2024 Sportage GT-Line Hybrid Driven and Reviewed

I like Sportage, it is the Goldilocks SUV that deftly straddles wagon/hatch/off-roader in a classy package that is value for money, for now.

Apart from a few tasty additions like (wired) CarPlay/Android Auto, the 2024 model also got a nifty hybrid driveline. A hybrid is for those not ready for the full EV plunge, but want to dip a toe in the water by having a part-electric drive. It reduces fuel consumption without the need to plug in for charging.

For Punters who are still confused by the terms: hybrid drives still use petrol, electric cars do not.

Putting the pure-EV debate aside for this review, we move to the Sportage and the unique features that Sportage HEV (hybrid electric vehicles) models have secreted within.

DOWNLOAD brochure and Specifications HERE:kia-sportage-hybrid-brochure

Space saver spare wheel: This handy addition is something many models have made moot. Instead of giving in to the current temptation of “repair and inflation” kits, Kia has stuck with a physical spare wheel, albeit a thin one. Some people go through life never having had a flat, but for the rest of us, inflation kits are a bust, and never work when you need them to.

Space savers are generally rated for use up to 80kph to keep its hapless owner on the move. (NOTE: they’re not intended for permanent use, but for a very short period until the full-size tyre is mended)

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Car Review – 2024 Kia Sportage GT Line HYBRID – Full REVIEW

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ABOVE: 2024 Kia Sportage GT Line HYBRID – Full REVIEW

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Kia has limited the HEV to SX and GT-Line models, and while her petrol sisters get AWD options, the hybrid is only available in front-wheel-drive. Considering Toyota RAV4 AWD has a small electric motor driving the rear wheels, the FWD Kia offers FWD for the same money as RAV4 AWD (currently the most popular hybrid in the country).

Sportage HEV gets the nifty dial gear shifter and the GL-Line adds a heated steering wheel.

Interestingly the GT-Line no longer carries the badge on the back. It has been replaced by an HEV insignia to ensure its driver’s moral indignation is maintained.

The Cabin:

The curved display commands a suitably lofty position atop the dashboard. It combines 2×12.3” displays into a single unit (on the GT-Line) giving the impression of a suitably posh interior.

Apart from the usual functions, the displays will show the power flow so passengers can smugly maintain their resting “kind to polar bears” face. Sportage GT-Line also scores heated/cooled front seats and a Harman-Kardon audio system.

The rotary gear dial gives the console a modern look, and is a vast improvement on the cheap-looking knob-shifter in petrol models.

Gay buyers tell us they want value, class, quality, and design when it comes to cars. Those with families want room for kids, and the rest of us want something as chic as possible for the price.

DOWNLOAD brochure and Specifications HERE:kia-sportage-hybrid-brochure

The Drive:

This is about the time I normally bang on endlessly about an inadequate CVT and how awful it is. I then make excuses for it, saying “a hybrid is about the only place a CVT is more or less acceptable.”

Sportage GT-Line hybrid has an ace up its sleeve, a 6-speed automatic. While a 6-speed is a notch or two below expectation, it gives the hybrid the feeling of a regular driveline rather than the elastic band sensation of a CVT.

During normal operation I noticed a slight hesitation from time to time, especially at low speeds. When in EV mode, the ultra-smooth experience is akin to the magic glide EVs are known for. Otherwise, the 6-speed is initially hesitant unless under full acceleration. You learn to live with it so it isn’t an issue.

Like all hybrids, Sportage GT-Line hybrid does best in town.

It does its best to keep the small battery charged enough for brief periods in electric mode. It also works for longer periods in assist mode where both petrol and electric work together. The switch between function goes unnoticed unless the flow meter is on display in the centre screen. The 1.6 turbo is frisky when combined with the small electric motor and the 168kw/350Nm is good for 4.9l/100k.

Handling

Sportage GT-Line hybrid doesn’t feel quite as sharp as its petrol sister. The steering doesn’t feel quite as on pointe and the ride feels a little less compliant. Are the settings different to the regular Sportage, or does the addition of an electric assistant alter geometry?

It could well be that we just need another week or two to take it all in. Sportage GT-Line is still a joy to drive, easy to park, and with the hybrid system, cheap to run.

Conclusion

Kia has needed a hybrid for 20 years, and now has several of them on offer. The 6-speed auto is vastly preferable to the CVT in the opposition, and the cabin is still one of the best in the biz. None the less, while modern when launched, Sportage GT-Line doesn’t have the razor edge of EV9 and EV5.

A seismic shift is coming.

Sportage GT-Line hybrid is $60,000 with all on-road costs added. Chinese-priced newcomers have their sights squarely set on vehicles this size, for less money, often at drive-away prices.

Chinese carmakers have moved into the spaces once populated by Hyundai Group vehicles, and they are slaying the market. The quality has improved no end, and while it still has a way to go to come near Korean, Japanese and European brands, price-sensitive buyers have shown their willingness to try out something new.

All of those quivering mastheads ignore China at their peril.

@kia, #2024kiaSportageGTLineHybrid, #gaykia, #gaycarboys, #alanzurvas

Variant	Features *New HEV Features (different to Petrol Variants)
Sportage Hybrid SX FWD Auto RRP $45,950	Temporary Steel Spare Wheel Shift By Wire (Dial Type) 18” Machined Alloy Wheels 12.3” Touchscreen Infotainment Satellite Navigation Basic Digital Driver Cluster with 4.2″ Multi Function LCD Display Cloth Seats Dual-Zone Climate Control Folding Key 6-way Drivers Seat including height adjust (Pumping Device) 2-way Lumbar Support (Driver) Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold Parking Sensors (Front and Rear) Rear View Camera with Dynamic Parking Guidelines Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Sportage Hybrid GT-Line FWD Auto RRP $55,420	18” Machined Alloy Wheels Temporary Steel Spare Wheel Heated Steering Wheel Curved Display (12.3″ Digital Driver Cluster + 12.3″ Touch Screen Infotainment) Shift By Wire (Dial Type) Leather Appointed Seats ^[L] Smart Key with Push Button Start Panoramic Sunroof Electrochromic Rear View Mirror Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold Parking Sensors (Front and Rear) Surround View Monitor (SVM) Blind Spot View Monitor (BVM) Smart Power Tailgate Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 8-way Power Drivers Seat with 2-way Power Lumbar Support Heated and Ventilated Front Seats Privacy Glass (Rear Windows and Tailgate)