Kia Sportage - Opinions Please

[stoke]

My mom wants to purchase a brand new Kia Sportage.

She needs a vehicle that you can get into without bending down, and figured this car to be a good choice.

The car also has to be an automatic.

The 2.0 Petrol 4X2 Automatic goes for about R251 995, with a transferable five-year/100 000 km warranty, a three-year/60 000 km maintenance plan and a three-year roadside assistance programme.

For quarter of a million rand, is there not something better out there, with the same climb-in characteristics?

[stoke]

What about the Nissan Livina X-Gear 1.6 Acenta+ M/T : 166 500 : http://www.autoworld.co.za/NewCarDisplay.aspx?Variant=9474 ?
It looks like it's easy enough to get into.

[Badapple]

Honda FRV or the CRV.
can't beat the Honda quality.
Nissan - again the service is SHOCKING

[Sheepy]

If she's looking for a smaller "high" car, try the Daihatsu Terios. It's a re-badged Toyota so is reliable etc. Other in the same class would be the fiat Panda, but then you still dealing with the sucky nissan service, the Suzuki JMNY or Vitara, and of course the ever overpriced Toyota RAV. :soapbox:

[Badapple]

That's the one they had on Top Gear the other night, painted like a fox, was it not? (the Terios that is)
If it was, it held up quite well.

[SlappY]

Get a 350Z

[stoke]

Lol @ Slappy!
@Applet, DSTV = I no have.
@Sheepie, I'll took a look at the Terios, I did look at that yesterday, but it did seem to be similar to a Golf 5 in that the seat is quite low. I did not know that it was a re-badged Toyota though, interesting.
@Applet, will re-look at the FRV/CRV, I scrapped it initially because of bad experience with Honda about 12 years ago.

I appreciate the notes on bad service from Nissan, we have removed Nissan from the list.

We have also received shocking service from Toyota Edenvale, and have removed them from the list as well.

The hunt continues, thanks for the feedback.

---------- Post added at 02:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:57 PM ----------

The Honda CRV is overpriced @ R346 000, making the KIA sportage look like a fantastic deal.
The Honda FRV is ugly, and too low.

We'll take a good look at the Daihatsu Terios, though, it does not look like much car for R200 000.

---------- Post added at 02:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:13 PM ----------

Okay, the terios's automatic option is only available in the 4x4 range, pushing it's price into the sportage's range, making the sportage look like the much better deal.

[Badapple]

LOL @ 12 years ago, Joo like an elephant!

the FRV is da shizzel man, I think it rawks!! :D

[Askari]

Stokkie

That Nissan Livina looks like a way better purchase than the Sportage. This nonsense about Nissan having shocking service is not a true reflection. I have had awesome service from Nissan West. Those who know me should appreciate that I dont dish out compliments easily especially service related ones. However I have had shocking service more than a few times from Datcenter Pinetown. In the past Ive also had shocking service from Ford and from Toyota.

The thing is that it is more a dealership issue than a brand issue. Even Punky knows this is the truth. And parts are just simply ridiculous no matter what brand we talking about except the French brands. They take the koek. Noone should be allowed to drive French cars anyways. The Citroen C6 is a possible exception....

[Punky3025]

Have to agree with Askari. I think it would be unfair to label a make of car with bad service as there service centers are individually run. I used to drive opel. In the Transvaal the agents were good I had no problems. Williams Hunt here in the eastern cape give new meaning to the definition of incompetence. Therefore no more opels.

I would not but a KIA. I have heard that the parts and service costs are very expensive
. I would consider the VW Caddy. The version with seats. i forget what it is called. I have found that VW parts and servicing costs are very reasonable. There are also plenty of dealers to chose from up there.

[stoke]

@'skari, the Livina does not have an automatic derivative in South Africa, so, sadly it's eliminated none the less. Insofar as the bad service argument is concerned, the guys I used to work with have advised me that Nissan in the Pretoria and Centurion region is also really bad, so it is widespread enough to raise concern, kind of like a bad apple has spread it's rot.

@punky, I will go through HelloPeter's website, and look for complaints regarding service costs. Thanks for reminding me about that aspect. The Caddy, does not have an automatic option, thanks though.

[Askari]

Hello Peter should reveal that every manufacturer has loads of service complaints. Do bicycles come in automatics? :p

[sss]

Mercedes A 170 automatic, my mom has one, easy to drive, easy to get into, good service, good fuel economy and cheaper than some of the others you have listed

[Punky3025]

nice option sss

[Askari]

My decrepit old grandmother also needs high cars that make entering and exiting less painful. Her last was the A Class Merc which I quite liked and the latest is the Honda Jazz which is also very nice. Id have to rate the Jazz as a better buy than the Merc though.

[stoke]

@sss, that Merc A 170 sure is a looker, but hey, no automatic option in South Africa again.
I'll get me ma to take a Honda Jazz out for a spin, it really looks like it's easy to get into.

[Arbythep00nage]

The A170 not being auto? My last rental was one of those and that was 2 weeks ago! the car only had 200km on the clock so it had to be new. It was very nice to drive and was a 7spd auto which is also nice for fuel economy.

[sss]

my moms is auto too

[Askari]

my grans was an auto A class too.

[Arbythep00nage]

Every single merc on earth is available in auto, heck the C class was only available in it up until a few years ago!
Stokey after having driven one of those they are very nice. However (comma) I have driven a sportage and I have two mates who have them and they are very cool cars too so either of those would be a good bet.

[jupman]

I think the Kia is an awesome choice. I am also in the market for this type of vehicle. I have driven the Kia and was very happy with it. I did however prefer the look of the Hyundai Tucsson. They are essentially the same vehicle - however the Tucsson has just had a minor facelift. (Colour coded bumpers etc).
It's "only" a 2.0 litre engine which in todays economic climate is perfect, it's comfortable and has all the bells and whistles you would expect nowadays. Add to that the awesome motorplan and i think you have a winner.

[stoke]

Franks jupman, all things seem to have been considered, and it's really looking like the best option out there.
The automatic gearbox requirement did limit things a lot though.

[WingNut]

What about the Daihatsu Sirion?

My sis has one, and it's quite a lekker little car,it's got electric everything inside, all the safety stuff you want, and it's turning circle is about the same size as a R5 coin. It's very lekker to drive in town cause it parks so easily, my mom always borrows it when my sis is visiting.

It's seats are also quite high, I'm quite a bit taller than my sister and I almost don't need to adjust the seats when I drive with it cause the seats are so high, feels more like sitting on a chair than in a carseat.

You get it with a 4 speed autobox as well. My sis has the 1.3 which is ok, and you also get it in a 1.5 which I think should be quite nippy.

[rainy]

I think Alby drives one of them Sportages

[stoke]

@Winger, the Sirion is too low. Yea, it does not look low, but my mom assures me that it is too low.
http://www.wargeeks.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=2014&stc=1&d=1240983589

[Badapple]

nice ass! :drool2:

[stoke]

Sicko! :D

[Badapple]

what, It IS a nice ass :D

[stoke]

mumble mumble pictures mumble mumble mom mumble mumble association mumble mumble not mumble mumble good mumble mumble stapler mumble mumble apples mumble mumble

[Badapple]

:rofl: Stokie!

[Albereth]

The Kia Sportage is awesome - and probably the best value for money SUV.

[stoke]

Thanks Alby. I tend to agree based on my recent research.

---------- Post added at 04:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:21 PM ----------

Oh ya, I got an email back from Nissan today regarding the availability of the Livina with an automatic drivetrain.
Only took them 6 days to answer a really simple email.

[Askari]

Is it gonna take you just as long to tell us what their answer was?

[stoke]

Good day Stoke

Thank you for contacting the Nissan Information Centre. It is always a pleasure for us at Nissan South Africa to hear from our customers first hand.

With regards to your request for Nissan Livina automatic , Nissan S.A unfortunately do not have the vehicle in automatic and might consider releasing this vehicle at a later stage, we would like to advise you that our Nissan Tiida Visia + comes in automatic transmission and the recommended retail price is R193 000 . Our vehicles and parts are sold via the Nissan Dealer Network, we invite you to contact your closest Nissan Dealer to assist you .

To locate your closest Nissan Approved Dealer, please refer to our website: www.nissan.co.za

I trust that the above is in order..

Kind regards
Andre Lupton
Nissan Information Officer
__________________________
NISSAN SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
Tel: 0800 NISSAN
Fax: 086 686 9602
E-mail: infodesk@nissan.co.za

[Askari]

chuckle chortle.

[Flatty]

Solid advice, Punky. VW really have come into their own in recent years.

1.9TDi - excellent fuel consumption & plenty of vooma.

VW really have mastered their TD engines - I took a 2.7TD Transporter from East London to Jo'burg & back in 20 hours flat. I really was surprised at the power behind the wheels & found myself cruising comfortably at 160km/h without even noticing. I only assume the same technology is in the Caddy.

[sss]

[QUOTE=FlatspinZA;140017]
1.9TDi - excellent fuel consumption & plenty of vooma.

QUOTE]

and a free new tubro on all polos cause the factory ones were all faulty

[Flatty]

[QUOTE=FlatspinZA;140017]
1.9TDi - excellent fuel consumption & plenty of vooma.

QUOTE]

and a free new tubro on all polos cause the factory ones were all faulty

Just goes to show you what a stirling company VW is when they issue a recall because of faulty parts, instead of doing an nVidia & blaming it on customer usage patterns, or somesuch :D

Nobody is perfect. Accountability is highly commendable & VW clearly appreciates the value the modern customer places on this.

[stoke]

Feedback [squaaaaaaaak]:

My mom is now a proud owner of a brand noob silver sportage.

And, get this, they threw in the sunroof for free because they delivered late.
I couldn't quite figure out what delivered late meant exactly, but, it's nice to see a company saying sorry like that.

Anywayz, thanks for all the help.

[Badapple]

:woot: NICE!

[Noodle]

Wow that's awesome stoke, Hope he has many haapy trips to the shop in it :sharp: