Kia Gifts The Filipinos A bigger And Bulbous 2016 Sportage

MANILA: While the automotive industry and car gurus have their eyes stuck at the forthcoming 2016 Manila International Auto Show, Kia Philippines has stunned everyone by introducing their recent crossover.

In a market that has been seeing new crossovers every month, Kia has surprised the customers with 2016 Sportage prior to the show. As the crossover segment is heating up at a consistent rate, it will be interesting to see how this next generation of Sportage moulds the competition. While its prices might turn some people off, the feature rich package does manage to imbibe a justification to this new Kia crossover.

The most important characteristic for clocking success in the Philippines crossover segment is the looks. And this is one part that no one can pin-point any limitations in the all-new Sportage.

The entire range of variants of the 2016 Kia Sportage are powered by a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder CRDi diesel engine that has been tuned to jut out 184 hp of power, while its peak torque is rated at 402 Nm. Mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox, this engine is capable of satisfying every challenge that the user throws at it. Moreover, Kia has taken care of off-road enthusiasts too, as the EX variant also gets an all-wheel drive system, though it can be a bit costly as compared to its competitors.

The 2016 Sportage gets an aggressive face, owing to swept back projector headlights, which have been placed higher to enhance its stance. These headlight assemblies also get circular DRLs, providing the crossover its unique identity. Meanwhile, the tiger-nose grille has been shifted down, which designers claim to be more cooling-effective. Another eye-striking design element is the 'ice-cube' fog light, that are surrounded by a large blacked-out housing. Flared wheel arches and black plastic cladding running throughout the car's lower part adds a pinch of aggressiveness and dynamism. The tail has been given a rather conservative appeal, with LED taillights, and a plain tailgate, though the higher trims get a faux diffuser and twin-exhausts.

Step inside the cabin, and it instantly becomes apparent that the new Sportage gets a redefined cabin layout, that has been optimized for usability and convenience. The all-black cabin has given a driver oriented feel, by the split cockpit design. Brushed aluminum inserts and leather wrapped parts provide an upmarket feel to the cabin, while contrast stitching adds liveliness to the ambience. Since the new Sportage gets larger dimensions, it boasts of enhanced cabin area and storage space. As a result, the luggage space has now been scaled to 503 litres, marking an increment 38 litres as compared to the previous generation.

The all-new Sportage will be sold in the Philippines in three variants, with prices as follows:

• Kia Sportage EX 2WD - PhP 1,445,000
• Kia Sportage EX AWD - PhP 1,595,000
• Kia Sportage GT Line AWD - PhP 1,795,000

After this revelation, it remains to be seen when will Kia introduce the all-new Cadenza sedan in the domestic market, which was recently debuted at the 2016 New York International Auto Show.

Also Read: Kia showcases Optima Sportswagon at Geneva Motor Show