Kia Sportage Platinum Diesel Review – When a carmaker picks up the scalpel and Botox to give one of his models a mid-life facelift, the results can range from completely different to unpredictable.
And while the all-new KiaSportage may fall into the latter category, there’s one big difference between it and the car that’s been around since 2010. Instead of being made in South Korea, it comes from facelifted model from Europe; Yes, it’s built in Kia’s Slovakian factory, a fair distance east of Paris, but it still makes the European Sportage.
Kia Sportage Platinum Diesel Review
So what do you think of the smallest SUV and the longest model, which won its COTY category in 2010? The features have changed a bit, some differences in the trim levels, but the price is the same and the convenience of the SUV is the same as before, if the size of the purchase decision is not large.
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We tested the top Platinum version of the Sportage with a 2.0-liter diesel engine, six-speed transmission and 4WD. There’s also a 2.0-litre petrol (it takes the place of the previous 2.4-litre) but no other power options.
If you want to go a bit cheaper than the Platinum’s hefty $39,990 price tag, the range starts with a 2WD petrol Si with a five-speed manual at $25,490, and the SLi at $31,990 for the petrol version. .
The Platinum gets a gold-plated standard equipment list with leather seats, a large sunroof, satellite navigation with a seven-inch touchscreen, a rearview camera and HID headlights.
They come with standard mid-range upgrades that have a European flavour, including rear fog lights, rear seat, defroster wipers and ECO driving mode on the diesel car.
Used Kia Sportage 1.6 Crdi Isg 2 5dr
Other improvements include a few minor touches, such as a softer interior, including a lockable glove box and resealable air vents.
Mainly, while it’s far from a stylish interior – there’s acres of gray plastic, with piano black trim around the exhaust controls – the interior lacks comfort. The instruments are readable in black and white, the touch screen is easy to use, the storage is large and everything looks great.
The back seat looks sloppy, but with the doors facing inward, there’s limited shoulder room and marginal headroom. The boot is as roomy as you’d expect from a 4.4m-long SUV, but the loading height is a little lower, thanks to the large 18in wheel that’s fully under the floor.
The Sportage shares its platform and engines with the weaker Hyundai ix35, so it’s no surprise to see the excellent 2.0-liter turbo-diesel engine doing a great job.
Used Kia Sportage Ad
With a maximum power of 135kW on tap and 392Nm of torque (or pulling power) from 1800rpm, it does a good job of taking the Sportage away from the traffic lights, although the power is no slouch Platinum for its weight more than 1700 kg.
There’s a bit of nasty diesel noise, but it’s a small price to pay for the Sportage Platinum’s quiet ability to accelerate from low speeds around town and cut through hilly terrain on the open road.
Perhaps because of its weight you cannot expect the lowest fuel consumption from a normal car of the same size. Power figure is 7.2L/100km, but expect something closer to 8.7L/100km in the real world.
Time and time again, SUV owners cite a superior driving position as one of the SUV’s main features, and the Sportage is no different. You have a better view of the road and city traffic as well as more confidence in being able to see what’s coming. However, there is no such thing as blind help.
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Otherwise, the driving experience is on par for the genre. The 4WD system works mainly in front-wheel drive mode, which means some degree of torque steer (pulling the wheel under high speed), and the steering needs to go to a nose-weight balance.
The management and communication are well documented, so even if the service is less than satisfactory, it is not less than guaranteed all the time.
The ride is smooth and a bit harsher on high bumps, but if the intention is to put on a firm footing and keep the Sportage out of grade school without damaging the tires or without body, it is suitable for work.
Apart from strong diesel performance and good looks, the Sportage doesn’t have much to stand out from the crowd, which is to say, it’s an impressive model. Every off-roader is supposed to be bought on its own merits, and the Sportage does everything asked of it well.
Kia Sportage 2010
The Platinum version adds more equipment, but not much in the way of luxury – the standard interior and ride quality see to that. The new enhancements are welcome, but far from the be-all and end-all, the Sportage looks great at first and Kia’s reluctance to stick to the style is a bad thing.
Living in the south of France, Haley knows the difference between pain or chocolate and a Panhard cane as one of Europe’s great helpers.
