2022 Kia Sportage price and features: Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson alternative loads up on cost, equipment and safety

Kia Australia’s new-generation Sportage will be offered with three different engines spread across four grades when it lands in local showrooms with higher prices this month.

Revealed in June, the fifth-generation Sportage features a radical new exterior look, featuring a wide grille, sharp headlights and athletic proportions.

Now bigger than before, the 2022 Sportage measures 4660mm long, 1865mm wide, 1660mm tall and with a 2755mm wheelbase, making it more sizeable than the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 in all categories barring height.

All versions of the new Sportage sport a full-sized spare wheel, as well as a locally tuned suspension package “to cater to the unique nuances of Australian roads and the style of driving Australians’ best exhibit”, according to brand.

The three four-cylinder engines on offer are a 115kW/192Nm 2.0-litre petrol, a 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel and a new 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol.

The 135kW/237Nm 2.4-litre petrol engine that was previously available is now discontinued in the 2022 Sportage update.

The base 2.0-litre petrol engine is paired with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission and sends drive exclusively to the front wheels, whereas the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel and 1.6-litre turbo-petrol drive all four wheels via an eight-speed (torque converter) and seven-speed (dual-clutch) transmission respectively.

Kicking off the 2022 Sportage line-up is the S grade ($32,445 to $39,845 plus on-road costs, +$1955 - see full pricing table below), available with the base 2.0-litre petrol engine (in six-speed manual or automatic) and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.

Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, a 4.2-inch drive display, cloth interior and LED exterior lighting.

Handling multimedia duties is an 8.0-inch touchscreen with digital radio, six-speaker output, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay functionality and multi-device Bluetooth connectivity.

In terms of safety, the base Sportage is fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, blind-spot monitor, speed limit assis, and a front centre airbag.

The SX grade ($35,000 to $42,400, +$2410), meanwhile, is offered with the same powertrain options as the S, but equipment added includes 18-inch wheels, a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen with satellite navigation (and wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), dual-zone climate control, remote folding second-row seats, and rain-sensing wipers.

Moving up to the SX+ ($41,500 to $ 46,900, +$1710), the 2.0-litre petrol engine with manual gearbox is no longer offered, but the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine becomes available.

Equipment additions include 19-inch wheels, eight-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, synthetic leather seats, heated front seats, electronically adjustable driver’s seat, powered tailgate, LED front foglights, electrochromatic rear-view mirror, push-button start and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Customers can also choose between eight different exterior colours, five of which are new.

The top-spec GT-Line ($49,370 to $52,370, +$2380) is available only with the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol or 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, but also adds a curved 12.3-inch instrument cluster, leather and suede seats, electronically adjustable front passenger seat, cooled front seats, full LED tail-lights, wireless smartphone charger, interior ambient lighting, panoramic sunroof, alloy sports pedals and a surround-view monitor.

‘Clear White’ is the standard exterior hue, but ‘Steel Grey’, ‘Gravity Grey’, ‘Vesta Blue’, ‘Dawning Red’, ‘Fusion Black’, ‘Snow White Pearl’ and ‘Jungle Wood Green’ are also available for an as yet undisclosed sum. Of note, the latter two colours are only available on the SX+ and GT-Line grades.

2022 Kia Sportage pricing before on-road costs

UPDATED FROM: 03/09/2021