Australian buyers who order a Kia Sportage midsize SUV today will face delays of up to six months depending on grade, Kia Australia has confirmed to Chasing Cars.
Surprisingly, the Sportage variants with the longest wait times are the least expensive ones: the 2.0-litre petrol versions of the S and SX, which start from $32,445 and $34,445 respectively (before on-road costs). These variants attract the full six-month delay.
It might surprise some buyers to learn the entry-level models with the 2.0-litre engine is the hardest to get
Kia Australia head office says the news is better for buyers of the turbo-diesel and turbo-petrol engines – which start from $39,845 and $43,500 respectively. Kia says choosing one of these Sportage motors results in a wait time of between two and three months.
We also spoke with a number of Kia dealerships in Australia to get their view of delays.
Kia dealers report longer Sportage delays
Data on expected wait times is likely to be most accurate from Kia Australia’s head office due to its close relationship with the factory, but the brand’s dealers report different and longer delays on some Sportage grades.
Chasing Cars spoke to two metro NSW dealers who quoted a six to 12 month wait time for the Sportage SUV, with the full 12 month delay applying to upmarket grades like the GT-Line in turbo petrol or turbo-diesel – the opposite to what Kia Australia says.
Another Kia dealer near the Perth CBD quoted wait times of five to six months for a new Sportage, with the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel-equipped models taking the longest.
With wait times becoming the norm industry-wide, similar delays have been seen on rivals including the Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester.
Kia Sportage range explained
Kia launched the fifth-generation Sportage, last year bringing a suite of safety and technology upgrades along with a new exterior design to the popular midsize SUV.
The Sportage is offered in a choice of four grades, known as the entry-level S, followed by the SX, SX+ and GT-Line, with prices starting from $32,445 (before on-roads) in Sportage S 2.0 petrol FWD manual guise.
As standard, the Sportage comes equipped with LED headlights and tail-lights, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as well as safety equipment like front and rear AEB and blind-spot monitoring.
Dealers are reportingly different wait times on the new-gen Sportage
Moving further up the range nets a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen that reverts to a wired connection for the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus a suite of luxuries including power lumbar adjustment, dual zone-climate control and a 360-degree camera.
The Sportage is available with three four-cylinder engine options including a 115kW/192Nm 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol that sends power to front wheels only via a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Buyers seeking all-wheel–drive can opt for a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol or 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel which use a seven-speed dual-clutch and eight-speed automatic transmission respectively.
With the current situation changing rapidly wait times can vary, so stay tuned to Chasing Cars for more updates.
Kia Sportage 2022: prices in Australia
All prices listed are before on-road costs.
- Sportage S 2.0 petrol 6MT: $32,445
- Sportage SX 2.0 petrol 6MT: $34,445
- Sportage S 2.0 petrol 6AT: $35,000
- Sportage SX 2.0 petrol 6AT: $37,000
- Sportage S 2.0 turbo-diesel 8AT: $39,845
- Sportage SX+ 2.0 petrol 6AT: $41,500
- Sportage SX 2.0 turbo-diesel 8AT: $42,400
- Sportage SX+ 1.6 turbo-petrol 7DCT: $43,500
- Sportage SX+ 2.0 turbo-diesel 8AT: $46,900
- Sportage GT-Line 1.6 turbo-petrol 7DCT: $49,370
- Sportage GT-Line 2.0 turbo-diesel 8AT: $52,370
