Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid: full details revealed
- Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid revealed
- 265PS and electric-ony range of 48 miles
- Priced from £38,395, first deliveries in April
Full details have been revealed of the Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid which is on sale now priced from £38,395 and competes with PHEV versions of cars like the Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen Tiguan and Ford Kuga.
The Kia is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine that is backed up by an electric motor and a 13.8kWH battery, giving it an electric-only range of up to 48 miles and an official fuel economy figure of up to 252mpg, which, as with all PHEVs, will drop rapidly when the battery goes flat. Charging the battery from empty takes as little as 1hr 45m using a 7.2kW wall charger.
The beauty of the Sportage PHEV is you also get decent performance. The electrified Kia serves up 265PS and 350Nm of torque which is enough to whisk you from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds and onto a top speed of 119mph via a standard six-speed automatic gearbox.
Low emissions of 25g/km mean the Kia carries a seven per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax rate, making a huge saving for company car buyers versus a conventional petrol or diesel model.
Prices start from £38,395 for a GT Line model which comes with kit such as 19-inch alloy wheels, tinted windows and a body kit. Inside, you get a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and suede leather upholstery, electric lumbar support and keyless entry.
Sportage ‘3’ models are priced from £39,595 and swap the GT Line model’s sporty looks in favour of giving you more equipment. Their standard kit list includes fake leather seats, electrically adjustable front seats, heated front and rear seats, active cruise control, a 12.3-inch display in place of conventional dials and three-zone climate control.
Sportage ‘4’ models go another step further and have a starting price of £41,795. Scrolling indicators and dual LED headlights mark them out from lowlier models on the outside, while inside you’ll find a healthy kit list that adds to the Sportage 3’s standard kit with a 360-degree camera, a blind-spot warning system, wireless phone charging and a Harman Kardon stereo.
Priced from £43,795, GT-Line S models sit at the top of the range. They get the sporty looks of the GT Line but with all the kit of the Sportage ‘4’ plus 10-way electrically adjustable front seats that are ventilated and an electrically operated tailgate.
The new Kia Sportage is on sale now with first deliveries expected in April.
