A small step for Kia, a big step for the Sportage

A small step for Kia, a big step for the Sportage

The lightweight 48-volt hybrid system saves fuel

Image: Kia

When the first Sportage stationed on the SUV market in 1993, "AWD" was in the brochure. "It was," enthused these days a company spokesman at Kia Headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, "the first four-wheel drive SUV". There was a lot of pride in the voice. Of course, the Sportage – pronounced Schportasch or Sportätsch – has climbed to the top of Kia's internal sales list. Cheap price, high sitting position – which attracted like a sales pitch.

2015 followed the fourth generation, now the facelift model. Usually a small step for Kia, this time a big step for the Sportage. Assistants such as emergency braking badistant, adaptive cruise control (Smart Cruise Control) and lane warning system (Driving Attention) drive for the first time. The headlights turn on in a new LED lighting design. And front and back Kia makes slight design corrections. The most striking feature is a chrome strip that runs through the bumpers.

Inside, a 7 or 8 inch touch screen serves as a control center – on demand, with Navi (TomTom). Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on board.

Kia made a giant leap with the lightweight 48-volt hybrid system, which saves fuel for the first time. A twelve kilowatt electric motor replaces the generator, the recovered energy is stored in a 436-watt-hour lithium-ion battery. The combustion engine is electrically badisted during starting and on slopes. The system, according to calculations of Koreans, saves seven percent of fuel.

All engines meet 6d TEMP

The 2.0-liter diesel is the first drive with the mild hybrid system, in the model year 2020 follows the 1.6-liter diesel. Without e-support, IDRC 1.6 liter is immediately available. All engines meet the emission standard 6d TEMP, gasoline engines are equipped with a standard particulate filter.

In terms of price, the basic model will cost 1500 euros more than its predecessor. Additional equipment such as badistants, etc. The cheapest Sportage model will cost 25,490 euros.

Engines

A gasoline engine (132 and 177 hp) and two diesel engines (115 and 136 hp or 185 hp) are available. The 2.0 liter CRDI Ecodynamics + with the mild hybrid system provides 185 hp and 400 Nm, respectively. 138 grams of CO2 are emitted per kilometer (WLTP measurement method). All engines meet the 6d TEMP standard.

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