Kia Sportage hybrids arriving

Kia’s Sportage HEV is arriving in Australian dealerships.

The Sportage Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) has a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol-electric hybrid system.

The 132kW/265Nm four-cylinder petrol engine is matched with a 44kW/264Nm electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium-ion polymer battery (combined petrol and electric output is 169kW and 350Nm). It is the same system as Kia has in the bigger Sorento Hybrid.

The Sportage has a s-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive and a claimed combined fuel consumption of 4.9L/100km, on the ADR 81/02 combined fuel cycle.

Kia Australia’s chief executive Damien Meredith tells us: “The Sportage range is an integral part of Kia’s sales initiatives and we anticipate sales of the HEV to be around 300 per month, contributing 20 per cent of total Sportage sales volume. The Sportage HEV is another solid step in Kia’s progress of increasing electrified options to the Australian market.”

The Kia Sportage HEV is available in two trims; SX FWD Auto at $45,950 and GT-Line FWD Auto $55,420.

Stephen Scourfield