Kia Sportage SLi 2012 review

You have to wonder if the Kia brand is seen as a bit of an upstart by its Hyundai overlords, thumbing its nose at the parent company by building a better SUV.

The Sportage hit the ground running in Australia, with styling and a value package that appealed to many.

Get behind the wheel and the Australian engineering team's work on the suspension and steering was a clear and present danger to its Hyundai sibling - the Sportage chassis worked a treat and nothing has been done to damage that in the 2012 update.

Value

The SLi is priced from $35,720 and there's no shortage of gear to go with it - reach and rake adjustable steering, cloth trim, height-adjustable driver's seat, 17in alloy wheels, trip computer, power windows, three 12v outlets, reversing camera and auto headlights (but no rain-sensing wipers).

There's also cruise control, Bluetooth phone and audio link, USB/auxiliary equipped six-speaker sound system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise, phone and audio controls, dual-zone climate control - but the newly-added option of satnav is $1500 extra.

Technology

The Sportage has petrol variants but the pick of the litter is the two-litre common-rail direct-injection turbodiesel four cylinder.

Equipped double overhead cams, 16 valves (equipped with variable valve timing) and a variable-geometry turbocharger, the little powerplant punches above what the numbers suggest, is reasonably quiet and quite flexible.

The other highlight on the Sportage - which it got before Hyundai's SUV brigade was endowed with it - is the fully-variable all-wheel drive system that sends drive fore and aft depending on driving conditions.

Design

Kia has done the most of any brand on the peninsula south of the DMZ to advance the styling side of the value end of the market. This is a head-turner, don't be mistaken - the sharp lighting package, high waistline and muscular stance all make for a handsome package.

The cabin is fairly sombre with dark coloured trims and red lighting - it's comfortable and with enough room to carry a family and associated paraphernalia - bootspace is good and it has a full-size spare wheel. The price paid for the attractive exterior lines is a narrow rear window, which makes the rear camera compulsory as the view aft isn't ideal.

Safety

The Kia ranks five stars from the NCAP crash testing program and the presence of six airbags (front, side and curtain), stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes with emergency brake assist, pre-tensioners and load-limiters for front seat belts and active front head restraints.

Other key features include an auto-dimming centre mirror, hill start and descent control, although with just under 180mm of ground clearance this is one of many compact SUVs that's more suited to the school run than the Gunbarrel Highway, but getting it dirty is not beyond the realms, given the ability to lock the all-wheel drive system into an even front/rear split.

Driving

This car is a pleasant surprise on the road for so many reasons. While much of the product that ventured from South Korea to export markets didn't ride, handle or steer well, the Sportage had attention from Kia Australia personnel prior to its arrival on showroom floors here.

It worked - the ride is good, almost supple and is at its best when sitting on the 17in wheel-tyre package of this mid-spec SLi. This model sits on 60-profile tyres, whereas the Platinum goes up to 18in wheels and down to 55-profile rubber, which previous experience has shown transmits more small ruts and bumps through to the cabin occupants.

But it's not come at the expense of handling - the Sportage SLi is one of the better SUVs around a corner at pace, only pushing its nose a little wide when the Kuhmo rubber runs out of grip. The stability control system hasn't been advised of the Australian-ised chassis, as it is somewhat pessimistic if you are engaging in press-on driving, but in snooze mode it sits more comfortably in the background.

The little diesel is flexible and quiet enough when cruising - it still has the thrum of a four-cylinder oil-burner but it’s not hugely intrusive. The Getrag six-speed auto slurs through gearshifts smoothly and seems well matched to the diesel's outputs - rolling along through traffic is an un-fussed manner of progress thanks to the low stress power delivery characteristics.

The mid-spec model does have an auxiliary and USB input if you don't want to discharge too much from your devices, although charging an iPhone via USB cable isn't supported - something the company says will be rectified as sound system head units are changed over to new-generation units. This car finished on the podium when it appeared in Carsguide's 2010 Car of The Year and time has tarnished its performance.