Hybrids can have different breeds. Some, these are mostly from Japanese brands, aim for fuel efficiency. Then, there are some, who feel sporty but a bit arcade-ish; they’re fast, but the engagement just isn’t there. Kia manages to combine the two with their Turbo Hybrid system. Only, they’ve made it better in the Sportage. Their global best-selling model has finally arrived in the Philippines and after two days of driving it, it’s easy to understand why many are flocking towards it. It drives the fine line of efficiency and sportiness without much effort.
At first glance, the Sportage looks like a smaller Sorento. Only eagle-eyed viewers can instantly differentiate the two, and that’s not exactly a bad thing as both are good-looking. Open the cabin and it’s familiar—similar to the Sorento but also different.
It has the same panoramic assembly for the digital screens, a rotary shifter on the center console, and the dual-function button array under the center vents. But the Sportage makes do with a black interior theme, a neat two-spoke steering wheel, and a more driver-centric layout.
There’s nothing to complain about the cabin, really. There’s a lot of space even for a big boy like me. The occupant in front was a 5’10 (177 cm) dude and me at 5’7 (170 cm) still found respectable leg space at the rear. Seats are cushioned well and the ergonomics are great that there’s hardly any fatigue even after a long drive.
For the Sportage’s top trim, the SX, there’s nothing else to look for unless you really want a panoramic sunroof. It has wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, all USB ports are Type C, there’s a wireless charger, and a Harman Kardon sound system which makes even the lamest podcast sound good.
Now what really makes the Sportage fun is what’s under the hood. It has the same 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid system as the Sorento that also results in 235 horsepower and 367 Nm of torque. The difference is, this Sportage is much lighter. That powertrain felt menial on the 7-seater Sorento but here, it made the Sportage a prime boxer. Light on its feet, dancing on the ring, and always ready to pounce.
All that power isn’t wasteful even if you go on a spirited drive on the mountains—at least in our experience. From Seda Manila Bay, we went to Cavite’s inner roads to make a long drive towards Tagaytay. All those uphills, traffic, and curves make up for a more scenic driving experience and once we reached Twin Lakes Hotel, we only consumed 1 of the 12 fuel bars of the car for 21.27 km/L. One car in our convoy even had all 12 intact.
This is even more surprising when you realize it only has a 1.49 kWh battery. It’s really small especially when compared against Chinese hybrids but Kia utilizes it so well.
This can be attributed to the Sportage’s efficiency-focused system. There’s no EV button to speak of, but ginger applications of the throttle or at coasting, it will automatically switch to all electric mode. What separates Kia’s system from the others is that the same functionality happens at higher speeds too. You will see the RPMs drop to zero even when running at 80 to 100 km/h as long as you’re coasting or maintaining that speed.
What makes the Sportage really fun and efficient though are its paddle shifters. They still have that dual-functionality found in the Sorento wherein they adjust your regenerative braking when in Eco mode, then reverts to transmission control in Sport mode. The difference here is it’s more engaging to use since the engine is more responsive, given the better power-to-weight ratio.
Use the sport mode on the highways while overtaking slow cars on the left lane, then go to Eco mode and use the max regenerative level for recuperating energy back when you’re decelerating. It has a learning curve if you want to maximize it but at least you still have that engaging experience here unlike in other legacy electrified cars.
It’s easy to dismiss the Kia Sportage as expensive with its P 2-million price point for the two variants. Its strengths are something that cannot be seen by merely looking at a spec sheet or comparing it line by line towards a competitor. Give it a chance and you’ll be instantly hooked. You don’t need to do a long drive. Just go to Eco mode and flick the paddle shifters, then go to Sport mode and do the same. If you’re the type of person that seeks efficiency but also some excitement on the weekends, then this is definitely worth a test drive.
Words and Photos by Vincent Villa
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