The all-new Kia Sportage has landed in Australia at once bigger and better-equipped than the outgoing model. We find out what’s new inside and out.
- Packed with standard equipment even in entry-level models
- Sharp and modern styling
- Increased spaciousness in cabin and boot
- Seven-speed dual-clutch shows minor signs of hesitation
- Servicing costs a touch on the high side for the segment
- Rotary-dial gear selector (nitpicking, we know)
Introduction
Make no mistake, the 2022 Kia Sportage is an important vehicle in the Korean carmaker’s line-up. How important? In short, very.
The Sportage is Kia’s number-one selling vehicle globally. Since its inception in 1993 there have been over six million sold around the world. That’s an impressive number.
In Australia, the Sportage continues to fly the Kia SUV flag, with sales numbering around 120,000 since the mid-sizer first landed on our shores in 1997, making it the Korean brand’s best-selling SUV and third-best-selling vehicle overall. Only the Cerato and Rio outsell the Sportage.
You’d forgive then for not wanting to stray too far from the formula that’s made the Sportage such a sales success. And yet, with this new fifth generation Sportage, Kia has done just that. In a good way.
A quick break down of the range. There are four variants across the range – the entry-level Sportage S, followed by the mid-spec twins SX and SX+ before topping out with the bells-and-whistles GT-Line.
You can read our full and comprehensive breakdown of pricing and specifications here, but to give you a quick refresher, the range starts with the Sportage S in manual guise with a petrol engine for $34,690 drive-away and tops out with the flagship GT-Line diesel at $54,990 drive-away.
There are 11 variants in total, across four trim levels and with a choice of naturally-aspirated petrol, turbocharged petrol and turbo diesel engines, in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and mated to a choice of six-speed manual, eight-speed automatic or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions, depending on the variant and drivetrain. Again, for the full rundown of the Sportage range, check out our story here.
Kia presented both Sportage S and GT-Line variants at launch. The mid-spec SX and SX+ twins are still to arrive in Australia, with Kia stating they expect stocks to arrive in around 60 days.
The first thing that strikes you about the new Sportage, aside from its undoubtedly modern design, is how much bigger its is than its predecessor. Kia has suddenly found a Toyota RAV4 fighter, certainly in terms of sheer size.
The new Sportage has undergone a growth spurt, and it’s obvious to the naked eye. Where the previous generation looked compact and a little squat, this new Sportage looks like a Sportage that’s all grown up.
Overall length has increased by 175mm to 4660mm while the Sportage’s wheelbase has increased by 85mm to 2755mm. It’s 10mm wider (1865mm) than the outgoing model and 15mm taller (1660mm).
Those extra dimensions are enhanced by Kia’s new styling for the Sportage which looks at once more resolved and refined than the previous model which looked, to this reviewer’s eyes at least, a little awkward.
Not so this new NQ5 generation Sportage which looks striking – from the boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights, to the reprofiled ‘tiger nose’ grille, the new Sportage looks more resolved than the model it replaces.
Kia has kept the side profile uncluttered and clean, eschewing the proliferation of prisms and creases so prevalent in today’s automotive landscape. Pumped out wheel arches and rear quarter panels add a hint of aggression to what is an otherwise mature design. It’s as if the awkward teenager that was the previous Sportage has grown up and into its features.
We sampled three variants at launch – the entry-level Sportage S in petrol manual guise, the Sportage GT-Line petrol AWD and the GT-Line turbo-diesel AWD.
With Kia expecting sales of petrol Sportage’s to outnumber diesel by a ratio of around 80:20, this launch review will focus on the GT-Line petrol. Similarly, the specifications outlined in the tables that follow, focus exclusively on the Sportage GT-Line petrol. Rest assured, we will cycle all available variants through the Drive garage in the coming weeks for comprehensive reviews. For now, though, it’s the $51,990 drive-away GT-Line that has our attention.
| Key details | 2022 Kia Sportage GT-Line petrol AWD |
| Price (MSRP) | $51,990 drive-away |
| Rivals | Hyundai Tucson | Toyota RAV4 | Mazda CX-5 |
Inside
As befitting flagship, the cabin of the Sportage GT-Line oozes class and equipment. Leather and suede accented seats greet occupants, at once comfortable and supportive. Both front pews are electrically adjustable with the driver’s seat also benefitting from electric lumbar support. Both front seats are heated and cooled.
Overall cabin ambience is inviting. From the use of quality materials throughout (although some lower sections below the line of sight continue to be filled with harder, cheaper plastics), the cabin in this specification looks and feels good.
The centrepiece of the cabin is the curved and combined infotainment touchscreen and digital diver display. Each screen measures 12.3-inches wide and offer a commanding interface. The curvature of the screen envelopes the driving position, so you really feel like you’re in control.
Storage options include a central storage bin (with a nicely padded elbow-friendly lid), a pair of cupholders and a nook for storing smaller objects like keys, wallets or smartphones. Additionally, a wireless charging pad fore of the rotary-dial gear selector (which we’re not fans of) can also hold your phone while the generous door pockets can accommodate bottles.
The steering wheel feels solid in-hand, and perfectly frames the large digital driver display which can be toggled through a variety of data screens via steering-wheel mounted controls.
It’s in the second row where the Sportage’s increased dimensions can really be seen and felt. There’s an acreage of space back there for adults. Kia claims the Sportage’s overall growth spurt has added 80mm of leg room and 7mm of head room. Overall dimensions are now at 1050mm (leg) and 1000mm (head).
It certainly feels roomy back there, that feeling of spaciousness inviting comfort. The seatbacks recline a little too, for added relaxation on those longer road trips.
There are a couple of cupholders in the obligatory flip down armrest while second row passengers benefit from separate air vents, although no separate climate controls. At first glance, there appear to be no facilities for charging devices in the backrow but a quick peek at the side of the front seatbacks reveals a pair of USB Type C plugs.
The seats fold in 60:40 split fashion to free up the new Sportage’s improved cargo capacity. With the second row in use by people, the Sportage’s boot measures in at 543L, an increase of 68 litres over the older model. For context, the class-leading Toyota RAV4’s boot tips the taps at 542 litres.
Fold those seats away and the Sportage’s cargo capacity expands to a mammoth 1829 litres, up an equally massive 374 litres over the older model. And again, for context, the RAV4’s maximum cargo capacity measures in at 1652 litres.
Better still, all Kia Sportage’s, no matter the grade, come equipped with a full-size alloy spare that lives under the boot floor. That’s a rarity these days, and something that, anecdotally at least, buyers value when making purchasing decisions. Kudos, Kia.
| 2022 Kia Sportage GT-Line petrol AWD | |
| Seats | Five |
| Boot volume | 543L seats up / 1829L (max) seats folded |
| Length | 4660mm |
| Width | 1865mm |
| Height | 1660mm |
| Wheelbase | 2755mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
The centrepiece of the Sportage’s cabin are the twin 12.3-inch screens that curve gently around the dash and towards the driver. It looks and feels nicely integrated with the cabin.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring are standard across the Sportage range and in this iteration with its widescreen interface, a treat to use.
Satellite navigation is fitted as standard and the graphics and mapping are clear and simple, the interface easy to use.
There’s wireless smartphone charging, although smartphone mirroring can only be accessed via a USB cable. Helpfully, Kia has provided both the older style USB-A as well as a USB-C outlet.
There’s digital radio as well as the usual AM/FM bands all played through an eight-speaker premium sound system from Harman Kardon with decent audio quality.
Rear seat passengers can keep their devices topped up via a pair of USB-C points nestled discretely into the side of the front seat backs. Clever.
The 12.3-inch digital driver display features both a tacho and speedometer while the area between the two dials can be toggled through a variety of data. It’s helpful without being obtrusive, although its best function remains the most useful – a digital speed readout.
The standout feature, however, and we’ve already seen it in other Kia (and Hyundai) models is the side-view camera projection activated when the indictors are in use. Indicating left projects a crisp and clear view of the left-side of the car where moments before the speedo resided.
Similarly, turning right offers a rearward view of the right-hand side of the car inside the tacho. It’s excellent technology and while not exactly new (Honda has been doing something similar for years, but only on the left-hand side), Kia’s (and Hyundai’s) iteration is a step up on what we’ve previously seen. In our eyes, it’s the new standard in blind-spot monitoring.
Another clever feature lives under the infotainment touchscreen. It’s slimline digital touchscreen, maybe one inch in height and around nine or ten inches across (Kia doesn’t provide dimensions), the slim screen acts as a nerve centre for the GT-Line’s climate controls. It’s simple to use, with an intuitive layout that falls easily to hand.
But, it’s clever party trick is that the screen can, through one simple touch of the menu, be transformed into a control centre for the infotainment system with an array of shortcut buttons that can summon things like sat-nav and audio. Brilliant.
And just to be complete, traditional volume and tuning dials flank this slimline screen for those who still like to twiddle with buttons and dials.
Safety and Technology
A comprehensive suite of Kia’s safety technology lives under the skin of the entire Sportage range. The suite includes autonomous emergency braking with junction support, lane-follow assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Automatic models also score adaptive cruise control, an electric parking brake, and the ability for the blind-spot and rear cross-traffic systems to brake for obstacles, rather than just detect them.
Additionally, the GT-Line alone in the range is equipped with Kia’s blind-spot view monitor which, as already outlined, projects a camera view of the Sportage’s blind spots in the digital driver display.
A full suite of airbags covers both rows of occupants including, crucially, a centre airbag designed to prevent head clashes between front occupants in the event of a collision. That will go some way to ensuring the new Sportage scores a five-star safety rating from ANCAP when it undergoes crash testing. It remains, as yet, untested.
And kudos to Kia for filling even the entry-level Sportage with its full suite (other than the trick blind-spot view monitor) of active safety technology, not something every carmaker can claim.
| 2022 Kia Sportage GT-Line petrol AWD | |
| ANCAP rating | Not tested |
Value for Money
While the drive-away prices have increased by an average of around $3200 across the entire Kia Sportage range, it’s important to consider this is much bigger SUV than the model it replaces. And bigger means more raw materials. Additionally, the level of equipment found inside adds to the justification of those price increases.
That said, the Sportage range remains competitively priced against its rivals, where that circa $34,000 to $54,000 seems to be the sweet spot in the medium SUV segment. And Kia should be acknowledged for offering the entire range with nationwide drive-away pricing, making it easier for buyers to comprehend the final price.
Similarly, and has long been the Kia way, the only option box that can be ticked across the range is premium paint, which asks for an additional $520. Clear White is the only standard colour, so if you want your Sportage in anything other than white, then you’ll be up for an extra $520. This generation also introduces four new colours to the palette – Vesta Blue, Dawning Red, Fusion Black and Jungle Wood Green – the last a particular standout.
Kia claims the Sportage GT-Line petrol will use 7.2L of regular unleaded per 100km on the combined cycle. Our launch loop which encompassed a variety of conditions saw an indicated 7.3L/100km, bang on the money against the manufacturer’s claim.
Kia covers the Sportage range with its industry-leading seven-year/unlimited km warranty which continues to set the benchmark. Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Kia offers a capped-price servicing plan for the duration of the warranty that will set you back $3988 over seven years for the 1.6-litre turbo petrol variants, $3479 for the 2.0-litre petrol models and $3672 for diesel variants.
That’s an average of $569 (1.6-litre), $497 (2.0-litre) and $524 (diesel) annually. That’s getting up there when compared to some rivals, including the Toyota RAV4 which asks for $230 for its annual workshop visits.
| At a glance | 2022 Kia Sportage GT-Line petrol AWD |
| Warranty | Seven years/unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months/15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $3988 capped-price for seven years |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.2L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 7.3L/100km |
| Fuel tank size | 54L |
Driving
Three engine choices are offered in the 2022 Kia Sportage range – a 115kW/192Nm 2.0-litre non-turbo petrol four-cylinder, 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder, and a 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder.
The 2.0-litre petrol engine is front-wheel drive only with a choice of six-speed manual or conventional torque-converter automatic transmissions. The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines employ all-wheel drive – and are paired to either seven-speed dual-clutch (petrol) or eight-speed automatic transmissions (diesel).
We drove all three variants at launch but the focus here is on the GT-Line with its 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Turbocharging is a welcome addition to the Sportage range, the new 1.6-litre four found in the GT-Line replacing the previous model’s 2.4-litre non-turbo unit. Despite giving away 800cc in displacement, the 1.6-litre gives away 3kW in power, but makes up for it with a bigger dollop of torque (265Nm against the older model’s 237Nm).
The GT-Line handles itself well around town, with plenty of linear poke from the 1.6-litre four, enough for most urban situations. There’s some minor hesitancy from the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, especially when on the move and a downchange is needed for some extra revs from the engine for, an overtake say, or a merge. It’s not a deal-breaker, by any stretch, but it’s there and worth mentioning.
It’s less apparent when moving away from standstill, the Sportage keen to get moving with the traffic flow.
Out on the highway, the Sportage GT-Line bustles along nicely, not feeling too stressed or under strain. It’s an easy lope at highway speeds, the Sportage happy to cruise along with minimal fuss. Accelerating onto and merging into freeway traffic is easy enough although it’s here, under harder acceleration, where the 1.6-litre feels most stressed.
The dual-clutch works well most of the time, although can, as already mentioned, feel a little hesitant in the hunt for lower gears. We experienced no such issues, as you’d expect, with the conventional eight-speed auto found in the diesel.
Where the Sportage begins to shine, and really shine, shouldn’t come as a surprise. Its road manners are impeccable, thanks to the work of Kia’s local suspension tuning arm. Using the Volkswagen Tiguan as a benchmark, the tuning department has again ensured the Sportage is suited to Australia’s scrappy road network with a suspension setup that is compliant and comfortable in most situations.
On the highway, the Sportage soaks up road joins and minor imperfections with aplomb while a stretch of down and dirty rural back road offered little resistance to comfort levels in the cabin. There’s a surety to the way the Sportage holds the road, settling quickly with little wallowing on its wheels, even after bigger hits. It’s commendable.
The Sportage remains a quiet place to be on the road as well, with minimal road and wind noise intruding on the cabin ambience. It’s at once refined and comfortable.
A stint behind the wheel of the GT-Line diesel with its eight-speed automatic served to highlight the differences between the two transmissions, the conventional smoother and more refined than its dual-clutch counterpart.
And while the 2.0-littre turbo diesel features only 5kW more than the 1.6-litre turbo petrol, its 413Nm easily trumps the 265Nm found in its GT-Line petrol sibling. And that difference can be felt on the road, the diesel at once punchier and more responsive to throttle inputs. This became especially noticeable under harder acceleration where the diesel simply surged ahead with minimal fuss and an easy gait missing from the petrol. We’d argue it’s the pick of the bunch, even if 80 per cent of buyers will disagree.
We also spent some time behind the wheel of the most affordable Sportage money can buy, the $34,690 drive-away entry-level S with its 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol four cylinder mated a six-speed manual transmission.
While it lacks both the power and torque of its turbo siblings, it makes up for it with driver engagement and a simple sense of fun. Yes, a manual medium SUV can be fun to drive. Sure, it requires more input to get the most out of it, but it leaves you with a smile on your face. It’s not the fastest tool in the shed, not does it purport to be, but it makes up for it with a level of enjoyment so often missing these days.
The fact that the clutch action is predictable and light while the tactile and precise nature of the manual gate leaves little room for guesswork is commendable. It is, in a word, fun. Will buyers flock to it? Unlikely, but kudos to Kia for continuing to offer a medium SUV with manual ’box.
| Key details | 2022 Kia Sportage GT-Line petrol AWD |
| Engine | 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder |
| Power | 132kW @ 5500rpm |
| Torque | 265Nm @1500-4500rpm |
| Drive type | All-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic |
| Power to weight ratio | 30.3kW/t |
| Weight (tare) | 1643kg |
Conclusion
The 2022 Kia Sportage slips straight into battle in the medium SUV segment that is already a fertile plain of options for buyers in one of the most popular new car segments in Australia.
That it has improved on its own breed is commendable, the new Sportage an entirely more resolved mid-size SUV.
Its styling is undoubtedly more mature than the model it replaces while its extra dimension pays dividends to those travelling in the back.
It’s hard to recommend a pick of the bunch without having sampled the mid-spec SX and SX+ variants but the 2.0-litre diesel with its conventional eight-speed auto, makes a compelling case, blending drivetrain refinement with an easy performance
Buyers will likely disagree, however, and flock to the Sportage’s petrol variants. They won’t be disappointed either, the new Kia Sportage a comfortable and well-specified contender in the segment.
Its new design looks sharp and well-resolved, offers plenty of room inside, both in terms of passenger comfort and cargo-carrying ability, and is well-equipped with creature comforts and advanced safety tech.
We’re looking forward to spending some extended time behind the wheel of all the variants as they cycle through the Drive garage, where comparisons against its major rivals await.
The post 2022 Kia Sportage review: Australian launch appeared first on Drive.
