As mentioned previously, I’m away to Spain mid September, ferry to Santander then a week in Vielha ( walking in the Spanish Pyrenees) before my usual 4/5 week rental on the northern C Blanca, a good base for walking in the mountains of the Marina Alta.
Thought I’d buy a 2018/19 Vitara 1.4 SZ5 for the trip, top of the range with pano roof. And in all likelihood keep it post trip.
The wife of a pal tells me she is on her second Sportage, currently a 19 plate , 1.6 diesel manual, and despite lots of short journeys, with the occasional longer one, has experienced no DPF problems and highly recommends it. So much so that I’ll check one out...probably the model 4 with all the bells and whistles. I appreciate that with my low annual mileage a diesel should not be considered, but I’m tempted.
A size up from the Vitara, but probably a nicer place for a long road trip, better quality interior, and I’d appreciated the heated seats and steering wheel in the winter months...neither of which are even options on the Vitara.
It will cost a few £k more than a Vitara of the same age, but that’s ok.
Anyone any experience of running a Sportage or thoughts ?
ps. The GR Yaris is definitely a keeper, despite its impracticality and other minor flaws.
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Worth thinking about.
Given our Berlingo is 10 now I'm thinking of replacements.
Can't get my head around the Kia/Hyundia ranges and where they're sisters under the skin.
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Had a Sport Aggie as renter a couple of times. Can’t say anything bad about them. White goods sort of cars really. Hyundai Tucson might also work. Or one of the Skodas beginning with a K.
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...my '62 reg Sportage (2.0 diesel AWD) was the worst of the 4 cars I've had since retirement.
Multiple issues, all eventually sorted, but not an encouraging spot of ownership. Fuel consumption was poor as well.
Steering problems from scratch, which took a long time to sort (and I had to advise the dealer how to do so after trawling the web!).
Fit and finish issues (niggly but things like folding mirrors unable to return to normal due to body "interference").
Final straw was a broken front spring, which luckily went (and I head) as I was pulling off the drive.
A car I wanted to like, but didn't.
(The redesigned current version might well be better, but I would take some persuading to consider the marque again)
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I have a 2.0 diesel AWD KX3 17 plate. Don't do a lot of mileage now and it sits at 39K. It succeeds my 14 plate vehicle of the same spec. Currently returning around 39MPG.
I love it. Has an elevated seating position and a lazy tourquey engine being a diesel.
Had no particular issues other than the stiff steering which is a known issue of the steering rack grease drying out as its near the exhaust manifold. Quick fix.
Ive not had many opportunities to really test the AWD as its only on demand when the conditions require.
The only slight downside is the boot space which although adequate requires the rear seat down if carrying a bigger load. A normal estate tends to have more space.
Of course my dealer servicing experiences, or lack of, are well documented on here. But Kia haven't a monopoly of lifting customers legs.
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Pal has a two year old diesel Duster that gets a lot of (ab)use and not a lot of pampering. Says it doesn’t seem to mind.
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An exceedingly wealthy mate has a 2015/6 Suzuki Vitara and loves it.
It's the model with a normally aspirated 1.6 petrol lump. Has 4x4 and semi auto wing mirrors - you need to fold them automatically.
Has been very reliable.
I have the sister of the Sportage, a Hyundai Tucson with a 1.6diesel and 48v mild hybrid thing with a DCT box. 2021 pre new model.
I would say it's a competent car. It never surprises me re road holding / handling. Despite being 136bhp the MH bit helps with acceleration.
The interior is certainty more upmarket than the Suzuki. Touch wood, no mechanical or DPF issues despite doing only a fraction of the mileage I was supposed to be doing in it.
I previously had a 2016/17 Tucson DCT that refused to accelerate occasionally even when full throttle down a hill. Of course it never materialised for the dealer so videod it and a tech from head office got the parts to fix it and it was trouble free since.
Last edited by: zippy on Sun 25 Jun 23 at 17:16
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I’ve another milestone birthday next month...in fact every birthday is at my age.
After the Focus Active estate 18 month episode, where on paper it was a good choice, I’m at a point in my driving life where if it ain’t right, it goes. Fortunately I live in a part of the world where driving can be pleasurable...the myriad of motor bikers and car rallies tells its own tale.
The GRY puts a grin on my face, even after almost a year, but there are times when it just isn’t practical. I know, and feel a little guilty, that owning 2 cars will be conspicuous consumption, but I can live with that. But the GRY takes me back to my younger motoring days when I had the good fortune to own an RS2000 ( it was old, tatty and I road rallied it in a Motor Club with an outstanding lack of success) a 205 GTi (B211 UCP) and a Golf Gti (AUM 880X). So it’s going to be a keeper. The final hurrah.
I’ve been spoilt with nice options on recent cars....heated steering wheel, opening pano roofs, heated seats etc and a Sportage would give me those which the Vitara doesn’t. Sunroof apart.
And it has a CD player, although my CDs are gathering dust somewhere.
Next step is a road test....and a drive in my friends newly acquired Vitara which cost the same as the 2018/19 era Sportage I’d be looking at.
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I guess if you wanted one car to “do everything” you could get a Porsche Macan or something?
Oh wait… ;-)
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>> I guess if you wanted one car to “do everything” you could get a Porsche
>> Macan or something?
>> Oh wait… ;-)
>>
Almost but not quite.
I could never take it into Bradford for a curry. Or anything else. Far too risky given the lawlessness in that part of the third world.
It wasn’t the best for roughing it up narrow lanes with overhanging hedges, and I’d never drive it in Spain up some of the loose surface potholed single track mountain roads I use to access walking routes.
And you could become paranoid about parking it anywhere where it may get bumped or scratched. I didn’t, but finding parking spaces in supermarket car parks away from the majority of cars became second nature.
Great car the GTS, don’t regret buying it for a second, but don’t miss it that much if I’m brutally honest. Which validates why I sold it after 3.5 years.
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>> Did it like curry? ;-)
>>
Preferred sauerkraut.
Tommi Toyota isn’t a picky eater. Like the owner.
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One thing I hate about Kias is if you get an automatic then the great lever is the old T shape that looks like it had came out a Mark 4 Cortina.
Not relevant of course if it’s a manual you are getting. But just needed to get that off my chest.
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If the Vitara us still in your sights the interior was upgraded in 2019. I don’t know the full scope but I know it included a softer dash. I don’t fuss about the plastics at lower levels of the cabin but I do find the hard dash on my daughter’s 2017 mildly annoying.
It’s also a 1.6 and as a passenger it feels as if you need to time your moves carefully. Sometimes driving like that can be enjoyable but I prefer the prospect of the 1.4 turbo.
Prices are still daft though. My daughter paid £10k for hers just before prices went up (2021 I think). I seem to recall preregistration 1.4s were advertised then at about £14k. That won’t even buy a good three your old one now.
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That’s what I said...updated in 2018 for MY2019. FWD, don’t need ALLGRIP, 1.4 manual SZ5.
All newish second hand cars are holding their value...my Focus Active estate, with all the options, depreciated £10 ( a tenner) in my 18 month ownership. Then sold for £2k more within 3 days of going on sale at the Vauxhall dealer who bought it.
I don’t think there are any bargains out there on newish second hand cars.
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Ah, when you mentioned 2018 in your first post I forgot that late 2018 cars might be 2019 model year versions. I still fancy one as a second car but resent the prices. I agree the manual fed SZ5 is the sweet spot. The auto and Allgrip are well-regarded too of course.
I’ll be interested to see what you end up with.
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Not as interested as me :-)
For me the 1.6 diesel manual Sportage is the sweet spot....some nice standard features on that model....having had them on previous cars, I like a heated steering wheel ( yes, I know driving gloves do a similar job) and the 360 surround camera was useful on a previous car. Shame there isn’t a head up display...my previous two cars had it and i think its a great feature.
And physical buttons for heater controls are always my preference, as is a spare wheel.
Last edited by: legacylad on Tue 27 Jun 23 at 22:48
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KIA Sportage - Kia Sportage 2018/19 - Bromptonaut
