Just a few months ago, the fifth generation of the king of crossovers in Israel, the model that taught us Israelis that a Jeep or a family Jeep doesn't have to cost as much as a small apartment in the south, was launched with fanfare, and a lot of enthusiasm all around, and started dragging the prices down with the version 1.6 L whose price was (at the time) much lower than that of the competitors.
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Since then, many cars and recreational vehicles have flowed onto Israel's roads, and the requirements and tastes have changed as well.
The price makes a less important impression on the customer today.
Even so, most transactions are financed and the difference between a cheap version and an expensive version is expressed in several hundred shekels per month.
The Israelis consistently raise the average purchase price of vehicles in the country, exactly in this way.
The plug-in hybrid version being tested today is driven by a plug-in hybrid drive unit, which includes the 1.6 L engine combined with an electric motor, producing a combined power of 265 hp.
The gearbox is planetary, 6 gears.
The drive in this drive version is dual and together with it there is a system to assist driving off-road, on an icy road, and on sand.
The high level of finish here adds, among other things, leather upholstery in combination with suede, bright and handsome, front seat ventilation, memory for the driver's seat, electric trunk door, including contactless opening, Matrix Led adaptive front lighting and more.
What you get here is a cabin that looks much better than the other versions.
The dashboard and multimedia screens stand out here, both measuring 12.3 inches, and looking like one long screen.
On the road this Kia produces a good and comfortable ride.
There is good isolation from road noise and this car feels strong enough.
Those who ask for more responses and power will find what they are looking for under the driving mode switch.
'Sport' mode keeps the powertrain ready and you get exactly the same desired responses.
As far as the electrical side is concerned, we can already say that we drove without too much calculation and finesse.
And on such a trip, we managed to record about 55 km on pure electricity.
And of course, the decision of how much power to use or how to utilize the energy is up to the driver and his mood.
To summarize the feeling along the way, it is very impressive.
There is a quality feeling here, a super-high level of equipment and impressive versatility from the drive unit.
So the package offered by the plug-in version definitely makes this recreational vehicle stand out in the field.
It does even more so, when you remember that its almost identical twin is still sold here with a conventional drive unit.
Both this and this, for that matter, deserve pure electric powertrains, ones that will match the new capability set hidden in this platform.
And that brings us to the cost, which is not low at all.
NIS 242,000 is quite a considerable sum for a family recreational vehicle.
Does this addition justify the electrical addition?
This is an excellent question.
Even if it won't recoup its cost in the coming years, this version still features power, performance equipment and sophistication that make this vehicle far more impressive than the petrol or diesel versions.
And you have to remember that those who are not ready for a fully electric vehicle, and those who are looking for a plug-in hybrid vehicle, will not find many of these around.
Those who do not need this ability, can choose a simpler version of this model and save quite a few shekels.
Engine
4 cyl., PHEV, 1,598 cc
power
265 hp 5,500 rpm
torque
35.7 kgm at 1,500 rpm
weight
1,905 kg
0-100 km/h
8.2 sec
maximum speed
191 km Q
Price
239,000 shekels
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