During the brief time I have experienced our long-termer, the Sportage went from being one of my favourite family SUVs to arguably the champion of the class. It’s for good reason, then, that it’s been named as a finalist in the 2023 South African Car of the Year competition. It boasts an impressive breadth of ability and an exceptionally long list of standard features for the money. Sure, R749 900 is an eye-widening amount of money for a vehicle in this segment; however, this places it squarely in the realm of the popular Volkswagen Tiguan. The flagship Kia slots in between the R-line badged 110 kW (R722 300) and 162 kW (R795 900) models of the Tiguan, and offers a handy 132 kW to bridge the gap.
For me, the interior is a real highlight one of the best in this class, regardless of price. It looks terrific, feels well made and is remarkably user-friendly, although I did still occasionally find myself wishing that the switchable controls for the audio and air-con were just a little bit larger, to make them easier to operate while driving. You feel like you're sitting quite high, with fantastic all-round visibility, and the seat is at the ideal height for sliding in or out easily, exactly what you want in an SUV. The infotainment system software is hard to fault too; despite being touch-only in operation, it's snappy and easy to use.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة CAR May 2023 من CAR South Africa.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة CAR May 2023 من CAR South Africa.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Toyota Fortuner
Considered by many as the quintessential adventure SUV, the Fortuner is about as strong a used buying proposition as you can get in this segment. We take you through the things to look out for and list two rivals for comparison.
MIND THE HURDLE
With a repaired car and a point to prove, Alex Shahini returned for Round 3 of the Toyota GR Cup at Zwartkops Raceway to achieve a career-best finish
KING OF KILLARNEY
For four decades, Denis Joubert was directly involved with the creation, development and ongoing success of Cape Town's international motorsport venue, Killarney. Having just celebrated his 90th birthday, we talk to the man whose contribution to South Africa's motor-racing heritage is priceless....
Selecting the 4WD SYSTEM for your needs
As 4WD SUVS and double cabs grow in popularity, more first-time buyers face the challenge of selecting a vehicle with a drivetrain that best meets their requirements. We explain the key differences between the all-wheel drivetrains available
Kia Picanto 1.0 LX MT
Kia's ever-popular budget hatch has recently received a range of exterior and interior updates - we test the entry-level variant to see if it remains a force to be reckoned with in this highly competitive segment
Super C
The fastest and most technologically advanced flagship C-Class to date, AMG's C63 S has evolved into an electrified uber-sedan. Has this mighty model forsaken some character in pursuing this status? We strapped our test equipment to the new shooting star.
Bentley's Brutes
A break in proceedings during an exclusive preview of the fourth-generation Bentley Continental GT afforded us an opportunity to sample the stately yet hair-raising Bentayga S
RUNNING UP THAT HILL
Now in its 14th year, the Simola Hillclimb continues to combine adrenaline-fuelled competition with showcasing some of the most appealing classics out there in a heady mix that keeps local petrolheads coming...
BAND OF BROTHERS
Complete with rugged bakkie-based underpinnings that encourage off-the-beaten-track venturing, largely proven powertrains that afford maximum range and towing capability, and brand names with enviable respective reputations for reliability, adventure SUVs remain the favourite of thousands of South Africans.
TWELVE OF THE BEST
Ferrari keeps things suitably old-school with its V12-engined 12Cilindri GT
