Road test review: Kia Sportage LX Urban and X-Line diesel

Monday, 28 March 2022

The all-new Kia Sportage has been revealed.

KIA SPORTAGE LX URBAN and SPORTAGE X-LINE DIESEL
Base price: $39,990 and $62,990
Powertrain and economy: 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol inline-four, 115kW/192Nm, six-speed automatic, FWD, combined economy 9.0L/100km, CO2 205g/km (source: RightCar).

The Kia Sportage LX Urban and its fresh new face.

2.0-litre turbocharged diesel inline-four, 137kW/416Nm, eight-speed automatic, AWD, combined economy 7.3L/100km, CO2 181g/km (source: RightCar).
Vital statistics: 4660mm long, 1865mm wide, 1680mm high, 2755mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 543 litres, 17-inch alloy wheels (LX), 19-inch alloy wheels (X-Line).

The top-rung X-Line version gets slightly different styling cues, like different bumpers and wheels.

Safety: Not yet tested
We like: New, distinctive styling, interior quality, standard equipment

Even the base LX Urban gets a digital interior.

We don't like: No hybrid, LX gear shifter right out of the 1990s, X-Line quite expensive.

The Kia Sportage has been a hot seller for Kia for ages. So much so that the brand had to pull the old model from its website due a lack of supply and the new model being right around the corner. That corner has been rounded, because we’ve had two versions on hand to test, comprising each end of the model range.

... Although the X-Line is even more tech-filled.

OUTSIDE

Kia has given the Sportage a brand-new look for 2022. There are swoopy, angular ‘boomerang’ DRLs up front cradling large headlight units (LED/halogen combos on the lesser models, full-LED set-ups on the higher-spec cars), a large grille, and silver accents on the lower corners of the front bumper. It’s a distinctive look and I think it works well.

**READ MORE:

The 2.0-litre in the LX Urban is a decent powerplant, although it will attract a fee after April 1, 2022.

* Road test review: Hyundai Tucson Limited

* Kia confirms new Sportage pricing

* Kia offers powertrain details on the new Sportage

Around the back are crisp new taillights and a silver fake diffuser, which has strips of silver that wrap around where an exhaust may have sat once upon a time. Now, the exhaust nestles behind the rear bumper.

The Sportage is a composed drive, both models being quiet and comfortable at speed.

The new Sportage is larger than before too, now being based on the Sorento platform. It doesn’t feel all that much larger on the road but interior space has been improved nicely.

External differences between the LX and X-Line include the aforementioned LED headlights, a different look for the rear bumper, different wheels, a special front bumper, side sills and a curved roof rack.

The Sportage looks good, drives well, and is loaded with kit.

INSIDE

Like the exterior, the interior of the new Sportage has been overhauled for the new generation, with the base model gaining a digital dash (sort of; it’s pretty retro-looking but I think it still counts) as well as an eight-inch digital infotainment screen supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless/wired Android Auto.

Otherwise, the LX has a simple cabin, with manual air-con controls, manual seat adjustment, and a key you slot into a barrel rather than drop in the cupholder. In keeping with the possibly unintentional retro theme, the gear selector in the base model looks to be pulled from around 1996. There are also a fair amount of hard plastics.

Stepping up to the X-Line gets you the full digital experience, with a 12.3-inch screen mounted behind the steering wheel, an identically sized screen for infotainment duties, wireless charging, and touchy bits for the air-conditioning.

Cleverly, Kia has combined the touch panels for air-conditioning and media controls into one, with a toggle switching between the functions. Even the knobs change what they do, from temperature to volume.

The X-Line also gets a dial gear selector, heated and ventilated seats for both front occupants, and much more leather.

Crucially, all Sportages get adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist capabilities, as well as autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, trailer stability assist, and front and rear parking sensors.

UNDER THE BONNET

Starting with the LX Urban, the entry-level petrol model uses a 2.0-litre inline-four for motivation, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. It does the job well, offering 115kW/192Nm, which is plenty for about-town driving.

Both the engine and transmission are generally smooth units, and the torque is just enough to keep the engine at low rotations. The engine can struggle a bit at higher speeds, simply lacking outright power, but it’s not often you’ll be really pushing it.

Moving on to the X-Line diesel, you really notice the increase in torque. It’ll lunge off the line faster than you might expect and keep pulling over 100kmh. Compared to the Hyundai Tucson, the Sportage’s diesel engine is larger (2.0 versus 1.6) and has appropriately higher power figures.

The diesel is also the one you’d want if you tow, boasting a 1900kg braked towing capacity versus 1650kg for the petrol models (both the 2.0-litre and 1.6-litre turbo, not tested here).

We should also mention, considering the Clean Car Discount is changing on April 1, 2022, Kia says the diesel and 1.6-litre turbo petrol Sportage models won’t attract a fee nor a rebate, but the 2.0-litre petrol will come with a $1092.50 fee.

No electrification for the moment is a sore spot as well.

ON THE ROAD

The Sportage is a good drive, with high levels of comfort from both models, even despite the LX’s ‘lesser’ cloth seats. It’s quiet in terms of road noise, both engines keep to themselves until you really start asking, and the chassis will absorb most road undulations without complaint.

Steering is a little vague but fine for general use. The car does have a larger-than-ideal turning circle of 12.2 metres as well.

Kia’s chassis tune is good too, keeping the SUV planted through corners at decent speeds, without sacrificing comfort.

The fact that both ends of the model spectrum have adaptive cruise is remarkable, and the system works well, despite being a bit jerky on the brakes.

VERDICT

If you’re considering an SUV for your next car, and don’t mind the distinct lack of electrification (which should be rectified in the near future), you should definitely keep the Sportage in mind. It brings an expansive safety suite to every model, and while we’ve got history with the 1.6-litre turbo engine’s dual-clutch transmission (a shame, because the engine is totally let down by that gearbox), thankfully there are other options within the Sportage range.

The X-Line might be a bit expensive, sitting on the wrong side of $60k, but considering the value of the base LX (and everything in between), you can easily save a few bob by dropping down the model ranks.