Kilometres travelled
10,000 - 25,000 km
Did you buy this car new or used?
New
How much did you pay? (including all on-road costs)
38000
What were your needs when you bought this car? Has it fulfilled those needs?
Was looking for a new car that offered good space, economy, performance and value for money together with a good range of safety features - including adaptive cruise control. The Sportage offered a very good match for what I was looking for and while I hadn't originally been considering a diesel vehicle the additional open road drivability and performance that the diesel offered put it ahead of the petrol variants of the Sportage.
What were your initial thoughts about the car? Tell us why it appealed to you.
The size/space combination that the Sportage offered was appealing, together with the overall drivability and value. I appreciated the range of safety features, even down to including a full-size spare, on-demand all wheel drive and ease of driving in stop-start traffic that came with the adaptive cruise control.
What have you discovered since owning the car?
25,000 kms in and the Sportage still looks, drives and smells like new. Previous new cars that I have owned (Subaru and Suzuki particularly) have shown their age much more quickly. While the SUV height was not something I was particularly looking for the lack of small to mid-size station wagons really limited alternatives, particularly in the price bracket.
What do you like/dislike about the car?
I have appreciated the effortless performance, particularly on the open road, especially combined with excellent open road fuel economy. The car is comfortable, roomy, reliable and really versatile. After sales service from Waikato Kia has been good and the car continues to meet most of my needs. On the flipside, the SUV height is not great for my ageing dog and the round town fuel economy (at around 8l/100km) is not fantastic - but much better than my previous Subaru.
Reliability
5
Features/technology
4
Performance/economy
3
Value for money
4
Overall rating
4
Lastly, would you buy this vehicle again?
Yes
Why would/wouldn't you buy it again?
Would be tempted to go hybrid or fully electric next time but would absolutely recommend a Kia Sportage diesel to anyone who needed a versatile, good to drive, reasonably economical vehicle, especially if there needs included a vehicle good at long-distance commuting.