By Otsile Kadiege

Kia South Africa this week introduces the limited-edition Sportage GT Line to its Sportage range. Boasting a host of standard features and complemented by sporty styling enhancements and a powerful turbo-petrol engine. 

Exterior design 

The GT Line derivative sets itself apart from the rest of the range selection of stylish additions, including distinctive LED combination lamps front and rear, dual exhaust outlets resplendent in chrome trim, model-specific skid plates and striking 19-inch alloy wheels. 

Interior design and technology 

Inside, the GT-Line boasts smart two-tone, diamond-patterned and perforated artificial leather trim on the seats, a glossy finish on the centre console, a GT-Line-specific flat-bottomed steering wheel, and a comprehensive 4.2-inch colour instrumentation cluster.

The above features are in addition to the following standard items: smart entry with push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-folding mirrors, 8-inch HD touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, electrically adjustable front seats, including lumbar support, seat heating for front and rear passengers, bi-LED headlights with an auto-on/off function, height-adjustable powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof, wireless smartphone charging, electro-chromatic rear-view mirror and cruise control.

Kia says the Sportage GT Line has a generous luggage space of 466 litres which can be increased to 1,455 litres by folding the rear seats. 

Safety

As standard the Kia Sportage GT Line is equipped with ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Downhill Brake Control, 6 airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Hill-start Assist Control, ISOFIX child-seat anchor points and rear-view camera with front and rear parking-assist sensors. 

Powertrain

Powering the Sportage GT Line is a 1.6-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine developing 130 kW of power at 5,500 r/min and 265 Nm of torque from 1,500 to 4,500 r/min. Powering all four wheels via an advanced 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Sportage GT-Line accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 9.1 seconds. 

Pricing and availability 

The limited-edition new Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi AWD GT-Line retails for R649,995, which includes Kia’s industry-leading Unlimited Kilometre / 5-year warranty (inclusive of Roadside Assistance), as well as a prepaid 5-year / 90,000 km service plan. The new Sportage GT-Line officially goes on sale across Kia South Africa’s national dealer network on 15 October 2021, with pre-orders open immediately.