Arguably the car that has done the most to change Kia’s brand image, the third-generation Sportage (2010-2017) showed Kia could make attractive, stylish and great value cars all backed up by a seven-year warranty. The new, fourth-generation car takes these key strengths and improves on them in a number of ways, pushing the Sportage towards the top of the small SUV class.
It’s a rival for the Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kuga and Mazda CX-5, and it also squares up to its sister car – the Hyundai Tucson. It ranks as one of the better-made cars in its class, and while it may trail the Mazda CX-5 for outright space, the Sportage is one of the roomier small SUVs. It falls a little short of the Kuga and, once again, the CX-5 for handling, but the Sportage is by no means a boring car to drive. Its combination of quick steering, supple ride and decent body control means the Kia Sportage is one of the best all-rounders in its class.
he impressive growth of the Kia brand over recent years can mostly be put down to the success of the Sportage. Now this, Kia’s fourth-generation of the Sportage mid-size SUV, is designed to carry on the progress of its admired predecessor. However, this Kia Sportage squares up against an ever-growing list of stylish SUVs and crossovers, which now include the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kuga, Renault Kadjar, Suzuki Vitara, Mitubishi ASX and Ssangyong Tivoli – to name but a few!.