Kia Sportage GT-Line – five seats – nothing spared

– Article/Photos by Rod Fuller –

The newly updated Kia Sportage range sees the GT-Line offer more mildly aggressive styling giving it a stronger and distinctive road presence. Especially with the LED headlamps (auto levelling) and DRL’s. There’s actually 18 individual lights on the front! (Yes, I counted them).

Seriously though, Sportage competes in one off the most contested segments in the market and is up against some really significant competitors in CX5, Outlander, Tucson and Koleos with all of their ‘Top of the Line’ models kicking about around the $50K mark.

What sets Sportage’s GT-Line apart though is that it has no equipment options. Everything offered, is standard on it! In fact, the only option offered on Sportage GT-Line is premium paint, which was a $520 “option” on the vehicle I drove taking it to a total cost of $48,210 plus on roads.

Standard features on the GT-Line Sportage are never ending. Inside, the cabin has a real high quality feel about it, that seems to be too good for its price point. Panoramic sunroof, leather seats, heated and ventilated in front as well as power adjustable (10 way driver, 8 way passenger) and an eight inch infotainment touchscreen display feature, along with dual-zone climate control. Apple Car Play/Android Auto, as well as Sat Nav, Bluetooth and a fantastically clear DAB radio plus superb eight speaker JBL stereo keep you both connected and entertained. There’s also wireless phone charging, three 12V outlets (two in front, one in rear seat) but strangely not one in the load area and two USB ports (one each in the front and rear).

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Space inside this mid-sized SUV is excellent, with plenty of head and leg room for all occupants, even in the rear. I especially noted how easy it was to get into and out of the rear seat with the rear doors opening really wide. This will be of particular assistance if you have need to fit car seats into the back for the little ones. Cargo volumes are very good as well at 466 litres with the back seats up and 1,455 litres back seats down, with a power tailgate as well.

Powering the GT-Line Sportage is the same 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo diesel engine (136kW/400Nm) as before, but it is now coupled with an eight speed auto, with three drive modes (Normal, Eco, Sport) and paddle shifters, sending the power to the wheels via the AWD transmission which also features locking centre diff to evenly split the power if the road gets a bit rough.

It’s a very spritely drive with the turbo diesel, giving you all the zip you’ll need getting about town or on the highway and fuel economy is good at 6.4lt/100km combined. For a SUV ride quality is very comfortable, even though it rides on 19” alloys (with a full size ally spare and 245/45R19 Hankook tyres), which I thought would’ve made it firmer.

The safety tech side of the GT-Line Sportage is just like – Wow! Everything is included! There’s Autonomous Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Downhill Brake and Hill Start Assist, Front and Rear Parking sensors rear view camera to name a few. But wait there’s more! GT-Line Sportage also has Intelligent Park Assist to automatically park the car for you!

The new Sportage GT-Line is a wonderful mid-sized SUV that has every feature you could want and then some. It will compliment any lifestyle with a vehicle that is very easy to live with every day.

Kia offers an industry leading seven year unlimited kilometre warranty, with 12 month 15,000km service intervals and a seven year capped price service program.

GT-Line is the ‘Top of the line’ that Kia has, in both the Sorento and Sportage offering all manner of convenience, comfort and practicality for your drive experience, with a quality and luxury feel that you would pay much more for in other brands. GT-Line really does offer you the full box and dice.

What does it look like as a Novated Lease?

This data is from the 2020 Novated Leasing Guide produced by Fleet Auto News.