ALL THE STYLE, MOST OF THE SUBSTANCE
FIRST LOCAL DRIVE
STARING AT THE 2022 Kia Sportage’s exaggerated styling – headlined bystriking, boomerangshaped LED daytime running lights – it’s most definitely an understatement to say Kia has come a long way as a brand since the original SUV debuted locally nearly 25 years ago.
Beyond an ever-increasing confidence in its approach to vehicle design, Kia’s Australian sales in 2021 have at times threatened to overtake those of affiliate Hyundai.
The fifth-generation version of its mid-sized SUV now gives it a completely fresh challenger to compete against the latest version of its Hyundai twin, the Tucson, released earlier in 2021, as well as the Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail and Subaru Forester. The prime target, though, is the category’s runaway sales leader – the Toyota RAV4.
The Sportage is missing a key weapon for now, however, launching without the new hybrid variant that would directly challenge the RAV4’s dominant petrol-electric version.
Expect it sometime in 2022. In the meantime, the Kia now matches the Toyota for size – sharing the Tucson’s new platform to grow about 17cm in length to 4.66 metres. Width and height nudge up slightly and the wheelbase extends
