2024 Kia Sportage 1.6T 2WD High Review

The competition in Malaysia's C-Segment SUV market is becoming increasingly intense. Consumers are seeking both spatial practicality and high levels of intelligent features and performance. The 2024 Kia Sportage 1.6T 2WD High is targeting this niche market. As a mid-to-high-end version of the series, it not only continues the iconic design language of the Sportage family but also features optimized configurations and performance tuning. Can it become a strong contender in its class? In this test drive, we will focus on its design details, daily practicality, and driving performance, providing a real reference for everyone.

From the exterior, the 2024 Sportage 1.6T 2WD High boasts a rugged yet technologically advanced style. The front adopts Kia's signature "Tiger Nose" grille, featuring an internal black mesh structure that connects both sides to slender LED daytime running lights, resulting in high recognizability. The car's side profile displays smooth lines, with a waistline running from the front to the rear, enhancing the overall muscular feel. The 18-inch alloy wheels boast a dynamic design that complements the car's style. At the rear, the LED taillight bar spanning the width of the vehicle is a standout feature, creating a striking visual effect when illuminated. The silver skid plate below the rear bumper adds a touch of off-road flair. Regarding the lighting system, full LED lights, including headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights, come as standard. They offer excellent brightness and uniformity when lit at night.

Moving inside, the interior design is simple yet layered. The dashboard is wrapped in soft-touch materials, accented with silver trim, providing a comfortable tactile and visual experience. The 12.3-inch all-digital instrument cluster and the 12.3-inch central touchscreen are connected to form a continuous dual-screen design, enhancing the high-tech feel of the interior. The central screen operates smoothly and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making it convenient for daily use. The seats are wrapped in leather, with the front seats offering electric adjustments and heating functions. The seating comfort is commendable, providing decent support for the body. In terms of configurations, in addition to the ones mentioned, standard features include automatic air conditioning, a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry/start, rear air conditioning vents, among others, which suffice for daily needs.

In terms of space, the 2024 Sportage 1.6T 2WD High measures 4515mm in length, 1855mm in width, and 1650mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2680mm. The front seating area feels spacious, with a height of 175cm for the driver leaving about a fist's amount of headroom. The rear space also performs well, with approximately two fists of legroom and one fist of headroom remaining, making it comfortable even for three adults. Regarding storage capacity, the front door pockets, center armrest box, and glove compartment are practical enough. The rear door pockets and central cup holders also cater to daily needs. The trunk offers a standard volume of 543L, which can be expanded to 1780L by folding down the rear seats, allowing for larger luggage to be accommodated, offering strong practicality.

In terms of power, the car is equipped with a 1.6T turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with a maximum power of 177PS and a maximum torque of 265N·m, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. During actual driving, the power response in the starting phase is relatively quick, and the turbo lag is not obvious when it kicks in. The torque output in low-speed ranges is abundant, making daily urban driving relatively easy. During acceleration, the transmission shifts gears quickly, and the upshift and downshift logic are relatively clear. When the accelerator is deeply depressed, power can be continuously delivered, providing enough confidence for overtaking. Regarding driving modes, there are three options: Eco, Normal, and Sport. The power output and transmission shifting logic vary in each mode. In Sport mode, the power response is more aggressive.

In terms of handling and chassis performance, the steering wheel has moderate effort and relatively precise responsiveness, providing a good feel during daily driving. The chassis adopts a combination of a front MacPherson independent suspension and a rear multi-link independent suspension, which is tuned towards comfort while retaining a certain level of support. When dealing with bumpy roads, the suspension effectively filters out fine vibrations, ensuring good in-cabin comfort. When cornering, the body roll is kept within a reasonable range, offering decent stability. The braking system also performs in a linear manner, with an adequate braking distance, instilling confidence in the driver.

In terms of fuel economy, based on our actual tests, the fuel consumption is about 8.5L per 100km in urban driving conditions and about 6.8L per 100km on highways, with a combined fuel consumption of approximately 7.6L/100km. For a 1.6T SUV, this fuel economy is slightly above average among competing vehicles in its class.

Regarding driving and seating comfort, the cabin's noise control performs well, as wind and tire noise are kept within a reasonable range during high-speed driving, which won't interfere with conversations among passengers. The seats are quite comfortable, suitable for long periods of sitting without causing fatigue. Moreover, the car comes standard with a wealth of active safety features, including lane-keeping assist, active braking/active safety systems, forward collision warning, and rear parking sensors, further enhancing driving safety.

Overall, the 2024 Kia Sportage 1.6T 2WD High's key highlights include its stylish exterior design, extensive features, spacious interior, and balanced performance. Compared with competitors in the same segment, its interior technology sense and feature level both hold certain advantages, especially its dual-screen design and a variety of active safety configurations, which stand out among competitors in the same class.

This car offers a well-rounded performance and is suitable for both daily urban commuting and family trips. Its target consumers are primarily families who value balanced performance and practicality, as well as young people who pursue stylish exteriors and modern technological features. If you are looking for a C-Segment SUV with practical space, rich features, and balanced power performance, the 2024 Kia Sportage 1.6T 2WD High is worth considering.