Kia Launches New Sportage SUV in South Africa Priced from R539 995

• Kia South Africa launched its new Sportage in South Africa, and it certainly looks like the business
• It has a turbocharged engine mated to twin-clutch gearboxes
• There are a trio of GT Line models made available by the South Korean brand

The latest Kia Sportage SUV is now available in South Africa.

The new Sportage will be available from dealers across the country from 21 September, and the SUV is priced from R 539,995, reports Motorpress.

It's incredible to imagine that the Sportage nameplate has been around for 30 years, while the crossover made its debut in Mzansi in late 2016.

The new model features a large grille and LED daytime driving lights and wears either 17 or 18-inch wheels.

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It is powered by a 1.6-litre turbo engine with 132kW and 265Nm, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

The top speed is set at 201km/h, and zero to 100km/h takes 8.8 seconds. The range consists of five models: LX, EX, GT-Line, GT-Line Plus, GT-Line S.

The price for the flagship model is R734 995.

Sleek turbocharged Hatch: Volkswagen Taigo 1,0 TSI DSG R Line Driven in South Africa

Briefly News reported that Volkswagen's local lineup had changed dramatically over the last five to seven years. A slew of sedans like the CC, Passat, Jetta and Arteon. Only the Polo sedan clings to life.

During that time, VW has grown fond of the letter 'T', as it introduced the T-Cross, Tiguan AllSpace, T-Roc, and most recently, the Taigo, Motorpress reports. Briefly News Car & Tech Editor Sean Parker drove the latter at its local launch in Johannesburg.

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VW head of Group Communications Andile Dlamini spoke exclusively to Briefly News. It said the brand is excited to launch the new model in South Africa with its 'Taigo Junction' event for customers. The Taigo is based on the same platform as the thefamousr Polo and is placed between the entry-level T-Cross and snazzy T-RoUnfortunately, pricing starts at R429 900, and only the 85kW 1,0-litre engine is available to a seven-speed DSG. The flagship R-Line model will set one back R486 000. The R-Line sets itself apart from the rest of the range with a high-gloss front bumper and longitudinal air intake bars.

Up in the Highveld, the engine struggled to make an impression on me, but there's no denying frugality is a redeeming feature.

The noise, vibration, and harshness levels were excellent on our drive from Gauteng to the Free State. The Taigo's cosseted ride quality played to the tune of a fuss-free driving style rather than aggressive throttle inputs. It's not going to win any awards for steering feel when cornering, but rather, the rack is set up for easy manoeuvring in tight spaces.

Source: Briefly News