Watchdog: Owners' fury at unreadable speedo

The summer holidays are just around the corner, and lots of families will be looking forward to the day they load up the car and head to the continent for a week or two in the sun. Just imagine what a shock they’d get if they glance down at their speedo after getting off the ferry to find they can’t see what speed they are doing in kilometers per hour. That’s the surprise in store for drivers of Kia Sportages in KX-3 trim. Owners have been flocking to online forums to complain that the metric measurements are impossible to read. Reader Colin Cowan, from Banbridge, Northern Ireland, bought a Sportage KX-3 earlier this year. “I didn’t notice the problem at first, but I drove into Southern Ireland, looked down, and couldn’t see the kph signs,” he said. As you can see from our picture, the kph markings are extremely faint at best – and if the sun is out they’re practically invisible. Plus, dashboard lights make it more difficult in the dark. “I love my Sportage but this is a safety issue,” Colin told us. “Anyone who goes driving in any country with kph speed limits is not going to have a clue what speed they are doing. They are going to risk getting a fine and points on their licence, too.” Colin is not the only Sportage owner concerned by the issue. Stephen Alsop posted a message on the Kia Owners’ Club Internet message board complaining of the same problem. “Immediately after buying the car I had to travel to Germany and I could not see the kph scale at all,” he said. Andrew Bush, on the same message board, added: “I’ve contacted Kia about it twice and was told both times the car meets EU regulations and there is no problem. I find it hard to believe.” A Kia spokesman told us the speedo in the Sportage KX-3 complied with EU visibility requirements and, in its view, is fit for purpose. “We have not received a significant number of comments relating to this issue,” he added. “Currently, there are no changes planned or considered for this model.” The problem The kph symbols on the Kia Sportage KX-3’s speedo are so faint they are almost unreadable. Owners are concerned about safety, but Kia isn’t interested. Kia's response “The speedometer complies with Construction and Use Regulations as ‘capable of indicating speed in both mph and kph’ and is fit for purpose.” Legal advice “Report any issues to VOSA, which may investigate,” said Holly McAllister of Motor Codes. “Dissatisfied customers need to let customer services know of their concerns, as this can push companies to make changes.” Our verdict The Sportage KX-3’s speedo ticks the necessary EU legal boxes, so Kia doesn’t see a problem. That’s the wrong attitude to take. Owners are unhappy and the company would be wise to take note.