The fab new Kia Sportage Hybrid will keep me going until I get my hands on the plug-in

The Sportage has gone gangbusters for Kia over its many generations; I liked earlier editions of the family-focused SUV and so did plenty of others based on the large numbers of them I see being driven around. It’s no surprise, then, to see the Korean carmaker stick to the format – albeit in a much fresher incarnation here. The new edition is a much stronger package, with lots of in-car tech complimenting those already solid practical foundations.

There’s lots of strong competition in the family SUV arena, with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kuga and fellow Korean brand Hyundai with its Tucson, all vying for attention. However, Kia is coming on strong on the pricing front, with prices starting at £30,885 for the base level petrol model. I’ve just been driving a pre-production Kia Sportage Hybrid though, which comes in at £36,925 and is my own preferred pick of the new crop.

Kia will also introduce a PHEV edition of the Sportage later on down the line. If it’s anything like the rather good hybrid, I’d probably head for that one instead as I’m lucky enough to have a home charger. In the meantime, there are three model variants to choose from, starting out with the Pure, followed by the GT-Line and topped off with the snazzy GT-Line S.

The styling

I like the continuity of the current Kia range and the styling of the new Sportage is on a par and just as impressive as any of the angular lines seen on the likes of the Kia EV3 or Kia EV9. Things get off to a cracking start with the front end. There’s quite a lot going on and the imposing grille and the quite dramatic lights might not be to everyone’s approval. I like the overall effect though, and I also think this car looks great in plain old white. And that’s from someone who doesn’t like white cars.

However, Kia’s so-called ‘opposites united’ design approach works to even better effect on the duo tone models with a nice line on colour contrast and funky alloys across the range including 19s on the GT-Line hybrid driven here. I loved the chunky door mirrors too, which offered up a good view backwards to compliment the generally good sight lines delivered by the sizeable expanse of glass all round. As usual, things taper towards the back and there’s some compromise to be had, but overall, the high-riding position makes it easy to get the Sportage in and out of less generous spaces.

Around at the back, there’s a very generous boot hiding behind the neatly styled tailgate. Meanwhile, the interior feels like a real success story with an excellent combination of materials and low-key trim colours. The dashboard is dominated by lots of kit that will be familiar if you’ve already sampled recent Kia’s and it’s all easy to use and works as it should. After driving the GT-Line hybrid, I was also really impressed with the comfort levels. Those front seats were really accommodating and the room in the back is very decent too.

The drive

Kia is offering the Sportage in a range of powertrains, from a meat-and-potatoes 1.6 turbocharged petrol, a mild hybrid as well as a self-charging hybrid and a soon-to-arrive plug-in hybrid armed with a 13.8kWh battery. Anyone wanting full electric with similar dimensions and practicality will have to opt for the similarly soon-to-arrive Kia EV5, due later in the year.

Driving the Kia Sportage GT-Line hybrid was everything I’d expected from such a proven workhorse. Sure, there’s a little bit of roll and a touch of bounce from the suspension if this car is pushed but, driven casually as it probably would be in everyday family ownership scenarios, the Kia Sportage is a very comfortable car. Performance is fine too, with enough oomph for times when it’s needed but, equally, clever use of the power for delivering great fuel economy.

I also quite like the circular twist-and-go drive selector located in the central console. This is certainly different to other Korean models, where drive options are on the column, but this format worked well for me. The Sportage was also a doddle to park, with light steering making it an easy thing to wend around city streets. The suite of camera views made reversing into tight spots no big deal either, which when you consider this car is a mid-size, feels all the more impressive.

The technology

I’m pretty happy with what Kia has going on in its cabins for the current range, with the dashboard of the new Sportage being dominated by a now-familiar 12.3in touchscreen infotainment screen. I also like the way it works, with good levels of control options both in the screen and in the long touch button panel, which sits immediately below it. These offer easy access to climate controls and navigation options. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also present.

My test car came with lots of additional goodies, like heated and cooled seats, with the latter option being mighty handy in the hot temperatures. There’s other neat stuff too, like the way the instrument panel shows the view down the side of the car when either indicator is on, which has been present on Kia’s for a while now. I still think it’s a nice touch, although I’m not sure just how useful people find it if they already use their door mirrors.

Kia Sportage verdict

I think Kia has got the Sportage just about right now and there’s something for everyone in the powertrain department. I’ll personally be heading in the direction of the plug-in edition when that arrives, with its ability to offer 40 miles of all-electric range being perfect for my needs.

However, the GT-Line hybrid car seen here is an excellent SUV that offers a decent driving experience, oodles of practicality plus enough storage space to make it a proper family car option.

Kia Sportage technical specifications