Kia Sportage: Tasteful but by no means exuberant

It is a mark of how confident Kia is as a brand these days that it’s joined in the fashion for big bold grilles on its new Sportage medium-sized SUV. You may have noticed that this trend is especially evident on the frontal treatment of the Big Three German prestige marques (Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, in case you need any reminder), and with mixed results.

With the Kia, a Korean make that has recruited some notable German design talent in recent years, it’s done rather better in fact. So much so, that the Kia doesn’t look that much like a car at all, as opposed to being a rather cartoonish sort of parody. In any case, it’s a more assertive look all-round than the relatively contemporary and understated outgoing model, but which has sold very well since its introduction back in 2016. I liked the boomerang shaped all-day running lights/headlights, and it’s nice to drive something that turns heads for all the right reasons.

The ambition is carried over into the interior, with most models featuring a long combined touchscreen and dash that reaches about half way across the windscreen. There’s a very clever bit of design on the button bar under the screen, where you can reach all your most used functions for the satnav, air conditioning and radio, which can be switched between those functions at will. So one minute the left hand rotary dial will adjust the volume of the radio and the buttons the satnav; but at a touch of the switch button, that same dial will adjust the temperature inside the car.

The interior materials are all of excellent quality, but I felt I could have done with a bit more lumbar support on the suede/leather sports seats, though they’re heated, as is the steering wheel. It’s tasteful and quite premium-feeling, but less exuberant and lively than its upmarket rivals. It’s at least on a par with its principal rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai, Peugeot 3008 or Seat Ateca. If you want some style and true exclusivity, try the DS7, the upmarket branch of Citroen, the Cupra Formentor (a posh Seat) or an Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

There’s a very big range of Sportages, including a couple of diesel options, a dizzying array of petrol power allied with mild hybrid, full hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric power variously with manual and automatic transmissions, and front- or four-wheel drive, and three main trim levels. All are still covered by Kia’s famous 100,000 mile/seven year transferable mechanical warranty. Up there with the best, then. The only thing missing – a serious omission in 2022 – is a proper all-electric battery-power only version. My tip is to go for a base model two-wheel drive petrol model, and only opt for the diesel if you plan on truly gigantic mileages. I doubt the hybrid is worth the extra weight. And few will need the all-wheel drive versions.

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As for driving, well it’s smooth enough and the hybrids with their electric motors help with low down power delivery, but the automatic gearbox is a bit whiney, to say the least. As I say, a manual diesel or petrol-only model is the more satisfying drive overall. It’s a predictable and safe handler, but you’re not going to have much fun in it. It’s got five seats and big boot and all the safety kit you need to avoid an accident because you’re distracted by boisterous kids - the ideal family car in other words.

I liked the Sportage but I’d prefer a Qashqai on balance because it’s that bit more fun and agile. For a little bit more, though, you could try the all-electric state-of-the-art Kia EV6, European Car of the Year 2022. That really is the future.