According to the manufacturer, 24 hours after the start of pre-orders for the Kia Sportage 5 in its native South Korea, 16,078 applications were received for the new model. This is an absolute record in the segment of mid-size crossovers of Korean production.
Kia believes that the new Sportage became a hit largely thanks to its interior, which has no analogues. Apparently, buyers were inspired by the unusual curved display, which is divided into two 12-inch blocks (one of them is a digital instrument panel, the second is a multimedia touchscreen).
However, the appearance of the Sportage has also noticeably evolved – it has nothing in common with the previous generation.
It should be noted that so far the Sportage 5 is presented only in South Korea. Prices for the new model there start from 22 thousand dollars. Buyers are offered two versions: petrol with a 1.6 engine (180 hp, 264 Nm) and diesel with a 2.0-liter unit (186 hp, 416 Nm). Both engines are turbocharged “fours”.
In the future, the new Sportage will have several more engines (including for other markets), as well as a hybrid powertrain and plug-in drive.
By the way, for the first time the Sportage will have several body… options. So, for Asia and America, an extended version is intended, while a standard version will come to Europe (it will be shown closer to autumn).
