Kia Sportage 2007 News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of national recalls, with models from Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Kia, Land Rover and Ram impacted.

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

Kia has updated its stylish Sportage small/medium SUV range, launching the Series II model 2.5 years into the current generation’s model life. The Series II sees Australian-spec Sportages now sourced from Kia’s Slovakian factory, unlike previous Korean-built versions. Kia Australia’s COO Tony Barlow explains the shift to European manufacture as curing the previous Australian-market supply shortages for the Sportage. “The opportunity to have consistent supply by taking production from Europe makes perfect sense and will benefit customers and dealers alike.” The previous Si, SLi, and Platinum spec levels continue with Series II, and benefit from range-wide subtle revisions, including Series II badging, HID headlamps, static cornering lamps, taillight-integrated rear foglamps, de-icing windscreen wipers, and a reprofiled lower rear bumper. On the inside, trim materials have been revised, with partial leather added to Si and SLi variants, and a new stitch pattern and colour for the leather-clad Platinum. A central locking button is now located on both driver and passenger door trims, along with a now-lockable glovebox, digital clock added to the audio display,  Active ECO button on diesels for the first time, and the A/C now has seven distinct ventilation modes. The 122kW/197Nm 2.0 litre petrol engine is now available on all models, and the 135kW/392Nm 2.0 litre turbodiesel remains available on SLi and Platinum variants. The previous 130kW/227Nm 2.4 litre petrol option has been discontinued. The Si continues to be available in two-wheel-drive only, as with the all-wheel-drive only SLi and Platinum grades. The Si also remains available in either 5-speed manual or ($2000 optional) 6-speed auto, while the SLi and Platinum are 6-speed auto only. List prices have dropped on all Sportage variants, with the manual SI now starting at $25,490 (plus $2000 for auto), representing a $1500 saving on the outgoing model. The petrol SLi is now priced at $31,990 (down $1000), and the petrol Platinum is now $36,490 (down $1500). The 2.0 litre diesel/6-speed auto drivetrain is available on SLi and Platinum models for an extra $3,500 (up $500), but their $35,490 and $39,990 list prices are down $500 and $1000 respectively. Satnav remains a $1500 option on SLi models (standard on Platinum), and metallic paint costs a further $520 on all variants. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn    

It's definitely not in the handbook of how to run in a new car, but this four-week-old Kia Sportage was left stranded at a Gold Coast beach overnight.The car was abandoned by the driver, complete with grocery shopping and open windows, after it was bogged in the wet sand at The Spit.During the night it is believed the car was almost totally submerged as were cameras and children's clothing found in the vehicle.Police believe the woman who called them was a tourist and may have panicked after the car became stuck on the beach. They have been unable to contact her since her first phone call.Earlier this morning Gold Coast City Council workers, tow truck drivers and lifeguards worked to free the car from the sand without any luck.A bid to tow the vehicle was stopped after the vehicle showed no signs of budging. Workers were considering digging it out. We would like to hear from you if you have had or witnessed any unusual motoring experiences.

It's not easy being green . . . and affordable. New technology costs a bundle and that cost is passed to customers, but Kia wants to give the world hybrids and fuel-cell cars that don't break the bank.Kia, together with its sister company Hyundai, has developed a petrol-electric hybrid Rio sedan and has also created a fuel-cell version of its Sportage crossover wagon.And these are not just pie-in-the-sky concepts. They are running vehicles and Kia is working hard to bring the technology to showrooms at the right price.Kia admits its fuel cell vehicles are a way off, but petrol-electric hybrids could join the range from 2009, though a 2010 start is more likely.The Rio hybrid might not be for public sale yet, but the South Korean Government is already running 780 of them and will expand the fleet to 3400 over the next two years.At this stage each Rio hybrid costs about $40,000 because the numbers are so small, but its aim is to substantially undercut the Honda Civic hybrid at $32,990 and the Toyota Prius at $37,400.Understandably, it is keeping quiet about exact prices, but Kia is happy to show what it is doing and rolled out a Rio hybrid in Seoul just before it was delivered for government duty.The Rio is not a ground-breaker but does show the company has the expertise to produce a competent hybrid vehicle.It uses a 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine linked to a 12kW and 95Nm electric motor located between the engine and the continuously variable automatic gearbox, a similar layout to the Honda IMA hybrid system.A battery pack in the boot is recharged through engine braking.The petrol engine, which has been slightly modified to run in the Rio Hybrid, switches off at idle and fires up when the driver lifts their foot off the brake.The electric motor assists the petrol unit under acceleration, which allows it to use less juice.At this stage, the fuel economy of the Rio Hybrid stands at 5.3 litres/100km, which is pretty good, but greater gains are expected with the next-generation hybrid that Kia and Hyundai are working on.The Kia/Hyundai fuel cell work started in 2000 with technology bought from US-based UTC Power. Since then, it has developed and improved the system.It took the honours at this year's Challenge Bibendum in China, beating fuel cell vehicles from bigger players, including Daimler, GM and Nissan.The Sportage fuel cell is more than a concept, with cars operating in South Korean and US Government test fleets.Kia fuel cell senior research engineer Kim Saehoon said the company is not sure when it will introduce a fuel cell model but is on track for production by 2012.He said hydrogen-powered cars will cost more, but not for long.“It may cost 20 per cent more (than a petrol model), but you will save money because hydrogen will be much cheaper than petrol,” he said.“Our target is that, by 2020 to 2025, a fuel cell vehicle would cost the same as a regular ICE (internal combustion engine) car.” 

Alfa Romeo stepped up straight after the Peugeot unveiling of a woman, I mean a car. A 207 apparently.