Kia Sportage Si 2010 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): Si $29,990, Plantinum diesel $38,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): nil
Crash rating: N/A
Fuel: 91 RON ULP / Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 8.8 (Si), 7.5 (Platinum diesel)
CO2 emissions (g/km): 210 (Si) 198 (Platinum diesel)
Also consider: Subaru Forester, Hyundai ix35, Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail

The Kia Cerato and the Koup were appetisers and now we're really starting to see what Kia is capable of -- exhibit A, the 2010 Sportage -- a compact SUV that comfortably exceeds expectation.

Having tested both the petrol and diesel variants in a variety of familiar situations -- the commuting slog to and from work, a trip down to the beach and plenty of freeway travel -- it's safe to say that Kia has designed, developed and manufactured what is arguably its best product to date.

The new design is an important element of the new model, as the Sportage exists within one of most competitive market segments in Australia, and also one of the most lucrative.

Take a quick walk around the Sportage and you'll notice a familiar front grille surrounded by a modern take on the compact SUV. The headlights in particular deliver a sleek style that incorporates projector beams and Euro-inspired LED driving lights, and the high belt-line along the car's sides makes a strong visual impact.

Get the basics right -- such as the exterior design -- and you're off to a good start. That much is evident here, but the Sportage succeeds in many other areas, one of which is the interior fit out.

Again, the design elements are rock solid and the cabin looks great, but it also has a quality feel and level of attention to detail that should make some competitors stand up and take note.

Even the entry-level Si petrol model we tested has an upmarket look and feel to the interior, and though the dash plastics aren't soft to the touch like some European compact SUVs, the cabin design is suitably impressive. The cloth seats are comfortable even on longer journeys and have nicely contoured cushioning to keep body parts from falling asleep.

A nicely-sized steering wheel benefits from intuitive stereo and cruise controls, while the instrument readouts are legible and attractive, and the two-tiered audio system and HVAC controls on the centre stack adds fascination to proceedings.

Indeed, there's a real sense of class mixed with a touch of excitement in the cabin, and the elevated driving position only seems to add to this, though there was an initial sense of being too close to the ceiling. The seats seem to be positioned rather high but in hindsight this high seating position provides a good view of surroundings.

With the help of sound ergonomics and sensibly-placed controls, the car's cabin slowly but surely grew on us, to the point where we would hop into other cars and comment on how Kia achieved the same (or better) outcome yet with less fuss.

Other standard features worth a mention include the iPod/USB connectivity that's easy to reach, located underneath the temperature controls. There's even a little shelf for an iPod or MP3 player directly underneath the plug so you won't have cords spilling everywhere. Additionally, a couple of 12 volt power outlets flank the iPod/USB jack, with a third outlet located in the boot.

The audio system is similar across all models, a six-speaker unit with above average clarity at higher volumes. A single-CD tuner comes with Si variants while Platinum models score six-CD stacker with external amplifier and sub-woofer for slightly improved sound quality.

In addition, the top-level Platinum models gain leather seats and dual-zone climate control, plus venting controls are finished in a glossy upmarket piano black which improves both the look and feel of the interior.

Other upgrades for the top-shelf Sportage Platinum include a self-dimming rearview mirror with reversing camera, cooled glovebox, panoramic sunroof, LED daytime running lights and the driver's seat gets cooling and heating ventilation through the cushion.

A superior vehicle than many of its rivals in terms of both fit and finish and overall interior design, this new Korean soft-roader is a real contender. It boasts a functional but engaging interior fit out that is more appealing than Hyundai's newcomer, the ix35, and also long-time campaigners such as the Toyota RAV4.

To put it simply, the Kia Sportage's cabin is a very pleasant place to be, and bodes well for the car maker's future.

The Kia Sportage also benefits from numerous safety features, including six airbags, ESP, ABS, hill start assist control and downhill braking control. There's even a lockable centre diff on mid and top-range models (SLi and Platinum) and they also get dusk-sensing headlights, reversing sensors and a rear-view camera.

On the road both petrol and diesel Sportage models acquit themselves well. They are easy to drive and there are no confusing controls to take your attention away from the road.

As mentioned the elevated driving position provides the driver with a good all-round view, but like many compact SUVs the C-pillar is fairly chunky and creates a blind spot.

I'll start with the petrol model, which was equipped with the optional six-speed automatic transmission -- a powertrain combination that delivered surprisingly rapid response. I was expecting a sluggish, droll affair, but the gearing is well-suited to Kia's 2.0-litre 122kW/197Nm petrol engine, also in use in the Cerato.

You wouldn't describe it as a firecracker and it does take a little revving when climbing up steep inclines, but with six gear ratios the compact SUV has a modicum of flexibility. You won't win any traffic light duels but you will get where you're going in a timely fashion.

In comparison the diesel is exactly what you'd call a firecracker, the 2.0-litre turbocharged and intercooled R Series diesel engine delivering plenty of poke at low revs -- 393Nm at just 1800rpm. This claim of big bottom-end twist is a real world bonus, giving the car a plenty of punch off the line while also ensuring improved drivability compared to the petrol model.

Kia's new 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine works well with the six-speed automatic gearbox and there's a satisfying surge of power at your beck and call, whenever you decide to flex your right foot. It's especially impressive at freeway speeds, where overtaking slower-moving vehicles is taken care of with effortless ease.

However the diesel engine isn't the quietest in class, emitting an agricultural rattle of sorts that's particularly noticeable at start up, though inside the cabin the sound damping is pretty good.

We recorded an end-of-test fuel consumption figure of 8.9L/100km in the diesel-powered Sportage, which wasn't quite as prim as the claimed figures of 7.5L/100km. We ended up with a 10.6L/100km fuel consumption figure with 2.0-litre petrol model, which is considerably higher than the 8.8L/100km ADR tally.

Ride and handling are almost identical in both the entry- and top-level models, and even though the Platinum models get larger 18-inch alloys with slightly lower profiles (the Si gets 17-inch alloys), ride quality is equally good.

For the most part the cars deliver smooth, compliant shock absorption, soaking up lesser lumps and bumps with ease. It's when the road surface really deteriorates that the suspension begins to panic, getting a little bouncy over deeper asphalt ruts and pot holes. By and large it's a good suspension setup, and rarely feels flustered or out of sorts, and the compromise met between ride and handling is an effective one.

The Kia Sportage lives up to its sporty name, delivering the kind of spirited handling you'd expect of a competent small car, rather than a compact SUV.

Damping rates are somewhat firm, which translates to low levels of body roll (comparatively speaking) and for something that has a relatively high ride height it handles well, tracking keenly through corners.

Compared to its Asian rivals, it's one of the better handling compact SUVs out there, but it should be noted that it has close to 50mm less ground clearance than the top-selling model in this class, the Subaru Forester. That statistic alone suggests this vehicle favours on-road rather than off-road driving, though only the entry-level Si models misses out on an AWD system.

There's not a lot of feel through the Kia's steering wheel, which like most modern cars has lots of power assistance that masks feedback, but you'll appreciate this enhanced steering response when parking the vehicle and performing slow speed manoeuvres.

It's an easy car to drive, and enjoyable at that, with very few issues to report except for average rearward vision and the odd suspension hiccup on truly wretched road surfaces.

Storages spaces are plentiful in the Sportage, with lots of incidental storage cubbies in the cabin, topped off with a spacious 740-litre boot that expands to 1547 litres once the rear seats are folded down. The boot floor did seem a little high when loading in the surf equipment after a morning in the soup, but that could be due to lack of fitness rather than an overly high boot floor.

What Kia has done with its compact SUV is impressive. It's turned a mundane model with virtually no character into a stylish vehicle that is hard to fault. Not only fun to drive, it's a practical vehicle that can fulfil more than one role.

Compared to its predecessor the new 2010 Kia Sportage is like matching a Brazilian cat-walk model with a K-mart catalogue stand-in -- the difference is substantial.

While the top-spec Platinum diesel model gets lots of fancy features and a powerful diesel engine, the entry-level model made a very positive impression, both in terms of performance especially value. If Kia can get bums on seats for test drives, this car has the potential to give its rivals a serious headache.

The Sportage is a car that Kia can be proud of -- it drives well, it looks good and it feels great. Yep, it's a complete package. The only problem now will be following it up with something even better...

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