Kia Sportage SX Diesel review reveals an outstanding household helper

Kia’s diesel-powered model year 2022 Sportage delivers solid performance, impressive safety credentials and refined external lines.

Our family has strong ties to Kia. Back when it was transitioning from cheap and cheerful, we took a leap of faith on a Sportage more than a decade ago.

That was before the seven-year warranty was in play and many Aussies were still deriding the South Korean brand.

Now the marque is entrenched among our top five best selling brands.

Leading Kia’s sales race is the Sportage, the mid-size SUV which has just been overhauled with improved dimensions to separate it from a raft of smaller high-riders which are also enjoying showroom popularity.

Kia's model year 2022 Sportage SX sits second on a four-tier ladder.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

GRANT: Family synergies run deep with the Sportage. Not only were we among the early adopters, but my parents have just got one … and it impressed my sister so much she too now has one in the driveway.

KEL: It remains one of the best cars we’ve owned. We drove the petrol model over Christmas and I definitely prefer the diesel.

GRANT: Oil-burners do offer outstanding torque, and this engine offers an impressive turn of speed from low in the rev range.

KEL: After driving the range-topping GT-Line version, this one feels somewhat low rent. I even had to turn the key.

GRANT: Shock horror. The SX sits second rung on a four-slot ladder. It also only has a standard remote key, not a smart option which enables you to keep it in your bag or pocket where you simply pull the handle and it unlocks. And no power tailgate.

KEL: Life was tough. It still looks awesome, particularly in white.

GRANT: That’s the only complimentary colour – you’ll pay an extra $520 for two grey hues, blue, red or black. The drive-away price is about $45,450, with the non-turbo petrol equivalent $5500 cheaper.

KEL: That’s a reasonable step up from 10 years ago, but this is a much larger car with some cool new technology which was a pipedream when we last bought the Sportage.

Standard internal features of the Kia Sportage SX include a 12.3-inch touchscreen as well as a digital driver display.

THE LIVING SPACE

GRANT: The 12.3-inch central touchscreen, digital driver display, glossy black finishes across the dash and funky chrome-coloured door handles, brushed metal highlights … it’s a slick looking interior.

KEL: Functionality has always been one of my favourite things about Kias and I like how I can plug my phone in and Apple CarPlay hooks up fast to enable me to make calls, send messages and access Spotify without me having to call for tech advice.

GRANT: Cloth seat trim and some hard plastics at the base of the console and doors offer a hardy feeling.

KEL: Seat heaters are absent, I really like those. I don’t want for much else, other than the cup holders that can accommodate a coffee and larger drink bottles – the Sportage ticks that box.

GRANT: You don’t want much … the credit card statement says otherwise. It’s a spacious cabin, although the soft touch dash controls that are also used in the EV6 which switch between the aircon and stereo can be finicky.

KEL: Switching between the two is simple, but I do find some manufacturers have taken away too many buttons or dials and it adds complexity. The Kia system is fine once you get used to toggling between the two.

Our road test review of the 2022 Kia Sportage SX Diesel saw consumption of 7.0L/100km.

THE COMMUTE

GRANT: Swift of the mark, the diesel donk offers impressive pulling power.

KEL: Since we’ve owned one that became my benchmark and I love the acceleration response and how strong it feels uphill.

GRANT: Across the board the Sportage has strong safety equipment. Radar cruise control maintains set distances from vehicles in front (and can bring the Sportage to a complete stop and then accelerate again in traffic) is standard, along with autonomous braking which can assist or apply the anchors if a collision with a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclists is predicted.

KEL: Highway travels were smooth and quiet. It’s really easy to drive.

Kel and Grant Edwards.

THE SHOPPING

GRANT: Parking sensors front and back along with the rear view camera are great when battling the concrete jungle. Although, the bird’s eye view which pieces together camera views around the car is only on the top-spec model.

KEL: That’s also among my favourite features. It has the rear cross traffic warning to alert the driver if another vehicle is about to pass when you’re reversing.

GRANT: All the groceries fit nicely in the boot and it also has the boot-mounted lever if you need to quickly drop the rear seats in a 60-40 format.

KEL: While I didn’t notice, my father, the former tyre shop manager, was impressed to see the full-size spare. Usually most have those small tyres that are restricted to 80km/h.

THE SUNDAY RUN

GRANT: Leaving the highway and faced with some hilly and twisty terrain, the Sportage maintained poise and balance. The eight-speed automatic delivers timely shifts while the Australian tuned suspension feels well sorted aided by accurate steering.

KEL: The performance often feels effortless and I liked how we weren’t thrown around in the cabin.

GRANT: Diesel consumption was a reasonable seven litres for every 100km. That was only slightly higher than the official figure from Kia.

KEL: With the generous boot and cabin space it’s a brilliant option for longer road trips.

Kia's model year 2022 Sportage SX Diesel.

THE FAMILY

GRANT: Regularly carrying three teenage boys across the back seat, my sister sings the Sportage praises for cabin space.

KEL: Our two boys also had no issues in terms of leg, knee and head room.

GRANT: To keep phones and devices charged upfront there are USB type A and C ports, while in the back of the front seats are two C slots. Adaptors are cheap for those who still have devices which have the larger type A.

KEL: How are the running costs in comparison to petrol?

GRANT: Servicing is required annually or every 15,000km, with the dealer capped price average $517 each visit. That’s less expensive than the turbo petrol, but about $20 more than the naturally aspirated models.

KEL: That’s not bad, I’d certainly have the diesel for the precise differential.

THE VERDICT

KEL: For a family car, the Sportage ticks most of the boxes. I know 10 grand is a lot of money, but in the scheme of things I think the idea of getting everything that the GT-Line offers is appealing. If I had the money, I would stretch to $56k for the range-topper because it has the features I love most.

GRANT: Diesel is certainly the pick from my perspective. It offers the best all-round performance. Among a competitive genre, the Sportage is the standout medium-size SUV for space, value and peace of mind.