Why the Kia Sportage is the Best Car for a Staycation

Designed to perform both on the road and in challenging off-road conditions, the Kia Sportage is the perfect car for making every journey count.

With many families opting for a staycation this summer, many of us will be swapping packing up the suitcases for carefully loading the car before heading for a relaxing UK escape. And ensuring you have the right car for journey has never been more important, especially if the whole family is in tow. With plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy the journey, we think the Kia Sportage is the ideal choice. So much so, Jenny from our Marketing team put it to the test for herself on her recent camping break.  

We are very lucky to live nearby the stunning Lake District, which is less than 30 miles from our Kia showroom at Kingstown in Carlisle, so where better to have a little camping ‘staycation’ this summer?
 

The Kia Sportage on Staycation

From the very start the Kia Sportage was nothing but impressive in terms of space and comfort, even when loaded with everything but the kitchen sink! Lots of camping equipment such as an electric fridge, a 4-man tent, deckchairs, suitcases, sleeping mats and bags, a windbreak and much more, was piled into the car. Folding down the rear seats increased the boot space from 491 litres to 1,480 litres providing ample room for all of the equipment.

Once everything was packed, the luggage cover was still able to be pulled across, meaning the drivers view wasn’t obstructed when looking in the rear-view mirror. Had we needed more room, the Sportage has built in roof rails so a roof box could easily have been fitted to these, allowing us to take all those necessities.

The drive was stress-free, despite heading to a location we had never been before, thanks to the Satellite Navigation which led the way directly to the campsite, displaying directions clearly on the 8” frameless touchscreen display. Motorway driving was made safer with the helpful Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) which uses radar to monitor blind spots, warning of approaching cars with a sound and symbol on the side-view mirror, plus Lane Keep Assist, alerting if you creep over the line.

The 12v power sockets which are conveniently located in both the front and rear of the car, were great for keeping the electric fridge cool on the journey. We had a pitch with electric hook-up but there are USB charging points too, should you not have charging facilities.
Navigating the narrow and windy roads in the Lake District can sometimes be tricky but was made easy thanks to the 360° Around View Monitor guidance which combines four wide-angle images from cameras at the front, rear and sides of the new Kia Sportage. It gives a bird's eye view of the space around the vehicle while you park or drive at speeds below 9 mph, which was perfect for squeezing through narrow gaps on country roads! 

Thankfully we didn’t need to use the heated seats, located in the front and the outer rear seats, however the dual air-con was very much appreciated as the weather was fantastic!

The Kia Sportage was the perfect size SUV for a little ‘staycation’ in the Lake District this summer and as it is now available as a mild hybrid, you can be eco-friendly whilst ‘staycationing’ this summer.