The fourth-generation Kia Sportage is in the twilight of its life, with a replacement expected to debut as soon as this year.
With a new model imminent, the Sportage enters 2021 unchanged. Pricing in Australia starts at $28,990 before on-road costs for the S manual, though Kia regularly offers drive-away deals.
Despite the lack of changes, prices have increased by $300 across the board. Kia says this is due to general exchange rate pressures.
The Sportage will face stiff competition this year not just from the indomitable Toyota RAV4 but also the dramatically redesigned Tucson from sister brand Hyundai, which is due here in the first half of this year.
Pricing
- 2021 Kia Sportage S manual: $28,990
- 2021 Kia Sportage S auto: $30,990
- 2021 Kia Sportage SX manual: $31,090
- 2021 Kia Sportage SX auto: $33,090
- 2021 Kia Sportage S diesel auto: $36,390
- 2021 Kia Sportage SX Plus auto: $38,290
- 2021 Kia Sportage SX diesel auto: $38,490
- 2021 Kia Sportage SX Plus diesel auto: $43,690
- 2021 Kia Sportage GT-Line auto: $45,590
- 2021 Kia Sportage GT-Line diesel auto: $48,490
All prices exclude on-road costs.
Engines
The 2021 Kia Sportage range comes with a choice of three powertrains.
The Sportage S, SX and SX Plus come standard with front-wheel drive and a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 114kW of power and 192Nm of torque. It’s mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, though the manual isn’t available in the SX Plus.
Optional across the entire Sportage range is a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine producing 136kW and 400Nm. All diesel models come exclusively with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Sportage GT-Line’s standard engine is a naturally-aspirated 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 135kW and 237Nm. It’s available only with all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission.
Fuel Economy
The 2021 Kia Sportage, when equipped with the standard 2.0-litre four-cylinder, consumes 7.9L/100km on the ADR combined city and highway cycle in both manual and automatic guise.
The 2021 Kia Sportage GT-Line, when equipped with the 2.4-litre petrol four, consumes 8.5L/100km.
Both petrol engines need only 91RON regular unleaded fuel and can run on E10.
The optional 2.0-litre turbo-diesel uses 6.4L/100km on the ADR combined city and highway cycle.
All Sportage models have a 62L fuel tank.
Dimensions
The 2021 Kia Sportage measures 4485mm long, 1655mm tall (including the roof rails) and 1855mm wide on a 2670mm wheelbase.
The Sportage’s total luggage space is 466L, increasing to 1455L with the rear seats folded. All models have a full-size spare underneath the load bay floor.
Braked towing capacity ranges from 1500kg for the 2.4-litre to 1600kg for the 2.0-litre petrol and 1900kg for the turbo-diesel. Maximum towball download is 100kg.
Safety
When the Kia Sportage was tested by ANCAP in 2016, it received a rating of five stars.
That rating was based on a frontal offset score of 13.62 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively.
All 2021 Kia Sportage models come standard with the following safety equipment:
- Autonomous emergency braking with forward-collision warning
- Lane-keeping assist
- Anti-lock brakes
- Front, front side and curtain airbags
The GT-Line adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
Servicing
All 2021 Kia Sportage models require servicing every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.
Kia offers seven years of capped-price servicing in addition to its seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
When equipped with the base 2.0-litre petrol four, the Sportage has an average cost per service of $401.
With the 2.4-litre petrol four, the Sportage’s average cost per service increases to $420, while the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel models have an average service cost of $530.
Standard Equipment
The 2021 Kia Sportage range comes in four trim levels.
The base Sportage S comes with the following standard features:
- 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Six-speaker sound system
- Reversing camera with rear parking sensors
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Automatic high beam
- Automatic headlights
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Remote central locking
- Dual-zone climate control
- Cruise control
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering column
- Selectable drive modes (automatic models only)
The Sportage SX adds the following standard features:
- 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Front parking sensors (auto models only)
- Eight-speaker JBL Premium sound system
The Sportage SX Plus adds the following standard features:
- Keyless entry and start
- Leather upholstery
- 10-way power driver’s seat
- Power tailgate
- Rear privacy glass
- 4.2-inch colour instrument cluster display screen
- Tyre pressure monitoring
The Sportage GT-Line adds the following features:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Semi-autonomous parking assist
- LED front fog lights
- LED headlights
- Eight-way power passenger’s seat
- Panoramic sunroof
- Adaptive cruise control
- Qi wireless phone charging
- Flat-bottomed steering wheel
- Paddle shifters
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Alloy pedals
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