Auto Trader NZ
Published 3 September 2020
The third generation Sportage has been developed under the direction of Peter Schreyer, Kia’s German-based Chief Design Officer, with more efficient styling that reduces the drag coefficient from 0.40 down to 0.37.
Redesigned from the ground up, the 2011 Sportage is longer, wider and lower than the current model. Kia says it is an urban-friendly crossover with strong SUV lines that made Sportage popular with buyers around the world.
The range of petrol and diesel engines – including the new ‘R’ series diesel – are supported by the newly developed 6-speed automatic and manual transmissions, which reportedly reduce fuel consumption and CO² emissions – down to as low as 138g/km.
Among the latest technology that will be seen in the new Sportage is the fuel-stretching Start/Stop feature that turns off the engine when idling in jams or at traffic lights.
Safety features such as hill start and descent control systems found in Sorento R will be carried over to the AWD Sportage line up.
“The new Sportage has been designed with sophisticated European tastes in mind, which suggests that it will be ideally suited to the Euro-centric New Zealand market,” says Todd McDonald, General Manager, Kia Motors New Zealand.
“Kia used this formula with the new Sorento R, to great effect – demand has been extraordinarily high in our market and we expect the more dynamically styled Sportage to display similar potential. It has all the right ingredients; design, style, safety and the new R-series diesel engine, described as one of the best engines in the world.”
McDonald says the latest information from the Korean factory indicates the new Kia Sportage will arrive in New Zealand in the second half of this year.
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