The two Korean five-door chariots share the same platform and both are good looking, comfortable and deliver a very pleasant, confident ride. I spent a few weeks at the helm of the Tucson in December and in January swopped seats to take slide in behind the wheel of the new Kia Sportage 2.0-litre AWD turbo-diesel automatic.
When it comes to looks and refinement the latest Sportage is the more eye-catching of the two and smart enough to take on main league competitors such as the RAV 4, Ford Kuga, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and sibling Hyundai Tucson.
With its longer wheelbase, sporty 19-inch alloys and stylish roofline the Kia has acquired a much stronger European flavour. The interior, too, is far more elegant, comfortable and spacious than previous models.
The rear leg- and head-room is generous and I was particularly impressed with the back seats which can be reclined for comfort or folded flat to provide extra luggage space. Another new convenience is the high-lifting, push-button opening and closing tailgate.
A further step upwards is the easy to use Satnav and user-friendly climate control which also caters particularly well for rear passengers via individually adjustable back air vents.
However, the most appealing features of the latest Sportage is tucked in under the smartly pleated bonnet and down at tarmac level where the 2.0-litre engine kicks out 130kW and a healthy 400Nm to produce a sprightly punch which is transferred predominantly to the front wheels by an intelligent all-wheel drive system.
Although power goes mainly to the front wheels, the clever system “reads” conditions and drive style and can automatically split power between front and rear wheels to provide extra grip when required. The transmission can also be locked to a 50:50 distribution at low speed which is good for mud, thick sand and snow, but in reality will seldom be necessary in this country.
Another pleasant surprise was the aplomb with which the new Sportage tackles the twisties, even when under the crack of the whip, thanks to its new, smartly tweaked suspension. Although not pin sharp the steering is nicely weighted and fairly quick to respond to driver input.
The new 5-model Sportage range offers a choice of petrol or diesel engines (turbo-fed or normally aspirated), one with manual transmission and four with auto boxes, priced between R369,995 and R599,995 (prior to the annual January vehicle price increases).
