2016 Kia Sportage Platinum (AWD) Review
Terrific SUV! The Platinum version's interior comfort compares easily to that of an Audi or BMW. All option buttons are clearly laid out and well lit at night without over-dazzling you.
- Economical yet powerful Diesel turbo engine, Sensors to help you on your drive, Extremely comfortable, Ergonomically laid out controls, Australian made suspension
- No dedicated media centre, no cd or hard drive , Air conditioning can take around 10 minutes to cool the SUV, Poor ventilation in the rear of the vehicle
A big disappointment, however, is there is no CD player or hard drive for your music. Although Bluetooth can stream music from your phone, it can be hit and miss getting it to connect. Agreeing to the Navigation disclaimer also slows down the streaming of music. I didn't even look for the CD player on my test drive as I wrongly assumed that a SUV in this class and price range would have one as well as a top-notch media centre.
The lane change detector works extremely well, as do the other sensors and they make driving that much more pleasant. The auto parking is tremendous, once you get your confidence up. Lots of my friends are amazed at just how accurate it is. The "find a parking spot" mode works well and does so in no time.
The one problem with the air conditioning is that the rear of the car isn't easily cooled. This is a problem if you're from a dog loving family. The system just isn't strong enough to effectively cool all of the SUV's internal areas. What's needed in the next update is roof based vents in the second row and in the trunk.
The trunk curtain and net system keeps cargo safe and sound plus out of the sun. Best part is the trunk curtain is retractable and can be easily removed in about five minutes.
If you love high-tech specs with a grunty and powerful diesel engine, then this is the SUV for you.