Arguably one of the best medium-SUVs on the market, Kia's recently launched Sportage is more spacious and upmarket than before, and still offers a choice of front- or all-wheel drive and petrol or diesel power.
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 6-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $35,000 |
| 2.0L, 6-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $37,000 |
| 2.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | $42,400 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 1.6L, 7-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $49,370 |
| 2.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | $52,370 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 6-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $41,850 |
| 1.6L, 7-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $43,850 |
| 2.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | $46,900 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 6-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $32,445 |
| 2.0L, 6-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $34,795 |
| 2.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | $40,195 |
See our comprehensive details for the Kia Sportage
The dimensions shown above are for the base model.
See all 2023 Kia Sportage DimensionsThe Sportage has 543L of boot space with the rear seats up, increasing to 1829L with the rear seats folded. There's a full-sized alloy spare under the boot floor.
CarExpert High Resolution Photos of the Kia Sportage
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All models have LED headlights, but only the SX+ and GT-Line get LED fog lights while only the GT-Line gets full LED lighting up front including the indicators.
All models have LED tail lights.
The S rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, the SX on 18s, and the SX+ and GT-Line both feature 19-inch alloy wheels albeit with different designs.
The Kia Sportage has a super modern cabin that befits its recent launch as a strong leader in the SUV segment.
The overall cabin feel is clear and easy to navigate, offering lots of light and excellent outward vision though the glasshouse.
The Kia Sportage offers comfortable seats with sound ergonomics. It’s quite a natural and welcoming cabin space in the first row, and the nicely-trimmed multifunction wheel brings a sense of occasion to the fairly unadventurous dark colour scheme.
The ‘boomerang’ style motif that anchors the handsome exterior design (most noticeably via its LED lights) is mirrored in the air vents and door handles to impressive effect.
Meanwhile, the wraparound effect of the dash fascia blending into the concave door trims, with the driver-skewed central stack layout and surfboard-sized instrument and infotainment panel, is very European.
The look of the digital instrumentation, with its (very Kia) purple hue, is pleasing and modern, while the infotainment system is slick to behold and to use even if wireless smartphone mirroring isn’t available in most models.
However, some of the presentation looks and feels inexpensive. Unlike some rival cabin treatments, there’s a little too much cheap, shiny and hard plastic used right in your line of sight, and very little of what attempts to appear as metal, or at least metallic, comes across as genuine or convincing.
Similarly, the centre console in the base S, with its simpler array than higher-grade variants, has an unattractive assortment of blank panels where the GT-Line’s seat heating/ventilation buttons are situated as evidence of features absent from this base model.
That said there are other details, such as the rubber-ringed centre stack dials, that stops entry-level Sportage models from feeling overly cheap.
At the other end of the model range, the GT-Line looks slick with its dual 12.3-inch displays, wood-look trim elements, and rotary gear selector. The look is reminiscent of the new EV6, and the Blind-Spot View Monitor is a really handy feature.
Sitting below the widescreen infotainment system is a slim, matte touchscreen featuring a row of function buttons capable of controlling either the air-conditioning or the infotainment system.
It’s a clever design that’s neater than the cascading stack of touch buttons on the Tucson, and has also allowed the design team to make the cabin look clean and simple.
There’s an abundance of storage spaces around the cabin, with two cupholders, a decent space under the dashboard, a deep central bin, and door bins with space for large water bottles.
Kia has opted for a combination of USB-A and USB-C plugs up front.
Spaciousness in row two is fantastic, and full-sized adults will be able to sit behind full-sized adults. Knee room is outstanding and for sheer room it’s tough to beat, augmented by adjustable (40:60-split) seatback tilt to tune in extra comfort. The tail-shaft hump, too, is so low-profile that it doesn’t really compromise foot space by any meaningful measure.
There’s also plenty of headroom, even in the GT-Line with its panoramic sunroof.
The base model Kia Sportage comes with an 8.0-inch infotainment screen that has Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (wireless) capability as well as DAB digital radio, a basic six-speed audio system and a run of the mill 4.20inch TFT digital instrument cluster.
Stepping up to the higher grades will add a much larger 12.3-inch infotainment system that also has satellite navigation and if you go for the best grade, there is also a 12.3-inch instrument cluster.
The Kia Sportage has yet to be rated by ANCAP, but the mechanically-related Hyundai Tucson received a five-star rating.
All models come standard with the following safety equipment:
With the 2.0-litre engine and the six-speed manual transmission, the Sportage uses 7.7L/100km on the combined cycle. This increases to 8.1L/100km with the optional six-speed automatic.
The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol uses 7.2L/100km while the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel is the thriftiest at 6.3L/100km on the combined cycle.
| Kia Sportage | Fuel Type | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L, 6-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | Unleaded | 8.1 L/100km |
| 2.0L, 6-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | Unleaded | 7.7 L/100km |
| 2.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | Diesel | 6.3 L/100km |
What are the running and servicing costs of a Kia Sportage?
Service intervals are different depending on the engine choice.
The 1.6-litre turbo intervals are:
The 2.0-litre petrol intervals are:
The 2.0-litre diesel intervals are:
Our expert take on Kia Sportage drivability.
This new Sportage uses a different platform to the old model, which brings superior torsional stiffness. It’s actually a derivative of the platform that underpins the bigger Sorento, plus the related Hyundai Tucson. Kia Australia’s local suspension team specified the damper tune to suit local roads, adding ride compliance while retaining body control.
Where the related Hyundai Tucson’s more Euro-leaning tune is on the sportier side and can at times be a touch firm, the Sportage really irons out pockmarked roads and bumpy city streets with luxurious levels of grace. It’s very, very impressive in this regard.
There just seems to be an added layer of pliancy that so few manufacturers seem to get right. While there’s an excellent level of all-round comfort, that hasn’t come at the cost of handling or driver engagement.
With a wonderfully-balanced steering and chassis tune, the Sportage turns in predictably and directly without being razor sharp. It’s perfect for the intended demographic and if you flick the mode selector into Sport the steering and throttle sharpen up for more eager response.
Refinement at speed is likewise excellent. Wind noise is next to non-existent and tyre roar even on coarse-chip B-roads is whisper quiet.
That confident, big-car feeling carries over whether you’re putting around the city or cruising on the freeway. It’s hushed, planted, and unfazed by poor weather or uneven road surfaces.
The Sportage is let down only by its powertrains. Well, two of them.
We’ve yet to drive the Sportage with the base 2.0-litre petrol, but in the Tucson it sounds gruff and lacks grunt.
The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol is better but still not quite there.
There’s a lethargic slurring off the line and slight break in power delivery when the car shifts from first into second that betrays a lacks a layer of polish it really should have. It’s also far more evident because everything else is so damn good.
It’s worth getting it out of your head that the 1.6T is a more sporting choice. While there’s more low-down shove and more effortless progress than naturally-aspirated rivals, middling outputs mean the 1.6-litre doesn’t feel particularly quick.
The best powertrain, far and away, is the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.
You sense considerable effort has been invested into both making the diesel as smooth and refined as possible and suppressing any associated ‘rattle’ from penetrating the cabin.
In fact, the Sportage diesel is so quiet you might mistake it for a petrol vehicle.
Effortless doesn’t begin to describe it – the diesel Sportage gets up and goes, without hesitation or fuss. You barely need to stoke the right pedal, yet there’s no peakiness or unpleasantness.
The auto is an absolute gem: seamless in a manner lacking in the dual-clutch designs offered elsewhere in range, and in the Sportage’s segment. Its calibration feels perfectly matched to the engine’s sweet spot for no other reason than it doesn’t seem to put a shift wrong.
Meanwhile, the various driver assistance systems across the Sportage range do a good job. The adaptive cruise and active lane centring (Lane Follow Assist) come together well on the freeway and offer almost semi-autonomous capability and the GT-Line’s nifty Blind Spot View Monitor and surround-view cameras are excellent.
Some may find the lane centring function a little overbearing, and the lane-keep assist can at times tug at the wheel unnecessarily out of caution. Nothing we haven’t seen before, but worth noting.
What colours are available for the Kia Sportage
Clear White is the standard paint finish, with the following optional:
Premium paint costs an extra $520.
All models have a black interior.
In addition to a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, Kia offers seven years of capped-price servicing.
Choosing between the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson comes down almost entirely to styling preference, as they share their underpinnings. That includes the three powertrains available across both model ranges. The Tucson has lower capped-price servicing rates but the Sportage has a longer warranty.
The Mazda CX-5 also offers a choice of petrol, turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines, though its turbo-petrol is considerably more powerful than the Sportage's. However, the CX-5 is one of the smaller models in its class and tighter inside than the spacious Sportage.
Kia has no rival for the Toyota RAV4 hybrid in Australia, but the Sportage has a similarly well-sorted ride/handling tune to the wider RAV4 range and a similarly spacious interior while offering more modern infotainment.
Speaking of modernity, the Sportage is much fresher than the venerable Nissan X-Trail. The Mitsubishi Outlander is as new as the Kia and offers the option of a third row of seating, though it's no longer available as a diesel.
Is this the right car for you? Out experts buy or not guide.
Yes.
Skip the weak base engine and step up to the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol or, better yet, the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.
The Sportage impresses with its thoughtfully designed and spacious interior and its impeccable on-road manners.
The cheapest Kia Sportage is the S that starts from $32,445.
The most expensive Kia Sportage is the GT-Line that starts from $52,720.
The best towing capacity of a Kia Sportage is 1900 kg offered by the following variants: S, SX, SX+ and GT-Line.
The largest Kia Sportage is the SX+ which measures 1865mm wide, 4660mm in length and sits 1680mm tall.
The most powerful Kia Sportage is the SX+ which has 137kW of power from its 2.0L TURBO DIESEL COMMON RAIL engine.
The Kia Sportage is built in Korea and shipped to Australia.
The heaviest Kia Sportage is the SX+ which weighs 2260 kg (kerb weight).
The Kia Sportage may use different fuel/energy types based on the variant which includes diesel or unleaded.
