The facelifted Kia Sportage has made its way to
Malaysia, and joins a number of new Kia models – Grand Carnival, Sorento and
Optima – which were recently introduced by Kia Malaysia. Visual changes that come with the
refresh include new bumpers front and rear, with the former being accompanied
by LED headlamps and four-point LED daytime running lights like on the latest
Cerato and Ceed.
The lower apron is also new, with more prominent
trim pieces that point towards the number plate holder. Elsewhere, there are
revised fog lamp enclosures and at the back, the reverse lights and rear
reflectors are now stacked on top of one another within a reshaped bumper. The Sportage will be offered in
EX and GT-Line variants as before, with the GT-Line receiving its own unique
touches to distinguish it from the EX. This includes a dedicated grille,
LED-type rear combination taillights, rear trim accents, “ice cube” LED front
fog lamps and 19-inch alloy wheels (18-inch units for the EX).
Just minor enhancements on the inside, with a new
steering wheel being one of them (flat-bottom unit on the GT-Line). The kit
list includes dual-zone climate control with rear vents, paddle shifters, alloy
pedals, a powered tailgate, keyless entry and start, eight-way powered seats
(driver only on EX, front passengers on GT-Line) and a seven-inch touchscreen
infotainment system. Features like a Qi wireless phone charger and 4.2-inch multi-info
instrument display (3.5-inch in the EX) are for the higher-end variant. The
GT-Line also gets dual-tone leather upholstery as compared to the fabric
material on the EX.
In the safety and driver assist department, the
Sportage offers six airbags, Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Rear
Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW), Parking Distance Warning-Forward
(PDW-F) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM).
Engine options are the same as before, with the
petrol unit being a 2.0 litre Nu MPI four-cylinder, which is paired with a
six-speed automatic transmission. Output figures remain the same, with 155 PS
at 6,200 rpm and 192 Nm at 4,000 rpm. Meanwhile, the diesel option is a
2.0 litre R CRDi four-pot with 185 PS at 4,000 rpm and 400 Nm of torque from
1,750-2,750 rpm. An eight-speed automatic is mated to the oil burner, replacing
the six-speed unit from before. Both variants are front-wheel drive.
In terms of pricing, the Sportage starts from
RM 126,888 (on-the-road without insurance) for the EX, and goes up to RM 149,888
for the GT-Line. Each purchase comes with a five-year/unlimited mileage
warranty, and you have a choice of five colours – Mercury Blue, Fiery Red, Snow
White Pearl, Iron Grey (EX only) and Cherry Black (GT-Line only).
