Kia Sportage Review 2023
The Kia Sportage is an SUV that's been an essential part of family motoring in the UK for some time now. With plenty of tech and a good hybrid system, it's clear why Sportage is so popular.
Rivals to the Sportage include the Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-5, and the Volvo XC40.
Our Kia Sportage review covers:
- Modern exterior with boomerang-style headlights and creases in the bodywork
- Stylish interior that's well-built
- 591-litre boot, slightly decreases with hybrid engines
- Petrol, mild-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrains
- Four trim levels
Pros:
- Stylish interior
- Plenty of space throughout the cabin
- Good hybrid options
Cons:
- Infotainment system is fiddly to use
- Noticeable wind and road noise at higher speeds
- Rivals are slightly more fun to drive
Kia has reinvented its exterior design in recent years, transitioning from relatively boring cars to cutting-edge design. This is the case for the new Sportage. It's a fine-looking SUV featuring boomerang-style LED lights, a wide front grille, and creases from front to back.
The Sportage has loads of space throughout the cabin. Up front, there's loads of leg and headroom for two adults, and in the rear, there's more than enough space to fit three teenagers. Storage is also generous, with large door pockets, a tray under the dash for your keys and wallet, and a good-sized centre cubby.
Boot space comes in at a generous 591 litres for the standard Sportage but decreases to 562 litres on the mild-hybrid version and even further to 540 litres on the plug-in. Regardless of your configuration, the boot is on par with rivals like the Nissan Qashqai and Honda ZR-V.
The Sportage's interior follows a practical design and features a good range of materials. The dashboard has plenty of soft-touch plastics and metal-effect finishes that look good, and all touchpoints feel solidly built. Although there are a few more cheaper materials as you move down, it's better than the Hyundai Tucson's cabin.
Coming as standard is an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a DAB radio, smartphone mirroring, and Bluetooth. From GT-Line and above, you get a 12.3-inch screen with a built-in sat-nav. A strange feature is that from mid-range trims, the buttons below the infotainment system are replaced by a touch-sensitive panel, making it more difficult to use than the systems in the Mazda CX-5 and BMW X1.
Behind the steering wheel, you get a 4.3-inch digital instrument display as standard. Like the infotainment system, upgrade trim levels, and it increases to a 12.3-inch screen.
Four trim levels are available: 2, GT-Line, 3, and GT-Line S.
2 has 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps, parking sensors, a 4.2-inch colour cluster display, an eight-inch display, auto temperature control, rain sensors, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, and forward collision-avoidance assist.
GT-Line has 18-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch display with navigation, quilt leather suede seats, driver lumbar support, engine start/stop button, rear privacy windows, smart cruise control, and lane follow assist.
3 has cloth and leather seats, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and highway drive assist.
GT-Line S has a Harman Kardon premium audio system, suede upholstery, a driver memory seat, ventilated seats, an optional two-tone roof, a smart power tailgate, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, blind-spot view monitor, surround view monitor.
Under the bonnet, you can choose from a 1.6-litre petrol engine, two self-charging hybrids, and a plug-in hybrid.
Kicking off the range is the 1.6-litre 148bhp petrol engine that has three variants. The entry-level unit is a manual with front-wheel drive, the mid-range unit adds an automatic transmission, while the range-topper has an automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. For all units, you'll do 0-62mph in around nine seconds and get a fuel economy of around 40mpg.
If you're looking for a more sustainable setup in your Sportage, two self-charging hybrids are available. Both come with a power output of 226bhp, and the only difference is that one has front-wheel drive, and the other has four-wheel drive. Both are perfect for urban driving and increase fuel economy to around 50mpg.
The range-topper is a plug-in hybrid that pairs a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to get 265bhp. Perfect for those looking for a good all-rounder, it can run on all-electric power for around 43 miles and charge using an AC charger in five and a half hours or an hour and 45 minutes using a type 2 7.2kW charger.
The Sportage is really good when driving around town, and if you go for the plug-in hybrid version, you can even reach up to 40mph solely using electric power. Regardless of the powertrain, the Sportage has light steering and tackles bumps in the road well.
Increase to motorway speeds, and the Sportage is an accomplished cruiser. You'll reach 70mph with ease on all engines, however, there is quite a bit of road noise in the mild-hybrid and petrol, more than you'd get in the Hyundai Tucson and Volvo XC40.
On a country road, the Sportage controls itself well and has a good road grip and a firm suspension, especially in Sport mode. The only criticism is that it lacks steering feedback when cornering, which makes it less engaging than the Seat Ateca.
Prices for the new Kia Sportage start from Price On Request OTR* or to lease from £190.11 per month.
Looking to get behind the wheel of the Kia Sportage? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.
