Kia has revealed some more details of the 5th gen Sportage that debuted a month ago. It is scheduled to go on sale later this year in several markets around the world, but prices have been announced only for the Korean market at the moment, which starts at around KRW 24.88 million (INR 16.35 lakh or US$ 21,940). Anyway, since we’ve already talked about its design in the previous post, let’s get straight to the important bits.
Let’s start with the dimensions then, shall we? The new Sportage measures 4,660 mm long, 1,865 mm wide, 1,660 mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 2,755 mm. Compared to the previous-gen model, the new Sportage has obviously, grown in size. Depending on the trim, exterior features would include Matrix LED headlights and up to 19-inch wheels (base model rides on 17-inch wheels).
Features inside include a curved panel that houses two 12-inch displays, rear seats that can fold down at a press of a button for a flat cargo space, and Harman Kardon audio system.
The suspension setup is MacPherson struts at the front and a four-link type at the rear. However, the Sportage boasts a new Electric Control Suspension (ECS) which is claimed to continuously adjust the damping in real-time; it’s probably similar to adaptive dampers that many other cars have.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) include all the usual stuff such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control (NSCC), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) and so on. The new Sportage also gets a Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) which as the name suggests, helps park the vehicle remotely, from outside the vehicle.
Alright, let’s move on to the juicy bits of the story. For starters, the new Sportage offers a 1.6-litre T-GDi petrol engine with 132 kW (180 metric hp) and 265 Nm (195 lb-ft) of torque; the engine can be paired with either a 7-speed DCT or a 6-speed manual gearbox. For those who like the diesel grunt, the Sportage will offer a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder unit with 137 kW (186 metric hp) and 417 Nm (308 lb-ft) of torque; this engine is paired with an 8-speed torque converter automatic. The Korean market gets AWD options.
The drive modes include a new Terrain Mode which as the name suggests, automatically adjusts the Sportage’s settings depending on the driving surface such as snow, mud and sand.
There are HEV and PHEV variants too in the pipeline, the details of which, will be available closer to the sale date. The hybrid variants will feature an “E-Handling system”, which is claimed to further enhance the dynamic performance of the vehicle, especially at corners.
Download the brochure here (Korean).
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