‍Report 1

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Driver: Avon Middleton

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MILEAGE AT START: 3,116km

MILEAGE AFTER THE FIRST 3 MONTHS: 5,023km

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PRICE: R655 995

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GOOD STUFF

Hard-wearing material. Economy. Credibility

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BAD STUFF

Throttle response.

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This is our official welcome to the Kia Sportage 1.6CRDi LX as it joins our long-term garage, post the shiny award it recently bagged at our inaugural TopGear South Africa Awards. Yes, we named the Sportage as our Family Car of the Year at the tail end of 2023, and this was just after its own 30-year birthday celebrations.

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The Sportage is a fabled nameplate that is no stranger to winning awards. However, it now plays in a segment of cars that is the second most popular in the South African context and therefore, its competition is immense. There is no shortage of good cars in the segment that cater to various price points, yet the Sportage has managed to command its own share of the market.

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So here it is, just over a month into its long-term cycle, and there’s a real sense of why this product works so well. The 1.6CRDi LX is the entry level for the line-up, as it represents the best value-for-money choice. The LX is fitted with cloth seats as opposed to the multi-fabric seats from the GT-Line. The infotainment screen is a large 12.3-inch unit, yet the driver’s display is just over an inch smaller than that on the GT-Line. 17-inch wheels and a simplified body kit reveal a less sporty design than the fancy GT-Line S that commands a great deal of attention.

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That said, the LX still retains tech niceties such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as the convenience and safety of cruise control with forward collision and lane-keeping assistance. Smart climate control remains too, as do things like auto-hold and hill descent control. It’s an entry into the Sportage range, but it is decently appointed despite this, and that’s a good first impression.

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The next impressionable part of the Sportage 1.6CRDi LX is its powertrain, which is uncharacteristic of the segment, yet still commendable. Kia has opted to continue on the path of turbodiesel power for the near future, and this 1.6-litre unit mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch auto box is exactly what consumers need within our current economic climate and lifestyle. It is frugal yet powerful enough for the job at hand. We have averaged 5.9l/100km at times on longer distances, while our overall fuel consumption figure after 1,907 kilometres is sitting at 6.7l/100km. Where most of the other OEM’s have ploughed their product planning efforts into hybrids and smaller capacity turbo-petrol motors, this diesel still strikes the right balance, and we commend that.

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Our one concern with the powertrain delivery has to do with the throttle response on the Sportage that exhibits an intermittent lag, generally when you approach an intersection and lift off the throttle before needing to accelerate again. It is sometimes at this point that the throttle simply doesn’t respond with your foot’s intention and instead seems to bog down before it corrects itself. It isn’t simply turbo lag because, for the most part, it works fine, but this is an issue that we have experienced before during our December holiday driving another Sportage GT-Line model that you can read about elsewhere in this magazine.

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That aside, the Sportage has proven to be pleasantly frugal and commendably comfortable as a daily family hauler, but there’s another side to the SUV that has been quite impressionable: it’s a less obvious trait but one that is very important for owners. Durability. The build quality is very good, but the material mix, particularly the trim surrounding the gear shifter, the dashboard, the doors, and even within the boot, is well thought out. It exhibits an enduring durability that makes the car absolutely suited to the daily bumps and scrapes of a family's routine. From soccer practice to swimming events, from plant shopping to loading groceries, the Kia never makes you flinch at the thought of damaging its trim.

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Our long-term Kia Sportage finished in a Blue Frame hue has landed well within the needs of the family and work requirements. The next few weeks will see it tackle a family holiday to a game farm in the North West province as well as a work-related project in the Drakensberg. We’ll bring you more on its long-haul ability as well as its performance with a few thousand more kilometres under its belt.

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