Kia Sportage review
Passenger & boot space
In this review
Passenger & boot space
How it copes with people and clutter
Front space
The Sportage is okay for tall drivers in the front, but its rivals offer greater space for anyone really long in the leg. Head room is decent, but the panoramic sunroof that's standard on 4 and GT-Line S trims has the effect of lowering the ceiling a little.
Storage is generous, with door pockets that are each large enough to take a bottle of water, plus trays for a phone and keys and two fixed cupholders behind the gearlever. There's a good-sized glovebox, too.
Rear space
The Sportage is on a par with most rivals in this area, with enough leg, head and elbow room to keep two tall adults comfortable. A low central tunnel in the floor leaves more foot space for the middle passenger than some rivals offer, but some will find the flat, firm seat cushions a little uncomfortable on longer journeys.
All models get pockets on the backs of the front seats, two coat hooks and a fold-down centre rear armrest that houses two cupholders. The rear door pockets are each big enough to hold a half-litre drinks bottle.
Seat folding and flexibility
The Sportage offers reclining rear seats so passengers can lean back at an indulgent angle, and that's a feature that the Seat Ateca can't match. Other rivals go further, with sliding rear seats that allow you to prioritise boot space or rear knee room, and the Skoda Karoq is available with rear seats that can be removed altogether – to make more space or to provide a convenient picnic chair. The Mini Countryman, meanwhile, offers a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seatback that's more adaptable than the 60/40 arrangement in the Sportage.
The front passenger seat is height-adjustable in all versions and has eight-way electric adjustment on higher trims. Only the driver gets adjustable lumbar support, though.
Boot space
The Sportage has a big boot – bigger than the Nissan Qashqai's and, with the rear seats in place, longer than the Seat Ateca's. It isn't quite as big as the Skoda Karoq's, though, but you'll have no issue getting a buggy or a couple of sets of golf clubs inside.
It has a floor that lies flush with the boot opening, so it's easy to heave bulky items in and out. When you drop the rear seats, they lie flat and flush to the floor – convenient when you need to slide something long and awkward all the way up to the back of the front seats.
