- Refreshed exterior look with new restyled grill, headlamps, bumpers and wheels
- Available with new radio/CD with AUX, USB and iPod connectivity
- Choice of petrol or diesel engines, with manual or automatic transmission
- Now with a 5-year warranty
(Johannesburg) 31 October, 2008 — Kia Motors is pleased to announce its new, restyled Sportage compact SUV is now on sale in South Africa. The restyled Sportage maintains the youthful, sophisticated and rugged look of the original Sportage, while incorporating several significant improvements.
Since its launch in Europe during 2004, the original Sportage has attracted more than 125,000 buyers and has played a key role, in raising public awareness of the Kia brand.
The latest Sportage features a refreshed exterior with enhancements that include a restyled front grille, redesigned front headlamps, monotone (body-coloured) front and rear bumpers with a protective bumper strip, reshaped wheel arches, new-style 16-inch alloy wheels and twin exhaust pipes for all models.
Inside the restyled Sportage, the biggest innovation is the factory-fitting of a new radio/CD player, with an auxiliary jack, USB port and iPod connectivity – all housed in a restyled centre stack. Furthermore, the steering wheel now features a thicker rim for enhanced feeling and ease of control. Inside, the seating was also improved. Front seats with longer and wider cushions for greater support and comfort were also introduced. The rear seat cushion’s shape and firmness was also enhanced and the seat lowered to increase headroom.
Passive safety technology now comprises of six airbags (two front, two side and two curtain) and seatbelts that utilise pretensioners and load limiters. These make sure that occupants are held securely in place without too much pressure being placed against the body.
The new Sportage is available in three derivatives:
2.0-litre Petrol:
- produces 104kW at 6 000rpm and 188Nm of torque at 4 500rpm
- available in 4X2 and 4X4
2.0-litre CRDi Diesel:
- produces 82kW at 4 000 rpm and 251Nm of torque between 1 800 and 2 500rpm
- only available in 4X4
2.7-litre V6:
- produces 128kW at 6 000rpm and 246Nm of torque at 4 000rpm
- only available in 4X4
Besides the 2.7-litre V6 (which is only available in automatic transmission), all other models are available with either a 5-speed manual transmission or 4-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission for those who prefer an even easier ride.
Some things will never change at KIA, and that includes the safety of our customers. This means that while this is a restyled Sportage, all the technology that gave the original
Sportage the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 5-star rating can also be found in the new Sportage.
General safety has its place too. The Auto Door Lock activates the door lock as soon as the vehicle exceeds 40km/h. The new Sportage is also equipped with a full-sized spare wheel, giving you complete piece of mind.
Kia Motors is demonstrating its commitment to building quality vehicles and maximum customer satisfaction by offering the new Sportage standard with a 5-year/100 000km
warranty, as well as a 3-year/60 000km maintenance plan. Kia views this warranty as an important long-term customer relations measure, and it will be transferable to subsequent owners. There is also a 3-year/unlimited kilometers Roadside Assistance Programme in case of an emergency breakdown situation.
The new, restyled Kia Sportage is on sale now at all Kia dealerships across the country. Prices on the following models to be advised:
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2.0-litre Petrol 4X2 Manual R229 995.00
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2.0-litre Petrol 4X2 Automatic R239 995.00
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2.0-litre Petrol 4X4 Manual R244 995.00
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2.0-litre Petrol 4X4 Automatic R254 995.00
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2.0-litre Diesel CRDi 4X4 Manual R273 995.00
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2.0-litre Diesel CRDi 4X4 Automatic R283 995.00
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2.7-litre V6 4X4 Automatic R278 995.00
