KIA Malaysia's 2025 Sportage is here - available in two powertrain options.

Built on the advanced 3rd Generation N3 platform, the company's first Completely Knocked Down (CKD) C-segment sports utility vehicle (SUV) is available in 2.0L Smartstream petrol engine or 1.6L turbo Gamma II petrol engine options.

The 2.0L Smartstream petrol engine is paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission to deliver a performance of 156hp at 6,200rpm and 192Nm torque.

The more powerful 1.6L turbo Gamma II petrol engine is mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission for a 177hp at 5,500rpm and 256Nm of torque output.

Each of them, sporting a refreshed design exterior and interior, are available in two variant options: Standard and High for the 2.0L, while the 1.6L Turbo comes in High and High All-Wheel Drive (AWD).

An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a 4.2-inch colour TFT-LCD instrument cluster pairing is native to the 2.0L variants. The 1.6L Turbo variants gets the 12.3-inch digital instrumental cluster and a high-resolution infotainment system. 

All models are compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. 

Only the 1.6L Turbo variants get ambient lighting and only the High AWD option comes with Harman Kardon premium audio system.

Leather furnishing in the cabin is standard for all save for the Standard 2.0L whose seats are fabric.

The Standard 2.0L also misses out on a host of Advanced Safety Technologies such as: High Beam Assist (HBA), Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), and Lane Following Assist (LFA).

Adding the Standard 2.0L's Smart Cruise Control (SCC) is passive while the others come with Stop and Go feature.

As mentioned in our previous article, local Kia distributor Dinamikjaya Motors (DJM) chose the current Sportage instead of its latest form seen internationally because the latter is currently only available exclusively in Korea and will only take at least two years before it reaches Malaysian shores.

By then it is also anticipated the model, in its latest facelift, will undergo a price hike in line with the global market.

Launched at the 10th Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS 2024), the locally assembled model at the Inokom Assembly plant in Kulim, Kedah is available in Astra Blue, Meteor Grey, Snowflake White Pearl, and Jet Black. 

Variants are priced from RM 145,999 (2.0L), RM 155,999 (2.0L High), RM 175,999 (1.6T High), and RM 185,999 (1.6T High AWD).

Prices include a 5-Year Manufacturer Warranty (up to 100,000 km) and a 5-Year Free Scheduled Maintenance package.

KLIMS 2024 is held the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) from Dec 5-11.