2010 Kia Sportage Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 1996, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015 and 2016 Kia Sportage as a used buy

Graham Smith reviews the used 2010-2013 Kia Sportage, its fine points, its flaws and what to watch for when you are buying it.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used 1996-2014 Kia Sportage.

Australia is a growing priority for Kia of Korea. Success downunder is now seen as a potential pointer to the brand's efforts in other countries, particularly as it battles to make an impact against the senior partner in Korea's biggest motoring juggernaut, Hyundai.Carsguide has already tested the Hyundai ix35 and rates it as one of the best new SUVs of 2010, but now we have time with the Kia Sportage and it's better. The two family haulers are twins under the skin but Kia has its own body and, crucially, its own suspension and steering for Australia.The changes sound minor, and they are in a car with tens of thousands of individual parts, but they make enough difference to sway a   potential buyer. The latest Sportage - and remember the nameplate has been around since 1993, long before the Hyundai takeover - is a huge advance over earlier models and is now worthy of serious comparison with a Honda CRV and a Toyota RAV4 and the other Japanese compact SUVs.No-one can criticise the value at Kia, and the Sportage kicks a big goal with prices that are $1000 below an equivalent ix35. That means the price spread is $25,990 to $38,990, running from a front-drive Sportage Si with a 2-litre petrol engine and manual gearbox up to the all-wheel drive Platinum diesel with six-speed auto.There are six models in total and all are five-seaters with a body that's sized right for the class and everyday family work. Even the Si starter car comes with air-con, alloys and the usual electric assists, but you only have to move up to the SLi to get leather trim, a trip computer, cruise control, reverse camera and a bunch of other fun stuff.The Platinum pack at the top end provides a sunroof, LED daytime lights, a thumper sound system and a 'smart key' with start button. But the value is hit a little by short supplies of the diesel engine, which means a wait for delivery. "Diesel is in short supply, and it's the same for Hyundai. Europe is eating up all the engines. But Kia will have it's own factory by April, so things will ease then," says Kia spokesman, Kevin Hepworth.The new Sportage is bigger than the outgoing model and has a bunch of extra space inside, as well as a totally new mechanical package. The three engines - two petrol, one diesel - with a spread from 122-135 kiloWatts and 197-393 Newton-metres - are configured in a series of logical steps.The 2-litre petrol comes on both front and all-wheel drive models with either five-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearboxes, but as soon as you step up to the 2.4 petrol and 2-litre turbodiesel it's all-wheel drive auto only. The Sportage also has a unique four-wheel drive system, from Magna in Austria.It is called Dynamax and is more suitable for off-road work than the one in the ix from Hyundai, even if it doesn't have low-range gears. Kia claims improved efficience and refinement and that's not hard, given the step-change development of the Sportage and the way the brand has been able to run-off from the basic engineering already done by Hyundai. Most obviously, the suspension has a unique tune for Australia - using parts already developed for Europe - and a different steering system to the ix35.The easiest way to pick between a Kia and a Hyundai is - just like the   Volkswagen Group - by the dash lights. Kia is red, Hyunda is blue, a   reflection also of their corporate colours.The overall design of the Sportage is down to Kia's superstar Peter Schreyer, who is aiming to give the brand a more edgy and youthful look than Hyundai. And let's not forget he's also looking to have the Kia crew stand out from Japanese contenders in every class, particularly the SUV group.So the Sportage is modern from the front and muscular from the sides.   The interior is same-same mostly with the Hyundai, apart from the   detailing, but you get that on shared projects because doing a unique cabin is very very costly.As expected, the Sportage has front-side-curtain airbags as well as ABS brakes and ESP stability control. But the brakes also benefit from   brake assist and brakeforce distribution. New systems in the car respond to rollover threats and help with hill starts and downhill descents on gravel, which have been commonplace on Japanese rivals for a while now. Kia says the Sportage is a five-star NCAP performer thanks to everything from a basic body with more rigidity through to active head restraints to help prevent whiplash injuries in a crash.The Sportage looks good and the SLi test car is surprisingly plush, down to the leather seats and a rear-view camera with a display that's   neatly integrated into the rear-view mirror. But at first it seems like a (slightly) cheaper twin of the Hyundai ix35.Then I hit the road and the cushiness in the ride, and the lack of kickback through the steering, proves that Kia has gone the extra kilometre - and more - with some Australian tuning. The work has been done by suspension wizard Graeme Gambold and it's impressive. The car feels like it's sitting in the suspension, not just perched on top of the springs, and the unique Kia steering is without the kickback of the Hyundai.It's still not a sports car, and there is some drone from the Kumho tyres, but it is better than the ix35 and better that I expected. The diesel engine has good punch, the six-speed auto works well, and the car is a nice spot for any trip. It's also good value and that is important with so much competition in the SUV class. The Sportage is not at the very top of the class but it is an impressive effort and Kia promises ongoing improvements through the life of the vehicle.The Sportage looks good and has very comfrotable seats, both very important to me. It also drives well. I'm surprised at how well it gets away from the lights, with a real zoom from the diesel engine. I really like the rear-vision camera, partly because the rear window is very small and limits visibility.In traffic I also feel the need to double-check myself while changing lanes, but I guess that's the price for the streamlined style. Switching to the price, it's pretty good value. You get a lot of equipment, lots of boot space, and lots of room in the back seat.It's good to have leather at this sort of price. It might be nit-picking, but our test car has a water leak on the   driver's side and there is a bit of excessive noise on the freeway which might be down to the door sealing. I like the Sportage and, even if the equivalent Hyundai seems to have more gadgets, the price advantage is a winner.Anything that tops the Hyundai ix35 is going to be a winner, and the Sportage does. 8/10 

Car clichés die hard, but if there’s one to incinerate that old chestnut about ‘Korean equals drive away then chuck away’, Kia’s third generation Sportage could be it.The signs have, of course, been there for all who can see beyond their comfort zone. Not for nothing did Hyundai’s i30 diesel manual win Carsguide’s 2007 Car of the Year. This year an offering of its sister company could at the very least be in the running.In terms of its execution alone, the Sportage softroader transcends its country of origin in that while it’s built in Korea, it happens to be designed by an Italian based in California and – just as importantly – has been re-adapted to meet Australia’s uniquely challenging road conditions.The Sportage is longer, wider, lower and an altogether slicker package than the model it replaces. Of course, it could hardly be otherwise, the old one being more of an inducement to take public transport.But then it has to be up to formidable line-up in the ever-growing compact SUV segment, including Volkswagen’s Tiguan, Nissan’s Dualis, Hyundai’s ix35, Holden’s Korean-made Captiva, Mitsubishi’s new ASX and the stalwart Toyota Rav4 and Honda CR-V.Derived from the Kue concept, the visually striking Sportage is designed by Massimo Frascella and features the corporate grille and accents that have become increasingly familiar under the direction charted by chief designer Peter Schreyer.The high beltline and proportion of glass to metal are meant to evoke a coupe. From the rear three quarters you could almost be looking at a premium hatchback. At any rate, it is light years removed from the slab-sided dullard it replaces.As pert and no doubt fashionable as that back end may be, vision is compromised to say the least by that slot of a rear window. No sooner have you overtaken a car than it almost disappears. Vast wing mirrors, intended to compensate, combine with almost thigh-thick A-pillars to restrict the front view.Unprecedentedly, the Australian version of the Sportage receives a suspension a set-up adapted from the British version and refined over 1700km of testing by a team including former Toyota dynamics guru Graeme Gambold. Its steering calibration is unique. The mid and top spec versions receive a new AWD system from Magna Dynamax that uses electro-hydraulic sensors to activate a coupling which in turn feeds up to 40 per cent of the torque to the rear wheels more or less instantly.It’s this dynamic package that primarily distinguishes the Sportage from it virtual sibling, Hyundai’s ix35. Kia’s Australia CEO MK Kim said Sportage is the “first of our new generation cars to benefit from the determination to deliver Australian flavour. It will not be the last.”The front-wheel-drive Si manual with its 122kW/197Nm 2.0-litre starts at $25,990 for the five speed manual. The six speed auto adds $2,000. It’s no stripper, with equipment including 17-inch alloys, front fog lamps, and the full safety package including six airbags.The mid-spec SLi runs a 130kW/227Nm 2.4-litre petrol engine ($31,990) or a 2.0-litre turbo diesel ($34,990) through a six speed auto. Its gains on the Si include chrome accents, leather trim, rear view camera and roof rails. The Platinum uses the same drivetrains (petrol $35,990; diesel $38,990) and adds full leather, daytime running lights, smart key and ventilated driver’s seat.All get a full-size spare. Back seats, which easily accommodate a couple of six foot blokes, can be dropped with the flick of a switch.Against that, all trim levels equal, if not better, the obvious rivals. It’s not so long ago that ventilated driver’s seats were optional in top end Euro luxury cars; this decadent leather finished pew comes standard on the $36K Platinum.The launch roads around Queenstown in New Zealand’s south island, while glaringly superior to much of the corrugated bitumen found in the bigger island to the west, make a good case for Kia’s big talk about getting it right for Antipodean punters.Equally, it’s hard to enthuse about the only manual, which, it’s rapidly apparent, is there only to provide an attractive price point. The 2.0-litre engine is simply inadequate, especially with four on board, whining ineffectually around 3200rpm in top gear at 110km/h. Though the bigger engine of the SLi has more weight to shift, it does so far more convincingly. The petrol-engine auto’s tall sixth gear has it spinning 1000 revs under the lesser model at freeway speed. The need for neck-wringing removed, this model is far more likely to achieve its claimed fuel consumption.The SLi petrol version is the sweet spot in the line-up. Apart from the surety of all-wheel-drive, it feels altogether more planted and secure, highlighting the light but evenly weighted steering. For the likely user (that’d be urban families whose driving gets not a lot more adventurous than picnicking with their 2.5 offspring) the ride/handling compromise seems pretty much perfect. While that 2.4 fizzles out at 6000rpm, there’s enough useful performance beneath that. Not until it’s pushed hard do you remember this is a soft-roader first, a car second.It’s hard not to love the class-thrashing 392Nm of the 2.0R diesel. Even more than most such things, it packs a knockout mid-range punch, reducing overtaking exposures to a safe minimum and making it the obvious candidate for towing. But it requires more diligence through the tight stuff, turning in sharply but rapidly requiring more lock as the heavier front end pushes determinedly wide.Again, though, it’s a matter of asking the right questions. And if you’re asking for a family-friendly, smartly-presented, sharply-priced soft roader, this Kia answers in the affirmative.    

It took just 1700km of local test driving for Kia to decide Australia wouldn’t like the new Sportage’s suspension. And to set about finding a different one.  When they did, it already had an Australian flavour.Having judged the suspension of the test Sportage sent out here in March as unsuitable, the Aussie Kia team set off with their ideal set-up on paper to match it with the components available in other markets.After some benchmarking, they settled on the UK suspension set-up – to which Kia Australia had originally contributed in the planning stages.  The steering was given similar attention with a calibration specifically our market.And Kia believes those local touches will be key for the popularity of the new Sportage, which will face strong competition in the growing compact SUV category.Pricing and variantsKia expects to sell about 300 per month, and to try and ensure there’s something for everybody, the Sportage has both two-wheel and all-drive versions, with three engines and two transmissions.  Prices start from $25,990 for the Si 2WD 2.0-litre with five-speed manual transmission ($2000 extra for auto).The mid-spec SLi AWD auto-only versions are $31,990 for the 2.4-litre petrol and $35,990 for the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, while Platinum spec adds extra equipment to each of those for an extra $3000.Base models get a solid list of features including MP3-compatible six-speaker audio system, 17-in alloy wheels and foglights, with safety covered by six airbags, anti-lock disc brakes with brake assist and force distribution to help out in extreme situations, stability and traction control, plus hill-start assist and downhill brake control that slows the Sportage to 8km/h on steep slopes.Mid-spec adds extras like a rear-view camera, auto headlights, dual-zone climate control for the airconditioning and a swag of cosmetic and trim upgrades.  The Platinum bags you 18-in alloys, rear parking sensors, leather upholstery – ventilated on the driver’s seat – and daytime running lights among its extras.There’ll be some latecomers to the equipment list, with Bluetooth and the reach-adjustable electronic steering arriving in November, with Kia choosing to launch now rather than wait for them.While it’s based on the same platform as the Hyundai ix35, the styling is more conservative, with Kia saying their focus clinics voiced unanimous support for the Sportage styling over the ix35’s more detailed creasing and character lines.  It retains the sharply sloping windscreen and A-pillars of the Kia Kue concept show car, with a high belt-line pushing the coupe image.It looks lower than it actually is – and is already lower, wider and longer than the previous Sportage (by 60mm, 15mm and 90mm respectively) – with black protective cladding adding off-road hints and slimming the side profile.With that, there’s ample legroom front and rear, but headroom is compromised by that sleeker roofline, although it probably contributes to the more slippery body (and lighter weight) that help keep fuel consumption respectable.  But you can still carry 740 litres of luggage, stacking that up to 1547 litres with the rear seats folded.The base model’s 2.0-litre petrol engine develops 122kW of power and 197Nm of torque, getting to 100km/h in an official time of 10.4 seconds with the manual transmission and 10.6 seconds with the auto.  The 2.4-litre gives you 130kW and 227Nm, with slightly better acceleration showing in the 0-100km/h time of 10 seconds and the faster top speed of 188km/h.The diesel is the 2.0-litre version of Kia’s ‘R’ unit, offering 135kW and 393Nm, with the extra urge getting you to 100km/h in 9.6 seconds.  The AWD versions get an on-demand system with slip detection that can send up to 40 per cent of torque to the rear axle as needed, with a lockHowever long Kia spent tweaking the Sportage steering for Australia, it’s been time well spent.  And it took just a couple of minutes behind the wheel of the AWD for the better feel and response to prove itself. It’s a big move forward for Kia, but they forecast it’s just the start of more local specification in their cars.And it benefits from being partnered with the quite decent suspension - McPherson strut front, multi-link rear -- with the UK tuning.  The 2.4-litre petrol engine we briefly tested struggled slightly on steep slopes but was otherwise sprightly, although more so with the transmission slotted into faux manual mode.The advantage of more torque meant the diesel performed better, but the base model 2.0-litre petrol made harder work of most driving and is better suited to those who primarily want a city car.It also seemed to be noisier than its higher-spec siblings – suggesting that the levels of damping may be different in the variants. But otherwise, the cabins were quiet apart from wind rush around the wipers and wing mirrors.The mirror wind noise is due to their large size, but you’ll be grateful for that when you try reverse parking, with the elegant letter-box of a rear windscreen and the massive rear pillars making visibility a chore unless you’re up to the reversing camera spec.  Another annoying factor was the steering column being tilt but not reach, but Kia says this will be added when the electronic steering arrives in November.Hard plastics are here and there, but otherwise the cabin fit-out is sensible and pleasant – and we preferred the sporty black tricot upholstery over the slippery leather. The fabric seemed to fit better with the Sportage’s overall personality: sensible, comfortable and practical.