New Sportage is on the way - Introduction

Kia’s small 4x4, the new Sportage, arrives in the UK in January and we’ve driven it.

The only thing it shares with its predecessor is its name because the engine line-up is new, the styling is completely different, the cabin has been revised and the ride has been improved.

Prices are yet to be confirmed but sources at Kia have hinted it will start at less than £15,000 and rise to around £19,000 for the range-topper. This is in line with the Sportage’s key rival, the Hyundai Tucson, with which it shares a chassis and engines.

When the Sportage goes on sale in the UK in January, two petrol engines will be available: a 2.0-litre and a 2.7-litre V6. A 2.0-litre diesel will follow in March 2005.