Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), the exclusive distributor of Kia vehicles in the Philippines, unveiled the 4th Generation Kia Sportage at Capitol Commons yesterday. The all-new Kia Sportage variants which will be made locally available are the EX 2WD, EX AWD, and the highly-touted GT Line AWD. Powered by R 2.0L in-line 4 e-VGT CRDi DOHC Euro 4 Diesel engine that improves emissions, fuel efficiency, NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness), and response.
This Kia Sportage has already gained the attention of motoring experts as it received the prestigious 2016 Red Dot Award for Product Design, a global distinction that recognizes ground-breaking automotive designs.
Kia’s European design studio in Frankfurt, Germany spearheaded the 4th generation Sportage’s powerful, new form. The overall concepts of the Sportage are sporty, energetic, and dramatic. Pronounced by the Kia Sportage’s straight lines, muscular stance, and dramatically-chiseled look.
The face of the all-new Sportage features one of the biggest changes to the earlier generations. The headlamps are now higher, sweeping back along the outer edges of the sharply-detailed bonnet and a lower, wider grille adds more volume to the lower half of the vehicle’s façade. Up front, the headlamps with circular DRLs and fog lamps with chrome aeroblades adds sporty appeal to the Sportage’s while the sophisticated design of the LED rear combination lamps and the horizontal chrome bar distinguishes it from all others.
The re-profiled undercover and the newly-designed bumper also make this the most aerodynamic Sportage to date. Straight, flowing character lines stretching across the body and the coupé-like roof, the rear underbody diffuser, and the rear-spoiler side garnish all combine to reduce drag and enhance aerodynamic performance.
Comfort and usability are given the most attention when the interior design team created the Sportage’s high quality, new cabin.
Its wide, driver-oriented dashboard has a lateral design that divides the cockpit into two, clear zones. The ‘display’ zone is focused purely on delivering pertinent information to occupants through the instrument binnacle, infotainment, human-machine interface system in the center of the dashboard. The ‘control zone,’ on the other hand, has functions easily accessible when on the move. The all-new Sportage’s cabin also boasts of a far greater proportion of soft-touch, first-class materials and the use of cloth, leather, and stitching compared to the older generations.
An enhanced riding experience is achieved by increasing headroom and legroom while improving support, posture, and vibration of seats. This generation of the Sportage expanded its cargo space from 465 liters to 503 liters making it the ideal partner on the road.
GT Line
Engineered for an even more dynamic drive, a GT Line specification adds a different kind of flair and performance to the true sporting spirit of the all-new Kia Sportage.
The GT Line models feature satin chrome moldings on the radiator grille, aero blade, tail gate, side sill, and window surround moldings, giving the Sportage a more upscale appearance.
New “ice-cube” LED fog lamps, aluminum-effect skid plates, and 19-inch alloy wheels also give a more aggressive look, while its dual-tip exhaust tailpipes and metal-effect rear underbody add an even sportier appeal.
Several differentiating interior elements such as D-shaped leather steering wheel, high quality piano black fascia, aluminum alloy pedals, and paddle shifters underline the Kia Sportage GT Line’s polished ambiance inside.
Performance-wise, GT Line models are fitted with unique suspension characteristics specifically tuned to provide sharper handling and firmer rides without sacrificing comfort.
Prices are as follows:
Sportage EX 2WD – P1,445,000
Sportage EX AWD – P1,595,000
Sportage GT Line AWD – P1,795,000
Start your journeys with Sportage
To experience all these, Kia is also launching My Sportage Destination, an online platform for the public to share how they will maximize the all-new Sportage for their favorite road trip destinations!
Visit www.MySportageDestination.com to register and to answer questions about road trips aboard a Sportage. Three winners will get a chance to test-drive the all-new Kia Sportage and to win an amazing getaway for four.
Photos by Neil Pagulayan and KiaPH