Since 1993, the Kia Sportage has been a continuing within the automaker’s ever-changing line-up and now in its fifth era, the Sportage isn’t simply higher than it’s ever been earlier than nevertheless it’s additionally one of many easiest mid-size SUVs on the market.

After we usually do evaluations, we have now autos for per week and attempt to check them in as many situations as attainable and throughout numerous completely different highway surfaces. After we locked in a evaluate of the 2022 Kia Sportage GT-Line 2.0 Diesel AWD, nonetheless, we determined to embark on a for much longer and extra complete check to see what it’s actually able to.

Our journey would see us journey up the West Coast of Australia on a two-week journey that took us over 5,300 km / 3,293 miles (regardless of what the map under says). As a way of discovering simply how far the Koreans have include their SUV, this was one surefire solution to do it.

A really completely different Sportage

Whereas U.S. patrons of the latest-generation Sportage don’t have any possibility of a diesel, customers in Australia can order the automobile with both a 2.0-liter petrol four-cylinder, a 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol four-cylinder, or a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel four-cylinder, the latter of which we examined.

This engine is rated at 137 kW (186 hp) at 4,000 rpm and 416 Nm (306 lb-ft) of torque between 2,000 and a pair of,750 rpm, making it essentially the most highly effective engine on provide, outgunning the bottom 2.0-liter with its 115 kW (156 hp) and 192 Nm (141 lb-ft) in addition to the 1.6-liter turbo with 132 kW (179 hp) and 265 Nm (195 lb-ft). What’s extra, the two.0-liter turbo-diesel can be essentially the most fuel-efficient with mixed gasoline consumption of seven.7 l/100 km (30.5 U.S. mpg) over the mixed cycle with the only obtainable transmission, an eight-speed computerized, and all-wheel drive.

Tthe new Sportage is predicated on the identical Hyundai-Kia N3 platform as the most recent Hyundai Tucson. In Australia, the engine and transmission choices are an identical for each the Sportage and Tucson however the Sportage is barely greater, measuring 4,660 mm (183 inches) in size in comparison with the 4,630 mm (182 inches) of the Tucson. Each share the identical 2,755 mm (108.4-inch) wheelbase.

Our journey with the Sportage GT-Line 2.0 Diesel noticed us drive up the coast from Perth to Exmouth earlier than jutting inland to Karijini Nationwide Park and again right down to Perth. The Sportage proved to be the proper companion for such a journey.

An SUV that stands out from the group

Approaching the brand new Sportage for the primary time, I used to be not received over by the design, though it did develop on me. Kia has deserted the protected and conservative design philosophy that it pursued prior to now and that is no extra evident than with the brand new Sportage. Not solely does it look in contrast to some other Kia mannequin nevertheless it appears nothing like anything on the highway, making a really dramatic assertion with these boomerang-shaped LED daytime working lights and the huge black grille.

It’s a related story when seen from the aspect because of the dramatic strains and curves working alongside the doorways, in addition to the daring and attention-grabbing form of the rear aspect home windows. Kia’s designers additionally went to city on the SUV’s rear finish with new LED taillights.

A cabin that everybody can love

No matter how you’re feeling in regards to the Sportage’s exterior design, it’s exhausting to disclaim that Kia has knocked it out of the park with the inside.

Whereas the design of the Tucson’s cabin feels a bit uninspired and easy, the inside of the Sportage is something however. Our flagship GT-Line variant comes as normal with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment display, each neatly integrated right into a curved panel that runs seamlessly throughout the dashboard and exudes a premium really feel akin to the Germans.

Flanking the screens are dramatically-shaped air vents whereas situated immediately under is a picket veneer that extends from the dashboard by to the entrance door panels. The Sportage GT-Line additionally has a devoted touchscreen housing each the local weather controls and vital media capabilities identical to within the EV6. As such, a fast press on the display can modify it from the HVAC settings to the media settings. It’s a neat solution to keep away from splitting the controls into two panels and due to the responsiveness of the slim display, may be very simple to make use of.

The transmission tunnel is the place you’ll discover a rotary shifter for the gears, in addition to buttons for the heated and ventilated seats, plus the assorted driving modes. It’s superbly laid out, though the overabundance of piano black might irk some patrons. Leather-based-appointed seats with lashings of synthetic suede add to the premium really feel, as do the eight-way power-adjustable driver and entrance passenger seats.

Different key options discovered throughout the 2022 Sportage GT-Line 2.0 Diesel embody alloy sports activities pedals, paddle shifters, adjustable ambient temper lighting, wi-fi cellphone charging, and a panoramic sunroof.

All informed, the inside of the flagship Sportage is up there with the easiest from the midsize SUV market. And on the highway? It excels there too.

Little or no can unsettle the Sportage

Setting off on our journey and with rain lashing the Kia’s windshield, we had been instantly impressed with the visibility supplied up by the SUV. Regardless of the steeply raked windshield and the seemingly compact aspect home windows, the Sportage actually feels extra like a premium providing than its price ticket might counsel.

Thanks partially to an area tuning program designed to make the Sportage completely suited to Australian surfaces, bumpy freeway and nation roads are an absolute breeze. The SUV feels composed alongside the coarsest of tarmac and it does a superb job of absorbing bumps. This comes even if the GT-Line comes normal with 19-inch wheels.

The engine and transmission additionally go well with the Sportage properly. Very like the bigger 2.2-liter turbo-diesel within the Sorento, the two.0-liter unit discovered right here is keen to reply and quiet, a lot in order that’d you’d be hard-pressed to even know that it’s a diesel until you’re a bit too proud of the throttle. Response off the road is nice and the eight-speed computerized performs properly. Nonetheless, we might have preferred to see Kia’s dual-clutch discover its method into the Sportage.

A handful of driving modes can be found, together with Eco, Regular, Good, and Sport. All of them say what they do on the tin and all through our journey, we primarily used the Eco and Good modes. The latter of those choices is especially good to be used round city because it serves as a great center floor between Regular the place the transmission generally is a little sluggish to reply whereas Sport is commonly a bit too abrupt in its suggestions, making it significantly exhausting to get off the road easily. We averaged 6.7 l/100 km (35.1 U.S. mpg) throughout our time with the Sportage, though that was closely skewed in the direction of freeway driving.

Learn Extra: Funky Trying 2022 Kia Sportage Comes To Australia In Lengthy Physique Kind

In fact, it ought to come as no shock that the Sportage performs properly on the road. What we had been significantly eager to find was simply how it might deal with some tougher surfaces, like driving on sand and alongside corrugated gravel roads with 100 km/h (62 mph) pace limits.

Is the Sportage even remotely rugged?

Our first alternative to pattern the Sportage’s off-roading talents got here within the small city of Coral Bay, recognized for its snorkeling. Reaching one of the widespread snorkeling areas necessitated us to navigate by a decent, twisting off-road space consisting of sentimental sand, deep ruts, and a few fairly severe strategy and departure angles. The Kia carried out flawlessly and after we reached the seaside, it actually turned fairly a couple of heads. In any case, of the 30-plus autos on the seaside, it was the one one which wasn’t a Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota HiLux, or Nissan Navara.

It’s additionally price noting that the Sportage GT-Line 2.0 Diesel doesn’t come geared up with essentially the most off-road targeted tires on the market. Actually, it comes normal with Nexen Roadian GTX 235/55 touring tires however with the pressures dropped to round 15 psi, it carried out very properly. Admittedly, we did must drive throughout the sand with extra pace than most others round us, fearing that driving too slowly may see us get bogged. The one space that proved an excessive amount of for the Sportage was a steep ascent up a sand dune however that impediment was additionally too troublesome for the Land Cruiser Prado in entrance of us. Nothing to be ashamed of, then.

We additionally took the Sportage by a few of Australia’s notorious bulldust. This mushy, powdery mud is discovered all through the outback and deserts of Australia and is made up of very tremendous items of sand. If you drive throughout it, significantly at excessive speeds, it billows up big clouds that may stay suspended within the air for a number of minutes. It was not an excessive amount of for the Sportage to deal with, nonetheless, and whereas it did utterly cowl the surface of the SUV, the cabin remained remarkably freed from mud and the Kia was all the time simple to regulate. It even did a great job of passing alongside corrugated gravel roads, though admittedly not in addition to a bigger SUV with extra superior shocks and comes would.

It’s exhausting to not be impressed by the brand new Sportage. It feels each bit as premium because the bigger Sorento and in addition feels simply as dwelling when taken off the tarmac. In our opinion, midsize SUV patrons ought to severely think about it.

Photograph Credit: Brad Anderson/CarScoops