Launched in 1993 and spanning five generations since, the Kia Sportage pioneered the concept of the urban SUV and achieved milestones in quick succession. Evolving into a compact SUV in its second generation, each itineration of the Sportage built upon the success of its predecessor. The second generation Sportage catapulted the brand to a regular fixture in the top-seller charts. In 2016 and 2017, the fourth generation Sportage surpassed the Rio as the brand’s global best-selling model. In 2018 – the 25th anniversary of the Sportage – Kia celebrated 5mn cumulative sales of the model. In 30 years, the Sportage has sold over 7mn units and become one of the most desired family SUVs in many markets, counted among the top ten not just in the Middle East but globally.

The recipe for the Sportage’s success is really no secret. Kia figured what customers really wanted – a family-friendly space in an SUV body at bargain price. Every new generation didn’t just satisfy but often exceeded buyers’ expectations and in the process outsold its predecessor. Besides offering practicality and a wide array of comfort, convenience and safety features, its engine and transmission line-up caters to a broad range of customer needs.

Kia is now expanding the line-up with the Sportage L. With overall length of 4,670mm and wheel base of 2,755mm, it’s the longest Sportage, hence the L. It’s now equipped with several features you’d expect in high-end cars as standard in all trims of the Sportage L, including a central console with a dual 12.3-inch curved display and shift-by-wire rotary dial shifter in place of a stick gear selector. These and more features show just how far the once rugged, no-frills budget model available in only a few markets has come to be a global product with upmarket flavour knocking on the door of premium brands.

However, the highlight of the L is its powertrain. Already a daunting task to keep track of the many powertrains, the Sportage is available in the GCC and other markets, the L is equipped with the
most powerful engines in its segment – turbo-charged 1.5 and 2.0 – where earlier there was a 1.6T.

With the Sportage L launching across the MENA region this month, Saud Bahwan Group organised a test drive for Muscat Daily in Salalah last week. The route from Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara to Wadi Darbat – still a riot of green in the final stretch of khareef 2024 – and The Club by Fanar before returning to the starting point went through rolling countryside, steep inclines and hairpin bends besides highways allowing a good feel of the Sportage L’s handling.

Looks

It’s bold and stands out from the crowd. Kia has standardised an X-Line package for the Sportage L’s exterior, featuring a blacked-out grille with a star-chain design. Chrome in no longer in vogue, remember? Other features of this package include sleek LED lights, fluid sidelines and an attractive rear design adding to its presence on the road. The rear bumper and sill have been designed to add stability and a grounded stance. LED turning lights, also standard across all grades, maximise visibility and safety at night. And while there are several colour options, including Meteor Matt Gray in matte, the Jungle Wood Green in gloss really complements the Sportage L.  

Interiors

While having all the practicality you could expect from a five-seat family SUV, the Sportage L presents a refined look and upscale amenities. High-quality materials such as quilted leather seats and carbon fibre texture trim raise the interior ambience several notches. There is ample storage space designed in the cabin for convenience – the 1,000mm luggage compartment expands to 1,875mm with the rear 6:4 split seats folded down.

A panoramic sunroof, a standard feature in the Sportage L, offers unrestricted scenic views while creating a sense of increased interior space. Cabin noise is bare minimum in yet another indication of the quality of materials and built quality. 

The highlight inside is a minimalistic central console with the dual 12.3-inch curved display – one for the instruments and the other for the central touchscreen panel – which is now standard across all trims. It is the centrepiece of an interior that looks and feels comparable with premium marquees in terms of style, quality and layout.

Sweetening the deal are remote rear seat folding, memory seat adjustment for driver, power seat adjust for front passenger and smart power tailgate with adjustable height and operating speed.   

Under the hood

Kia offers the Sportage with one of the widest range of powertrains in the segment ensuring there’s one to suit every need. In the new line, the 1.5T produces 197hp while the 2.0T is capable of 233hp, ensuring robust power output while optimising fuel consumption. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission for smooth and efficient performance. The 2.0T AWD engine accelerated eagerly on winding mountain roads making our drive back from Wadi Darbat a sheer pleasure. The brakes bite in effectively adding to driver confidence.      

The ride

The Sportage L gives its driver a sense of complete command on the road, riding well and offering confidence around corners. It strikes a balance between ride comfort and handling, coping effortlessly
with urban traffic as with single-lane mountainous roads. The D steering wheel enhances that sense of command with precise feedback on road conditions.

Safety

Kia is giving premium brands a run for their money in this department. It’s offering an exhaustive list of driver assists – Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Smart Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Driver Attention Warning, High Beam Assist etc. The most useful, however, which we could easily grow used to are the Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist which prevents the vehicle from veering off a lane without a turn signal switch operation, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist. This very handy assist alerts if it detects a collision risk with an approaching vehicle from the left or right when reversing. Following the warning, it automatically assists in maneuvering if the risk of collision increases. With roads getting busier and parking harder to find, this could soon become an indispensable feature in all cars.  

If you’re in the market for a five-seat family crossover, the Sportage L has a lot to like about it. It’s safe, has all the practicality you can expect from an SUV in this segment and features high-end equipment and tech. Add to that the fact that it has the longest wheelbase and the most powerful engine among all Sportage models and you have one of the strongest all-rounder family SUVs.

Sportage L – variant or new model?

“The Sportage L is an expansion of our line-up; it’s not a new model. It has two new engines and it’s a longer body. In terms of pricing, it sits within the current Sportage line-up. This now slots into where the gaps are. In the current line-up, we have a 2ltr normal aspirated engine and a 1.6 turbo engine. The Sportage L now sits within that and slots above the 2ltr engine. So, it just expands our line-up. And because the space is different and the power is different – it’s class-leading – we think it will just expand the traction of the Sportage. Some people really like the 1.6 turbo right now, while others, especially fleets, want to buy the 2ltr normally aspirated engine because of its pricing. The Sportage L expands the range and gives more power, space and technology.”

Yaser Shabsogh, vice president, Commercial Operations, Kia Middle East and Africa

Specs sheet    –    1.5T  –  2.0T

Power – 197hp – 233hp

Transmission – 8-speed automatic – 8-speed automatic

Fuel efficiency (km/ltr, combined) – 15.1 (2WD) – 13.5 (AWD)

Acceleration – 8.3 (2WD) – 8.1 (AWD)

Torque – 253Nm/2,200-4,000rpm – 353Nm/1,500rpm

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Hubert