South Trail Kia
Posted on December 13, 2019
The Kia Sportage is an award-winning compact crossover SUV, featuring a market-leading combination of comfort, performance and reliability at an affordable price.
First released in 1993, constant refinement means the range is now in its fourth generation, and its standards are as high as ever. What does the latest 2020 Kia Sportage bring to the highly competitive crossover SUV market?
The most immediately noticeable improvements are to the exterior. The front fascia has been revised to give a slightly sleeker look, while there is also the option of redesigned alloy wheels sized at either 17" or 19". In addition, all exterior lights can now be upgraded to powerful LED versions.
The standard trims offer a 2.4L I-4 engine providing 181 horsepower, although the SX trim also offers a 2.0L turbo-four option giving extra grunt with a 237 horsepower rating.
All trim levels feature a six-speed automatic transmission with Kia's Sportmatic feature to emulate manual shifting, along with drive mode select to tweak performance and handling to changing conditions. All-wheel drive is standard across the entire Sportage range.
Kia cars are known for their value, and this extends to fuel economy too. Standard Sportage configurations offer figures of 10.8L / 100k (city) and 9.1L / 100km (highway).
As you'd expect, the turbocharged SX is thirstier, with an estimated rating of 12.L / 100km in the city and 9.6L / 100km on the highway.
Previous releases of the Sportage already scored highly for interior comfort, but the 2020 refresh takes things to a new level. An 8" display is now standard on all trims, with full control of audio, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity.
Higher trims extend the entertainment system to include dual LCD monitors, a premium audio system with digital sound processor, and a powerful 320w amplifier to drive up to 8 speakers.
The upgraded interior trim also looks the part, with its piano black instrument panel insert, piano black door panel inserts, and chrome-look interior accents all adding up to a modern and stylish appearance.
All 2020 Sportage models come with a full suite of airbags, along with important safety features including electronic stability control, anti-lock braking system, and driveline traction control.
However, the features in the higher trim levels have been greatly improved, with many options available including:
Considering all the improvements over previous releases, the 2020 Sportage is priced only modestly higher than before. The base LX trim now starts barely $500 more at an affordable $25,725. This rises to $39,995 for the full-featured SX trim, sneaking in just below the psychologically important $40k level.
To experience this highly comfortable yet affordable car for yourself, click here to arrange a test drive of the 2020 Kia Sportage in Calgary, or call in to our showroom to browse the full Kia range.
Categories: Kia Sportage