Driven: 2025 Kia Sportage 1.6T High 2WD CKD – Better Late Than Never!

Not ‘New’, But Still Relatively New

It has been several years since the last Kia Sportage was sold in our market. Since then, there have been many new C-SUV contenders flocking in, especially coming out from behind the Great Wall.

Locally made Kia Sportage 1.6T High 2WD truly has all the makings of a stellar alternative against the usual Japanese suspects.

First shown in 2024, the Malaysian-spec Kia Sportage, locally assembled (CKD) at the Inokom Kulim plant, is actually the pre-facelift version of the nameplate’s fifth-generation (NQ5) model that debuted globally in 2021. Despite there being a facelift version unveiled back in Nov 2024, the Sportage CKD actually still looks fresh and new.

Striking design touches present here are driven by Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design ethos, and it lets this C-SUV stand out easily against its more ‘vanilla’ competitors. Critically, the sharp styling actually masks just how large the Sportage really is. Sitting 4,660 MM long with a 2,755 MM wheelbase, 1,865 MM wide, and 1,665 MM tall, the Sportage is actually on par with both its ‘cousin’ the Hyundai Tucson and rivalling Honda CR-V.

Certainly, the Sportage is not your typical mid-sized SUV as far as styling goes. With its bold design and somewhat larger-than-life front facade, it really stands out, for better or for worse. And thanks to its large footprint, this Korean left-fielder also hides tons of space and amenities inside…

Spacious, High Tech, Yet Very Driver-Centric Cabin

Leave it to the Koreans to create some of the most modern-looking and tech-laden cabins. At the same time though, we’ll also point out that they didn’t sacrifice key driver-centric bits that many of its Chinese adversaries simply lack.

The Sportage's dual-screen setup looks modern and bright, but can get laggy at times.

In this 1.6T High 2WD form, the Sportage CKD has a dual-12.3-inch display setup, with the infotainment half supporting both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Not only snappy, the infotainment’s familiar user interface is very much akin to other Kia models, though we’ll admit it can be susceptible to some minor hiccups at times.

Beneath the centre screen sits a separate digital control panel acting as both the climate and media controls. With this, drivers can still access both easily with less distractions—a common issue with most modern infotainment interfaces these days. At the same time, the panel itself also looks sleek and modern versus what’s brimmed in leading Japanese rivals, never mind the scores of Chinese-made ones.

While the interior looks and feels posh and up-market thanks to the rich use of soft-touch trims and leather upholstery, the Sportage does miss out on a few key comfort amenities. The most jarring one for us was the absence of built-in ventilation in the two front seats, as well as the front passenger seat’s absent power-adjustment.

Instead, what the Sportage gets right actually lies on the practicality front. For rear passengers, abundant legroom and headroom gets bolstered by reclinable seat-backs providing an extra layer of comfort for long journeys. Boot space is also very decent at 591 litres, and it’s expandable to over 1,700 litres with the rear seats folded. Impressive too is the fact that Kia still fits a space-saver spare tyre under the boot floor too.

Yes, the absence of both an 8-speaker Harman Kardon audio suite and added sunroof may not sit well for some, but we’ll argue that the 1.6T High 2WD variant actually strikes a near-perfect balance between modernity and practicality. The real bonus is having that matched with the following trait…

Same ‘Germanic’ Drive, Only Slightly Less Refined

Ask anyone who’s owned—or still owns—any relatively current-gen Kia models, namely things like the Carnival and Sorento, and the repeating chorus line here are their good drive dynamics. Fortunately, the same applies to the Kulim-made Sportage here because it also delivers similar ‘Germanic’ drive dynamics as its larger siblings mentioned do.

Don't let its large size fool you, the Sportage is very nimble and agile around tight corners and twisty B-roads!

Despite its large footprint, the Sportage feels quite agile and nimble through corners and B-roads, and the feedback from its steering feels very ‘traditional’—it’s neither too light or disconnected, as how most typical electric systems feel. Sure, there’s still some level of body roll and lean to live with, but just like the Mazda CX-5 marketed by the same distributors, this is one SUV that actually lets you have a bit of fun.

What also impressed us was the high quality ride comfort this Korean number delivers, and we reckon the spring and damper tuning here is on point. We’ll even reckon that the thick sidewalls of each 235/60/R18 tyres primed, also helped with said ride comfort. The added bonus here is how quiet and respectably grippy said tyres felt in both the dry and wet..

On the subject of ride comfort, we’ll also note how noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels are also decently low in this Sportage. There’s but a hint of wind noise when subjected to typical highway speeds, but there’s little else for us—or anyone aboard, for that matter—to gripe about on this front.

One just needs to not mind the powertrain’s slight clunkiness and noticeable lag—similar traits we experienced in the Sportage’s Tucson ‘cousin’ prior. Said clunky feel only comes to view at low speeds. Beyond that, the 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol heart and 7-speed DCT pairing is smooth and responsive. Certainly, said mill’s 177 HP and 265 NM outputs are more than sufficient to get this crossover going about too.

To sum things up on this front, the Kia Sportage 1.6T High 2WD arguably stands as your best bet in experiencing a near European level of drive dynamics without actually getting into an actual European-badged rival, and that’s despite minor shortcomings stemming from its powertrain noted. Overall, like its slightly older yet still comparable Mazda CX-5 rival, this is one C-SUV that feels as if it’s made for drivers.

It’s Decently Safe, But Fuel Economy Could Be Better

Unlike their diesel counterparts, turbo-petrol engines aren’t exactly known for their frugality, and the same argument can be made with the Sportage 1.6T High 2WD.

Provided that our tester is relatively new with less than 3,000 KM clocked in, the Sportage 1.6T is actually quite thirsty. During our balik kampung drive from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu, Kelantan, which involved some spirited B-road stints and highway blasts, we could only clock our best average of 9.4 KM/litre. Yes, that’s not great at all.

Perhaps it would be more economical had BAuto elected to market the hybrid variant of the Sportage, but we reckon that will raise prices further. Nevertheless, so long as you don’t expect Perodua Axia-like fuel economy figures, then there’s nothing much to worry about here.

Thankfully, safety is a front where Kia didn’t compromise on in the Sportage. In fact, even this CKD version is laced with tons of active and passive safety features from the get-go.

Besides the usual ADAS functions like Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), and Lane-Keeping Assist (LKA), the Sportage also comes with a Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM) that provides drivers with a clear view of both sides of the car’s blind spot, as opposed to just one side on its notable Japanese rival. 

Praise-worthy here is the cruise control suite, which proved effective even in slower traffic conditions. Indeed, this was somewhat of a ‘godsend’ for anyone stuck in festive season traffic—as this writer personally was—or during rush hour commutes.

Passive safety, on the other hand, is also decent, with things like the 360-degree surround view monitor and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) all helping to provide drivers more confidence and peace of mind, especially on long-haul drives. Even in this 2WD version, features like Hill-Start Assist (HSA), as well as both the traction (TCS) and stability (VSC) controls, come as standard, thus boosting driving confidence further in the process.

Should You Buy One, Then?

Bold styling, decent practicality, stellar drive, and backed by plenty of safety features? Yes, this new Kia Sportage CKD ticks all the right boxes to make for a very stellar and near-complete C-segment SUV pick, and that’s despite some of its slight quirks noted.

That said, perhaps the last hurdle this Korean number needs to overcome and convince you lies in price. This upper mid-spec 1.6T High 2WD variant retails handsomely at RM176,888 on-the-road. Indeed, that’s a lower and more accessible figure versus both its Hyundai twin noted and several Japanese rivals, both edging close to the RM200,000 mark.

This being a BAuto offering, we’ll even highlight the added peace of mind stemming from said distributor’s typical yet comprehensive after-sales and warranty package included. Specifically, it’s the inclusion of free scheduled maintenance on top of the 5-year or 100,000 KM warranty that should seal the deal for many.

Sure, the barrage of cheaper and, to some extent, seemingly more high-tech Chinese rivals, have disrupted the market for the Koreans like this Kia offering. Nevertheless, we’re certain these can still offer both a near-perfect package for the price, plus traits that are simply absent in cheaper alternatives.

Seriously, if you happen to be in the market for a C-SUV right now, then this Kia isn’t just worth a serious thought, it warrants a second look…

SPECIFICATIONS

2025 KIA SPORTAGE 1.6T HIGH 2WD CKD