The Sportage has been redesigned to make it more contemporary, elegant, and efficient. You must not only arrive, but also be able to adapt in order to maintain long-term significance. That’s what the Kia Sportage has done throughout its history, and it’s doing it again with its new 2022 model, which features a fresh design and a significant number of technical advancements.
Kia has upped the bar with its well-known SUV and has now developed a model specifically for the European market, with the goal of setting new industry norms. It’s a variation built on a novel architecture that features a very sophisticated collection of features.
In this sense, the Sportage’s design foreshadows this transition, with lines framed inside the Korean brand’s “opposites together” design language.
The striking new front stands out, with a black grille pattern emphasizing the details. This, in conjunction with the Intelligent Adaptive LED lighting, creates a powerful presence.
The KIA Sportage’s external appearance has evolved significantly.
Of course, the front isn’t the only distinguishing feature of this model; the side now features some remarkable tight lines on polished surfaces. Furthermore, the 17″ (43 cm), 18″ (46 cm), or 19″ (48 cm) alloy wheels complete the look. And what about the back? A muscular appearance characterized by a slender form that creates a sense of spaciousness.
A cabin that exudes modernism
But, of course, such amplitude would be meaningless if it remained only an illusion. As a result, it is one of the components that characterize the interior of this SUV.
Inside, the 2022 Kia Sportage has increased passenger room and load capacity – now ranging from 591 to 1,780 liters * – and has a more avant-garde cabin, with the curved screen being one of the aspects that distinguishes it.
The driving posture is technologically advanced. It has all-digital instrumentation.
We discovered a 31 cm (12.3 “) high-tech touch screen when we got on this model, which allows us to control numerous connectivity, functionality, and usability capabilities. Furthermore, the presence of technology is blended with high-quality materials and a design that emphasizes comfort and modernism. As a result, An interior to a higher level of the SUV.
Under the hood, efficiency and power
Similarly, all of the innovations that characterize the Sportage both inside and out are backed by a similar mechanism.
This model’s latest generation has a variety of gasoline and diesel engines, as well as hybrid mechanics. Engines that are quite diverse yet have several things in common: a quick reaction, a lot of power, and a lot of efficiency.
With the Sportage, KIA has increased its bet on electricity. There are two hybrid varieties in its lineup: HEV and PHEV.
On the one hand, the Sportage PHEV has Kia’s award-winning 1.6-liter T-GDI engine and a 66.9 kW electric traction motor with permanent magnets, which combine to provide 265 horsepower. In the HEV form, however, the same combustion block is found, which is linked with a 44.2 kW electric traction motor, allowing a total output of 230 hp.
These versions are known for their speed and efficiency. Furthermore, because their batteries are situated under the second row seats in the HEV version and between the axles in the PHEV version, they do not lose interior room or weight distribution due to their arrangement.
At 2022, the new KIA Sportage will be available in Spanish dealerships.
On the other side, if we want to go with a gasoline engine, we’ll go with the 1.6 T-GDI. It is equipped with a mild hybrid system and is designed to cut emissions while providing excellent performance owing to its 150 or 180 horsepower. What about diesel fuel? Another 1.6-liter block with 115 or 136 horsepower is available, and it, too, has low emissions and great efficiency.
All of these elements, along with several more in terms of equipment and safety, combine to make the 2022 Kia Sportage a clearly advanced vehicle in its class. And, in a competitive sector like SUVs, only the finest can stand out.
This is remarkable: Kia is producing the new Sportage in an 85-millimeter-shorter variant for European markets than for other markets, in order to stick as closely as possible to the previous success formula. Over 750,000 fourth-generation devices were sold in Europe in total. The successor is just three millimeters longer in this instance.
Adults sit comfortably in the back, and depending on the engine, 526 to 591 liters are available for baggage in the far back. The engines are somewhat hybridized at least via a 48-volt generator, with the exception of the base version 7’s 150 hp petrol engine. At first, Otto and diesel engines will be offered, with a plug-in hybrid following in the spring.
However, now: Reach into the steering wheel, which has a flattened bottom and is powered by a 180-horsepower gasoline engine with a base seven-speed dual clutch gearbox and optional all-wheel drive. The Sportage in the most expensive trim level, GT-Line, costs at least 45,490 euros.
The Kia accelerates smoothly from a standstill, with ample pull and jerk-free gear changes. Even if the zero hundred manufacturing standard of nine seconds sounds conservative, substantial propulsion can still be summoned in the 80 to 150 km / h range. And the background noise is still agreeable, with few jarring four-cylinder noises.
The Sportage may be in the winter.
Stormy weather near the exit offers information that would otherwise be unavailable. The tiny SUV on the autobahn can only be prodded by the strong wind without moving much.
On country roads, some of which are snow-covered, the ABS modulates the brakes neatly, with only minor steering corrections required to keep in lane. Even when the traction control is turned off, the all-wheel drive adequately distributes the 265 Nm.
The amount of sport in Sportage can only be sensed here and there: The steering accuracy makes an excellent first impression, partly because the body motions are already limited in the adaptive dampers’ normal setting.
As a result, the suspension comfort is relaxed, although the test route’s well-maintained roads provide little surface to assault. The dampers are a GT-Line-exclusive feature for the Sportage. Its more firmly sculpted backrest cheeks provide enough lateral support on the pleasant, high-position seats seen in SUVs, which can even be ventilated.
Furthermore, the armrests, which can be changed to the appropriate height, significantly improve seated comfort.
Instead of buttons, use touch.
The scenario is different with the EV6’s existing multi-mode display: It is a small, elongated unit with graphic touch areas and two rotary controls that, depending on the setting, operate the temperature or infotainment. There are no benefits to doing so: The inputs are substantially more fiddly than with the predecessor’s conventional operational mechanisms. You must also constantly verify whether mode is active and, if necessary, modify it using a little touch surface. Apart from the rotary control, nothing can be sensed.
The two 12.3-inch full HD displays (1,920 x 720 px) are perfectly incorporated into the elegantly completed interior with a high-quality casing. It also assists in assigning the star button on the steering wheel to the main menu of the rationally built infotainment system, which can interpret destination entries by speech with the aid of the cloud.
Lots of room, excellent driving comfort, and a sleek interior make the Kia as remarkable on the first journey as it is on the second. It has a modern feel because to the clean design and high-quality twin monitor unit. In theory, this also applies to the multi-mode display, which, unfortunately, only serves to degrade the driving experience: it’s a shame that the Sportage follows the trend of lowering the number of keys.
Keyword: Kia Sportage 2022, More Modern, Stylish and Efficient