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7 reasons the Kia Sportage is THE crossover of 2017
Kia can do all-terrain compact SUVs in its sleep. But what really makes the Sportage stand out are its small details. Smart tech features, high-end stylings and clever uses of space make driving it a breeze
Temperature-controlled seats
Whether you end up huddled in a parka in the driving seat or having to dry off your sweat-drenched back at the end of a journey, there’s nothing like being too hot or too cold for making a drive uncomfortable. Thankfully, the Sportage’s heated and ventilated seats are able to make both a thing of the past, thanks to heated front and rear seats, as well as ventilated front seats to keep you cool on a summer’s drive.
Advertisement - Page continues belowBags of space
The Sportage’s boot can hold a considerable 491-litre load to start with, but with the flexible seats folded down, that capacity stretches to a yawning 1,480 litres. Doesn’t seem like such a compact SUV now, does it?
Speed Limit Information System
The Sportage intelligently uses its mounted camera to detect speed limit signs, and then displays the speed limit on the dashboard cluster. No more second-guessing the limits on residential roads, and hopefully no speeding tickets either.
Advertisement - Page continues belowLane Keep Assist System
The same camera will also detect which lane you’re in, and should you start to stray from it without indicating, the system will actively warn you. If needs be, it will even automatically steer you back to the straight and narrow.
Stylish interior design
Soft-touch materials and sophisticated metallic finishes make the inside of the Sportage a great place to be, a factor that becomes more crucial with every mile you drive. Why choose between style and substance when you can have both?
Rear-Cross Traffic Alert
We’ve all taken far longer than we should have done reversing into a main road or busy car park, simply because we couldn’t see what was coming. Thanks to the Rear-Cross Traffic Alert, there’s no more “Oh, I could’ve gone then after all”, because it alerts you to anything approaching the car while you reverse.
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system
The Sportage takes safety to a whole new level here. Late braking and braking with insufficient force causes a large proportion of road accidents, but the AEB helps guard against that by identifying critical situations early on, and warning the driver accordingly. Even when an accident cannot be avoided, it minimises the speed of collision as much as possible.
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