Kia Motors Australia has lifted the bar for its multi-award winning Sportage compact SUV with a raft of improvements across the range, including engine and gearbox upgrades and an outstanding-value new Si Premium model.
The new Si Premium grade will sit at the top of the 2WD range of the 2014 Sportage with a standard 6-speed automatic gearbox, 17-inch alloys, automatic headlamps, roof rails, reversing camera, leather and cloth trim seats, outside mirror mounted indicators, LED running lights and driver lumbar support.
At $29,990 the Si Premium represents exceptional value for buyers shopping for the SUV experience with the practical benefits of 2WD.
Across the petrol range the new Sportage will benefit from an upgrade to the more sophisticated and efficient 2.0-litre GDI powerplant. The popular 2.0-litre variable geometry turbo diesel R-Series will continue in the AWD models. The entry-level Si will also gain Kia’s in-house 6-speed manual, replacing the 5-speed in the superseded model.
The 2014 Sportage also receives small but significant upgrades to its modern exterior, as well as a refreshed interior design and new materials throughout the cabin.
The exterior design features a new front grille, new LED rear lamp clusters, a new range of alloy wheels with a choice of 16-, 17- or 18-inch diameter, and a shark-fin roof antenna. Inside, the enhanced Sportage benefits from greater use of soft-touch materials across the dashboard and the upper door panels, a new Supervision instrument cluster with a 4.2-inch LCD display screen and power driver’s seat.
The 2014 Sportage also receives a range of new features, depending on model, to boost its appeal to buyers.
The high level of standard equipment in the outgoing model continues with an across-the-range safety suite of six airbags, stability control with traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist. Hill-start assist and downhill brake control are also standard along with disc brakes and active front head restraints.
Driver convenience is boosted by standard Bluetooth with phone and media streaming, cruise control, power windows, tinted glass, projection headlamps with cornering lamps, driver’s seat height adjustment, trip computer, keyless entry and rain-sensing wipers.
Over the outgoing model, the Si gains a new style 16-inch alloy wheel with a full-size alloy spare, a new grille design with chrome horizontal bar, rear parking sensors, trailer stability control on the automatic, front console storage box and increased soft-touch trim.
For the SLi, the additional equipment over the well-stacked Si Premium includes the active AWD system, an ECO setting on the diesel model, dual-zone climate control, satellite navigation, a high-quality 7-speaker Infinity sound system with added sub-woofer, front parking sensors with dash display, a 4.2-inch colour TFT supervision cluster and a shark fin antenna.
At the top of the range the Platinum scores 18-inch wheels, smart key and push button start, driver’s power seat, leather trim seats, privacy glass, HID headlamps with washers and heated seats front and rear.
Driving the enhanced Sportage will be an even more refined experience thanks to a number of changes designed to minimise noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
A new soundproof windscreen, with an interlayer film between the glass laminations, reduces wind noise.
Three key engineering improvements minimise vibrations – the front subframe is now bush-mounted (rather than bolted directly to the bodyshell), an intermediate shaft is added to the drivetrain, resulting in symmetrical (equal length) front drive shafts and a new mounting bracket for the transmission has greater rigidity and reduced resonance.
Pricing for the 2014 PE Sportage is: Si 2WD manual with 2.0 GDi $25,990; Si 2WD automatic 2.0 GDi $28,190; Si Premium 2WD automatic 2.0 GDi $29,990; SLi AWD automatic 2.0 GDi $34,790; SLi AWD automatic 2.0 CRDi $37,790; Platinum AWD automatic 2.0 GDi $38,390; Platinum AWD automatic 2.0 CRDi $41,390.
The Sportage is manufactured at Kia’s Žilina plant in Slovakia.