The Star: March 26, 2020

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22 The Star Thursday March 26 2020 Family-friendly SUV at a bargain price THERE’S NO doubt sport utility vehicles are beneficial to families. Their practicality and often the option of seven seats make them particularly appealing for those with children in tow. However, as is often the case, those who would benefit most from an SUV aren’t in a position financially to own one, especially those that are new off the showroom floor. Enter, Kia’s completely new compact, five-seat SUV, the Seltos. It has just launched here and in entry-level LX form lists with a very special price – $25,990. To my way of thinking, that is amazing value for a quality, state-of-the-art vehicle that will suit a young family. Of course the Seltos is available in four other specifications, there’s even a four-wheel-drive model which tops the range at $46,990. In-between, the other variants list at $35,990, $37,990 and $42,990. Before you think the base model car lacks on kit, it doesn’t. Sure there aren’t all the high-tech features of its stablemates, but there is enough specification to provide years of fulfilling motoring. Even though Kia calls the Seltos compact, it’s not really. Sure at 4.4m it isn’t large, but it does make good use of its proportions with high comfort levels, it has plenty of leg and head room in the rear passenger compartment. That area is not compromised by a healthy load space – 468-litres, expanding to 1428-litres with the rear seats folded flat. I rate the load space on any vehicle as to how well it houses the rather large cricket gear bag I use to coach a year 8 Sydenham team. In the case of the Seltos there was ample room to spare, and it has an easy load height. The LX variant gets cloth trim and that would far be my preference, there are no design surprises, the trim is fairly conservative but you get just enough goodies that go with the pleasure of buying a new car, some of the functions are operable through a central screen display. Even though the Seltos has yet to be crash tested, it would be expected to meet the five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Program safety rating. In LX form the Seltos is powered by a 2-litre, naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, that’s opposed to a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit fitted to the range-topping four-wheel-drive Limited. I’d also opt for the base engine, it is a very sweet unit, quiet and smooth. Drive is channelled through the latest generation continuously variable transmission which is described by Kia as behaving like a traditional automatic transmission, acting as if it has regular gear changes. I’m VERSATILE: Generous load area doesn’t compromise rear seat space. KIA SELTOS: Base model kick-starts extensive range, including a four-wheel-drive variant. quite excited about this driveline, you would hardly pick a CVT is transmitting power, while the seamless way it operates enhances driveline smoothness. Power is channelled through the front wheels only, yet the entire drive and chassis setup has benefited from a lot of development catering for the special needs of Australasian roads. The suspension is a good compromise of what is needed for occupant comfort, but there is balance and control when highcountry corners are presented. Interestingly, the LX grade model gets just 16in wheels against 17in and 18in rims of higher grade variants. However, the benefit in LX grade is super quiet motion and a hugely smooth ride. The highprofile Kumho tyres (205/60)have a lot of sidewall flex, consequently, they just soak up the big bumps that are still a problem on Christchurch roads. I took the test car up and down the twists and turns out of the Waimakariri River gorge. Steerage is relatively precise; there would probably be greater accuracy in its stablemates, but there is good feedback as to what the tyres are doing, and gravitational movement was minimised even though it is 1.6m tall, there is a bit height in the Seltos. I enjoyed the way the test car behaved in a corner, and to my way of thinking the wheel/ • Price – Kia Seltos LX, $25,990 • Dimensions – Length, 4370mm; width, 1800mm; height, 1615mm • Configuration – Fourcylinder, front-wheeldrive, 1999cc, 110kW, 180Nm, continuously variable automatic. • Performance – 0-100km/h, 9.3sec • Fuel usage – 6.8l/100km tyre set-up in the LX is far from compromised. I like entry-level kit and the Seltos in this form presents no surprises. Kia rates the engine with 110kW and 180Nm, if these figures look familiar that’s because it is much the same engine that powers Cerato and Sportage from the Kia stable. Maximum torque is available from 4500rpm and peak power is reached at 6200rpm. They are quite high in the rev band and you could be forgiven for thinking it’s an engine which likes to have the revs up. However, one of the other benefits of CVT is that there are no gaps to fill between gearing. That being the case, the engine works the mid-range, it isn’t flighty and feels strong beneath the throttle pedal. Of course, there is a sport mode if you wish to have the engine working harder but I used normal mode most of the time I was in the evaluation car and it is most suitable in all situations. There is also an eco mode if you want to make maximum use of your tank of fuel. To me it’s a bit numbing but if you drive casually then eco will earn you fuel-saving benefits. On that subject, Kia claims a 6.8l/100km combined cycle fuel usage average. That’s a healthy figure for an SUV which has a kerb weight extending to 1700kg. That being the case, I couldn’t replicate Kia’s figures, however, when I took the test car back to the dealership it was showing a respectable 8.8l/100km average, helped by a 5l/100km figure showing at a steady 100km/h, the engine turning over at 1800rpm in the tallest part of the gearing. I always like it when new cars land. Kia is capitalising on the worldwide demand for SUVs, its range is extensive and my only concern would be if the Seltos cannibalises sales from Kia’s own Niro and Sportage. At its price the Seltos is a very desirable proposition, I just hope that those who would benefit from owning an SUV recognise its value. If that is not tempting in itself, bear in mind the Seltos is sold with a five-year/100,000km warranty. Peace of mind really. From family cars to work trucks and supercars to fixer-uppers. No matter what you're looking for, you can find it all with Drivesouth. Your next set of keys are just one click away - visit drivesouth.co.nz
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Remembering the games we wish we could forget Thursday March 26 2020 The Star SPORT 23 One-eyed Cantab Gordon Findlater gordon.findlater@starmedia.kiwi WITH A lack of any live sport to watch during the coronavirus outbreak, those of us with a Sky Sport subscription have been given a back catalogue of famous sporting moments from yesteryear to enjoy. The past week has seen us sport nuts relive the likes of 2000s cricket battler Jamie How scoring his only international hundred during a famous draw with the Poms in a pre-super over era, and the All Blacks domination of the 2005 Lions Tour. While many of you have likely enjoyed reliving famous victories and sporting drama that went down to the wire, I can’t help but feel this only adds to the frustration of not being able to watch live sport. What we need is a channel dedicated to those games we wished we’d never attended or watched for one reason or another. Here’s my list of famous matches that will have you not missing sport as much as you currently do. 1999 Netball World Cup final: As a nation our biggest sporting grudge is arguably English referee Wayne Barnes. However, when it comes to a grudge against one of our own it’s hard to argue against Donna Loffhagen. The final against Australia is best remembered in Canterbury for one of our own blowing it right at the end. Many netball supporters in New Zealand still refuse to forgive the goal shooter for the miss which cost the Silver Ferns their first world title. As the saying goes, the further south you go in New Zealand the nicer the people get. Hopefully that rings true for Loffhagen who now lives in the deep south and goes by her married name. David Tua v Shane Cameron: Duco Events have become professionals at making punters feel like they haven’t got value for money. Many will reference the 2019 Black Clash T20 cricket match between former cricketers and current rugby players at Hagley Oval which set you back $60 to get in the gate. However, their ‘finest’ moment came 10 years earlier when they billed a fight between David Tua and Shane Cameron as ‘The Fight of the Century’. For those that booked the fight, the cost to fight ratio is still a sore subject, as Cameron was rocked early and never looked a chance of recovering before being knocked out by Tua 20 seconds into the second round. The fog final: In 2006 the Hurricanes must have felt like many of us feel in 2020. If they were beginning to feel like it was their year they were about to be bought back to reality by a killer that couldn’t be seen by the naked eye – the Crusaders. Although the final adds to the great Crusaders legacy of 10 Super Rugby titles, they may as well reduce the number to nine as to this day nobody managed to watch the whole game. UC Championship stalemate: What should have been the greatest first XV schoolboy rugby final ever witnessed quickly became a fizzer of a final due to an absurd World Rugby rule. With the scores locked at 18-18 in the INFAMOUS: Donna Loffhagen is distraught after the 1999 Netball World Cup, and the historic ‘fog final’ of the 2006 Super Rugby competition. 2018 UC Championship final between traditional rivals Christ’s College and Christchurch Boys’ High School, at full-time everybody watching was getting excited about the prospect of extra time. But they were quickly left confused and disappointed as CBHS celebrated. It was announced that they had won the match on an under-19 IRB rule that states no under-19 game will have extra-time and the winner will be decided by who scored the most tries. Honourable mentions: Any Crusaders match from 1996, Formula E, 1992 Cricket World Cup semi-final, All Whites v Mexico 2013. Simon Barnett & Phil Gifford Afternoons. Christchurch 100.1 FM 12PM - 4PM TUESDAY-FRIDAY NEWSTALKZB.CO.NZ
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The Star: March 26, 2020

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