

With all cars now, having new technology is a must and with the Sportage is does not disappoint. Starting off with the smart key, besides it looking great it really is a smart key. The car detects when you are close by and automatically unlocks the car for you. Quite a party trick when you taking your mates out for a ride around town. Also the key does have a button for the boot, which like many other SUV's opens the boot lid but with the Sportage, when the boot is open you can close it by pressing the button on the remote! I know its hardly revolutoinary but I found it damn cool! And don't worry about chopping anyone in half with it as it gives a significant warning before opening and closing. Other note worthy tech is the bluetooth telephone and audio stream which I did mention earlier but the interface is quite interactive, especially when using internet streaming music services like Apple Music or Deezer where you can skip and change playlists from the screen. While on the subject of phones, the Sportage also offers wireless charging for phones with this capabilities, perfect for when you're on the move!

Storage

The new Sportage is bigger than it's predecessor with it being 4480mm in length and 1 855mm in width, it offers both the driver and passengers ample space to sit comfortably. The boot space is plentiful, with 466L for your disposal and when the rear seats are folded down, increases this figure to 1 455L. 

Verdict

The medium size SUV is becoming a popular segment in the car industry at the moment as it offers the best of both worlds to the consumer with a decent enough price. The KIA Sportage does tick most of the boxes in what people would want in this type of vehicle, while it may not be a fully fledged 4x4, the All Wheel drive does give you the opportunity to have fun off rock in certain terrains. The ride quality is great, the features are fantastic and it is a great looking vehicle and while I did enjoy the 1.6 GT very much, I do feel it is a bit pricey one has to consider what it comes with compared to its competitors. Like I said at the beginning of this post, my time with the Sportage has only been a week but it's certainly become a favourite of mine. 

Specifications

Engine	1.6 T-GDi GTLine
Gear Box	7 Speed DCT gearbox
Power	130kW
Torque	265Nm of torque
Top Speed	201 Kph
0-100kph	9.1 seconds
Price	R599 995

KIA World Record - Completed

Last week Friday saw the start of what was to be an epic 6 day journey for the brand new KIA Sportage which officially launches in South Africa this morning. I was lucky enough to be one of the select few to take part in this World Record attempt and being one of the drivers to kick off the first leg from the Umhlanga dealership to the next dealership stop in the Durban CBD. It was a wet morning that greeted the team but it was to be showers of blessings for the trip ahead. Everyone from the team was full of excitement and looking forward to what the next 6 days brought. After a quick briefing and cup of coffee courtesy of Vida E Caffe who were one of the official partners of this record, it was time to jump into the brand new KIA Sportage. 

From the outside, the car looks fantastic! It brings about a new design change in the KIA range and a good one at that. Compared to the old Sportage, the new one has bolder accents, bigger wheels and is a bit more raise. On the inside KIA spared little, great quality finished, full colour touch screen interface with sat-nav, electronic seats, full glass sunroof and steering wheel controls. Not much was told to us about the new Sportage as all the details will be revealed in the launch today but from what I could see, it certainly looks like it will be a firm favourite in the SA market for mid sized SUV's. The test drive also saw KIA SA give back to the various communities the convoy passed through, donating stationary to underprivileged schools was their main objective.

After the mammoth journey, which consisted of many stops around the country en-route to Cape Point, the road test finally concluded yesterday. Officials from RecordSetters in the USA were on hand to register this feat as well as handover the official record set by KIA Motors South Africa for the World's Longest Test Drive, Christo Valentyn of KIA SA was on hand to receive the accolade. It certainly is a great accolade to have and to be a part of it makes it all that more special. The car itself is amazing and I cannot wait to see them on the roads as they're certainly a stunner!

Pricing for the new KIA Sportage:

KIA Sportage Ignite 6MT - R369 995
KIA Sportage 2.0 CRDi EX 6AT - R487 995
KIA Sportage 2.4 GDi XS AWD 6AT - R557 995
KIA Sportage 2.0 CRDi SX AWD 6AT - R567 995
KIA Sportage 1.6 GT Line AWD 7DCT - R599 995

KIA World Record

This Friday see's the commencement of the record attempt by KIA Motors South Africa for the World's Longest Test drive! As mentioned in my previous post, the drive will start off in Umhlanga, KZN where a fleet of the all new KIA Sportage depart on it's 6 day journey across the country making numerous stops in towns and KIA dealerships along the way. Over the past month KIA gave the public the opportunity to take part in this record attempt test drive by entering their details on the website, with over 30,000 entries, the lucky few who won spots in the test drive will be getting their chance to get behind the wheel of this awesome new SUV and ultimately stand a chance of winning one!

Now with a record attempt of this magnitude, KIA has announced that it will be partnering with American based company, RecordSetter who will be accompanying KIA Motors South Africa on the 3000-odd kilometre relay adventure across the nation. RecordSetter is an innovative and fast-growing record holding company in the U.S.A, The New Yorker described them as "to the Guinness Book of Records as Wikipedia is to the Encyclopedia Britannica". With the overwhelming interest in the all-new KIA Sportage and its journey throughout South Africa, RecordSetters is an official partner to the World's Longest Test Drive, so it will be official and global recognised. 

"RecordSetters is a great partner for our attempt at setting the record for The World's Longest Test Drive, their vibrant and dynamic approach to world records is an excellent fit to the innovative launch campaign for the all-new KIA Sportage, and the KIA brand overall, and we are excited about the added wow an official world record will bring to the local introduction of one of KIA's most anticipated new cars" said David Sieff, Marketing Director for KIA Motors South Africa. 

Another new official partner for the World's Longest Test Drive that was just announced this morning is GoPro. Thanks to them, every step of the the mammoth journey will be filmed along the way with active GoPro dashcams and a 24-7 film crew as part of the event. Shaun Rubenstein of OmniCo, distributor of GoPro, couldn;t have agreed on a better fit for both brands leading up to the launch. "Voice control, Image Stabilization, Linear Mode and Stereo Audio are four of the new features packed into the GoPro Hero5, making it the perfect device to capture awesome road tripping moments and we're very excited to be a part of this"

The World's Longest Test Drive kicks off this Friday, the 14th of October from the KIA Motors dealership in Umhlanga, and I will be one of the first drivers to not only get to drive the all new KIA Sportage but also one of the first to get this world record attempt going! I am pretty excited for this and you can follow me on my various social streams to be apart of the experience. Thereafter I will be keeping you updated on the journey till it's conclusion at Cape Point on the 20th of October. All this is build up to the official local launch of the vehicle on the 21st of October.

For more information, vist www.kiaworldrecord.co.za