Introduction
What Car? says...
It’s easy to get lost in the crowded world of family SUVs but the Kia Sportage looks well equipped to stand out at the front of the pack.
The Sportage has dramatic styling in line with the firm’s flagship electric vehicle – the What Car? Award-winning Kia EV6 – and there's plenty of substance behind those boomerang-shaped headlights.
FAQs
The latest Kia Sportage was too new to feature in our 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey but the previous-generation Sportage (2016-2021) finished joint sixth out of 28 models in the section for family SUVs up to five years old. Kia came a highly respectable ninth out of 30 car makers in our overall rankings for cars up to five years old. That’s ahead of BMW, Volkswagen and Volvo, but behind Mazda and Toyota. Read more here
You can’t get the Kia Sportage as an electric car but there are hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions. The PHEV is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine and can officially do up to 43 miles on electric power alone, making it a very cheap company car choice. The hybrid Sportage has an electric motor that works with the 1.6-litre petrol engine for better performance. Kia’s electric cars are the e-Niro, the EV6 and the Soul EV. Read more here
We recommend the hybrid 1.6 GDi HEV engine with the 3 trim level. It’s reasonably priced, efficient (recording an average of more than 40mpg in our real-world testing) and comes with lots of equipment. Highlights include twin digital screens, heated front and rear seats, keyless ignition and adaptive cruise control. Standard safety kit includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), six airbags and lane-departure warning. Read more here
GT-Line gives the Kia Sportage a sportier look than our favourite 3 trim. It has larger 19in alloy wheels (rather than 18in on 3), privacy glass and other styling features. However, while both versions have a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen, the GT-Line misses out on the 12.3in digital driver display that’s included with 3 trim. The other options are 2, 4 and GT-Line S. Read more here
We’ve yet to try the 8in touchscreen that comes with the entry-level Kia Sportage 2 trim, but we have tested the 12.3in screen that comes with all other models. It has sharp graphics and operates quickly, but we would prefer it if some of the icons were larger and easier to identify at a glance. The rotary dial-controlled systems in the BMW X1 and Mazda CX-5 are less distracting to use. Read more here
The Kia Sportage’s boot size depends on the version you choose. The largest is on the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol models with two-wheel drive and a manual gearbox, and has an impressive official volume of 591 litres (bigger than in the Nissan Qashqai). The HEV hybrid model has 587 litres, the PHEV has 540 and the highest-powered diesel has 526 litres. You should be able to fit up to eight carry-on suitcases in the Sportage boot. Read more here
| RRP price range | £27,250 - £44,550 |
|---|---|
| Number of trims (see all) | 5 |
| Number of engines (see all) | 5 |
| Available fuel types (which is best for you?) | diesel, hybrid, petrol |
| MPG range across all versions | 252 - 54.3 |
| Available doors options | 5 |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £547 / £2,688 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £1,095 / £5,376 |
| Available colours |
