Monthly Archives: October 2023

Electric/hybrid, Kia, Motoring, SUV

Kia Sportage

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Stylish fifth generation SUV has much to offer

By Bill McCarthy

I first drove a Sportage way back at the turn of the century on a memorable trip to Boston in America. It was the only hire car left and I was struck by the odd stance, never really having heard of Kia. It was a bit of an ugly duckling, but proved well up for the job in hand.

Nearly 25 years later, the ugly duckling has turned into a more elegant swan as the Kia success story accelerates, with a growing range of models and still offering the market leading seven-year warranty.

The fact that it’s Kia’s best-selling model in the UK, Europe, and globally speaks to its popularity and potential and this fth generation incarnation sees a model purely designed for the European market and features the best of the Korean car maker’s ingenuity.

There is a choice of various powertrains, including petrol, mild hybrid, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid,  and the low CO2 emissions are a big plus, as the firm tries to enhance its green credentials.

  • How does it look? It’s a popular car in the UK and while making SUVs good looking is not the easiest task, the Sportage is pretty elegant, with a more sculpted profile that stands out with chrome accents,  what the firm calls it Tiger Nose grille and the availability of different wheel sizes and designs gives customers a choice to match their preferences. It also features18-inch alloys, folding door mirror and smart led light clusters.
  • What about the interior:  The Sportage has a modern, classy interior and is family orientated car, with comfortable, supportive suede seats and good head and legroom. Large glass areas allow plenty of light into the cabin. It has increased luggage capacity and rear seat occupants get 996mm of legroom courtesy of new slimline front seats. Luggage capacity is excellent with the standard 591 litres rising to 1,780 litres with the rear seats folded down.
  • Tech and equipment: Twin 12.3-inch touchscreens which allows drivers to easily switch between the infotainment via, on this mode, the Harmon Kardon sound system,  climate settings controls and features such as navigation. Kia Connect allows connectivity for smartphone compatibility. Comprehensively equipped, it offers , climate control, heated steering wheel, , chromatic mirror, paddle sifted, heated front seats, to mention just a few.
  • Hybrid power: This hybrid model features a 1.6 litre petrol engine paired with a powerful 66.9kW electric motor and a larger 13.8kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack, mated with a six speed auto transmission. It delivers decent pace, hitting 60mph in under eight second, with delivering good economy of shade under 50mpg. The ride is comfortable and the handling what you would expect from this type of vehicle. Competent.
  • Safety is paramount: It has five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and a comprehensive suite of driver assist technologies like lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and as we ever closer to autonomous driving, Forward Collision Avoidance Assist Junction Turning which uses camera and radar data to analyse information about other cars, pedestrians or cyclists crossing the road. 
  • The way forward: Offering a range of powertrains, including a clean internal combustion petrol engine, is a smart strategy. It ensures that the Sportage can cater to a wide spectrum of customer preferences, whether they are looking for traditional fuel options or more environmentally friendly choices.

Kia Sportage HEV GT-Line

Price: £35,240

Mechanical: 226bhp, 1,598cc, four-cylinder petrol-electric engine driving and electric motor driving front wheels, via a six-speed automatic transmission

Max Speed: 12 mph

0-62mph: 7.7 seconds

Combined MPG: 49.6

Insurance Group: 24

C02 emissions: 129g/km

BIK rating: 30 per cent

Warranty: Seven year/unlimited miles

Travel, Travel news

HEAD FOR CYPRUS THIS AUTUMN

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TRAVEL – Enjoy cultural, sporting and arts events in Larnaka

As temperatures drop in Larnaka comes alive in autumn with a vibrant array of events that celebrate tradition, culture and arts in the region. Here some of the highlights starting this week:

Biennale – October – 24th November

This is Larnaka’s largest art event that takes place every two years with an eclectic programme of events including exhibitions at museums and galleries; cultural events; cinema screenings; workshops; lectures; installations, and much more. The theme for 2023 asks the question: ‘What is it that constitutes a home, beyond just bricks and mortar?’ Click here for more info. 

Radisson Blu Larnaka International Marathon – 19th November 

Larnaka’s official marathon takes place along a pretty coastal route starting at the main promenade (Foinikoudes) and passing through the city’s landmarks, including its famous salt lakes and ancient ruins. This event attracts thousands of runners from nearly 100 countries with races suitable for all levels of runner, and there is still time to register. Click here for more info. 

Lefkara ‘Christmas Village’ – 25th November – 14th January 2024  

Visitors to Larnaka over the festive season can head up to Lefkara village to enjoy an array of festive and traditional stalls, entertainment, food and drink, children’s activities and workshops – all set against a mountain backdrop. Lefkaka is one of seven beautiful traditional villages and towns in Cyprus putting on their finest festive attire to spread the Christmas spirit. Find out more here.  

Tasty traditions from the rural women of Larnaka

The ‘Women’s Association of Rural Larnaka’ (WARL) is the heart and soul of gastronomic tradition in the Larnaka region, preserving and promoting the local customs, products and recipes for generations to come. A programme of free workshops runs up until the end of November, which includes traditional workshops by WARL members. For more info and to book, click here. There are also plenty of other WARL events taking place throughout the year, including local producer markets, cookery workshops and festivals. For more info, click here.

Take to the open road with eight ‘Larnaka thematic cycling routes’

Larnaka region is fast becoming the cyclist’s destination thanks to a variety of factors, including its optimum climate, beautiful scenery and varied and challenging terrain.  A key figure in enhancing the cycling experience is Mike Hadjioannou, founder of Activate Cyprus who provides cyclists with a one-stop-shop for cycling tours and participation in many prestigious competitions and events.

Mike says new opportunities are enabling more people to enjoy cycling: “Whilst all the tours we offer – road, mountain and gravel biking – remain popular, the latest increase in requests is for e-bikes because it’s much easier for amateur cyclists of all fitness levels to cover a greater distance on them without tiring, allowing them to experience more attractions and sights on a bike than they would normally do.” Find out about Activate Cyprus bike tours here. 

The Larnaka region also offers cyclists eight ‘Larnaka Thematic Cycling Routes’ that combine cycling with sightseeing, an ideal autumn activity to discover the Larnaka region on two wheels. Find the eight routes with downloadable pdf leaflets here. 

For more information on all these autumn activities and events and more, click here.

For tourist information from the Larnaka Tourism Board, visit www.larnakaregion.com