Kia Sportage 1,6 GDI Ignite
Kia ushers in a value-packed entry point to its updated Sportage crop
IN the automotive sphere, refreshes are often quite subdued affairs, with a simple case of tweaking a design element here and changing specification there. While this is largely true of the treatments doled out to the Kia Sportage, there’s bigger news in the guise of a model-range realignment ushering in a value-packed entry point to the Sportage stable: the 1,6 GDI Ignite.
Indeed, discernable cosmetic changes are thin on the ground. A larger take on the brand’s signature “tiger-nose” grille and a mild massage of the bumpers, along with ever-so-subtle dashboard element updates, is about the tall and short of it. The carmaker has introduced a new selection of alloy wheel designs in 16-, 17- and 19-inch sizes, plus a handful of additional paintwork options.
Kia SA has dropped the more expensive variants – the SX AWD models and 1,6 Gt-line AWD – and shifted the balance of its Sportage line-up towards more wallet-friendly offerings. The engine range has also been trimmed down to the well-known 2,0-litre petrol and turbodiesel units, plus this new entry-level 1,6-litre petrol engine.
With a modest 97 kw and 161 N.m on tap tasked with propelling a 1 500 kg vehicle via an automatic gearbox, performance is a mixed bag and a heavy foot is needed when overtaking. The transmission, however, is, smooth in its shifts and, once speeds even out, mechanical refinement improves markedly.
The handling is fluid and progressive and, being perched on 16-inch rims shod with plump 70-profile tyres, the Ignite’s ride is supple and resistant to jitter on rippled road surfaces. Our flowing route between the Winelands and Cape Town saw the 1,6 return an average fuel consumption of 8,4 L/100 km, which is reasonable but not stellar.
Alongside its five-year/90 000 km service plan and an unlimitedkilometre warranty of half a decade, the 1,6 GDI Ignite is decently equipped. Features such as electric windows and mirrors, manual air-conditioning, rear park-distance control and a Bluetooth-enabled audio system are standard fitment. Despite the Ignite’s budget placement, Kia hasn’t skimped on safety equipment, with the likes of Isofix, six airbags, ABS with EBD and a suite of stability control systems included as standard.
At R379 995, the 1,6 GDI Ignite sits squarely in previously inaccessible territory occupied by the smaller Toyota C-HR and Suzuki Vitara, and just a few grand below the Mazda CX-5 2,0 Active. If you can make peace with its leisurely performance, the 1,6 GDI is a welcome addition to that sub-r400k segment.