The Kia Sportage 2.0L 2WD High Spec is proof that most people overestimate how much car they actually need.
In July I had the task of transporting my friend, his wife, and my parents to Cameron Highlands. My friend was attempting his first 60KM Cameron ULTRA trail run. His wife was there to support him. My parents were there so I could make a holiday out of our 4 day stay up in the hills. At first, I expected I would need an MPV for this journey. We were, after all, moving 5 adults with enough clothes for 3 cold nights, plus some running gear, laptop bags. As it turned out, no MPV was available on my travel dates. I would have to make do with something normal sized.
It turns out, the perfect ‘normal sized’ SUV was available – a Kia Sportage with a naturally-aspirated engine. Most Malaysians don’t know this but the current generation Sportage is actually the long-wheelbase model, making it larger from wheel to wheel versus the current segment ‘king’, the CR-V while matching its bootspace. So I still managed to seat 5 adults in perfect comfort with all their luggage in the back.
To the average reader, the Kia Sportage probably comes across as another run of the mill option, especially in the ‘mid-spec’ 2.0L 2WD variant. I see it differently. First of all, the ride and handling of this thing is leagues ahead of your average family SUV. It can handle the twists and turns of the Tapah-Tanah Rata stretch with a full load with the poise of a premium European vehicle.
To me, handling is part of passive safety and the Sportage is one of the few cars in this crowded segment that actually drives ‘organically’. Plus, there’s a tonne of ultra-high strength steel in its construction, 6 airbags, and sufficient ADAS functionality, so my occupants were in good hands.
Secondly, the combination of a 2.0L naturally-aspirated engine, 6-speed conventional automatic transmission, and 2WD is actually my favourite drivetrain from Kia. The powerband is linear, making acceleration easy to gauge. It is whisper-quiet and highly economical on the highway—the kind of engine that takes generations to perfect, which is exactly what Kia has done. While the 1.6L turbo with the 7-speed DCT is the flagship pairing, it isn’t quite best-in-class.
The 2.0L, however, is easily in the top percentile. Heading up the mountain range with a full vehicle is all about being in the right gear. The tiptronic-style shifter in the Sportage put me in the powerband when I needed to do uphill overtakes and kept pressure off the brake pads on our descent. I never once felt that having a turbo with a DCT would have made things better.
Thirdly, it’s actually competitive. Think about this: if you’re conservatively minded, the only Japanese mass market SUV you can buy in this segment is the Corolla Cross or Honda CR-V. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the CR-V’s king of the hill but they’re all in on hybrid and turbo tech at the moment, so there’s no love for naturally-aspirated engines. The Corolla Cross on the other hand is a very compromised product in this class. Its got a torsion beam rear suspension and it’s technically more of a HR-V competitor, as Toyota fights the Honda CR-V off with the RAV4 in most other markets.
In this 2.0L 2WD High guise, the Sportage is regularly discounted to RM138,800. At that price, there is NO CR-V you can buy new and the Corolla Cross 1.8 V is only RM8,800 less expensive but also a whole segment down in terms of size and it offers noticeably less power, less torque objectively speaking. Sure, there’s also a Hyundai Tucson available close to the price of this discounted Sportage, but that variant lacks a bunch of ADAS features and some equipment like a powered driver seat and tailgate that many will appreciate.
It’s worth talking about equipment while we’re on the topic. This variant of the Sportage is a bit of a compromise, but I think that it’s a pretty decent compromise. There’s no 360-degree camera, but they’ve made up for it by including rear cross traffic alert. I found this feature really useful in the heavy rain when visibility was at its lowest.
The Blind Spot Monitor was also really handy on the highway. ‘Rear-Facing’ ADAS is usually the first place manufacturers skimp on to bring better value. With the Kia Sportage 2.0L High, you’re still getting these safety features and more. They make a difference in day-to-day driving without a doubt.
There are also the little things that the Kia Sportage does right.
- The key fob feels and looks really high-quality.
2. You have a nice mix of USB Type A and Type C ports around the cabin including on the seats for rear passengers
3. The seat backs come with ‘tapau’ hooks and rear passengers get air cond blowers
4. The wiper and light status gets displayed on the driver instrument cluster
5. Physical controls for core driving features
6. A spare tyre is supplied
7. The rear seats can be reclined
Spending that extended holiday with the Sportage made me realise that Malaysians actually overestimate just how much they need out of their vehicles. I myself am guilty of this. I want a car that can seat 7 when moving even 5 people is a once in a year affair. I want a car with instant power and lots of it, when I’m trying to maximise my fuel savings 99% of the time. I want something with modern, world-class construction but want something simple enough that it lasts forever. The Sportage did everything I actually needed and more in very challenging conditions without standing out. At this price, it’s really everything a typical Malaysian family actually needs.
Kia Sportage 2.0L High Specifications
Engine: 4-Cylinder Smartstream MPI DOHC
Capacity: 1,999cc
Power: 154 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Torque: 192 Nm @ 4,500 rpm
Transmission: 6-Speed Conventional Automatic
Price: RM138,800
