The all new 2016 Kia Sportage has joined the Kia Carnival in passing the stringent 2016 ANCAP crash safety requirements, scoring a maximum 5-star rating in the process.
With the testing regime for the 2016 ANCAP programme having been further tightened compared to those carried out in 2015 and previous years, it is now much harder to achieve a top rating. The fourth generation Sportage easily achieved the 5-star requirements.
The Sportage performed well in testing, according to ANCAP Chief Executive Officer James Goodwin, adding that the 5-star rating applies to all model variants now on sale in this market.
ANCAP uses a range of internationally recognised crash tests and safety assessments undertaken by independent specialist laboratories.
A suite of crash tests is conducted to mimic the most common types of crashes, from frontal and offset collisions to side impacts. Vehicles must achieve high minimum scores across all physical crash tests for each ANCAP safety rating level in order to reach the 5-star level.
In all physical crash tests, dummies are used to scientifically measure the various forces on occupants and pedestrians. The data gathered from the dummies is then assessed and scores determined for each respective crash test.
In addition, vehicles are required to be fitted with certain safety assist technologies, such as Electronic Stability Control. For 2016, extra points are now awarded to vehicles fitted with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), which employs sensors to monitor the proximity of vehicles in front and activates the brake when it detects that a collision is imminent – this feature is standard on Sportage Limited and GT Line models in New Zealand, as opposed to just one model (Platinum) in Australia.
The overall score is then translated into an ANCAP safety rating of between 1 to 5 stars, with higher scores and greater safety features awarded more stars. To achieve a 5-star rating, a vehicle must score a minimum of 32.5 points out of 37 – the 2016 Kia Sportage comfortably surpassed that mark with 34.62 points.
Todd McDonald, General Manager of Kia Motors New Zealand, says the result underlines the ongoing efforts by Kia Motors to develop vehicles that are at the forefront of safety technology.
“The new Sportage had already achieved a Euro NCAP 5-star rating, with the test carried out at the end of 2015.
“The ANCAP test for vehicles sold in New Zealand and Australia has progressed a step further, with our Sportage achieving five stars under the more stringent rules applied in 2016,” explains Mr McDonald.
As well as performing well in crash tests, the new Sportage employs a range of latest technologies designed to avoid a crash in the first place. These include Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert on all but the LX model. While the Limited and GT Line models not only gain Autonomous Emergency Braking, but also include Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Warning systems, as well as High Beam Assist, which detects approaching vehicles and automatically dims the headlights from high to low beam.
The Kia Sportage is available in New Zealand in four model variants, powered by a choice of either 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre petrol engines or a 2.0-litre common rail diesel engine.
Featuring a bold and distinctive exterior design, the Kia Sportage has already won two major design awards in Europe, including the ‘iF Design Award’ and the Red Dot award for design and innovation.
Recommended retail prices for the new 2016 Kia Sportage start from $35,990 + ORC, and as with all Kia vehicles sold in New Zealand it benefits from a 5-year/100,000km factory warranty programme and 24-hour roadside assistance.
