When the third-generation Kia Sportage was launched in 2010, UK sales shot up from around 5,000 annually to more than 23,000 in 2015. This was a very new breed of Kia, styled by the inimitable designer Peter Schreyer – formerly of Audi fame – and with road manners its predecessor never came close to.

A tough act to follow then. Styling is of course subjective, so we’ll leave that decision to you, but in the flesh, the Sportage certainly looks like an upmarket product. It’s even slightly more practical than the outgoing model.

In every way, we think the Sportage is a significantly better family car. Read on to find out why.

Performance

While the engine offerings look like a carryover from the outgoing Sportage, they have all been re-engineered. The expected big seller is the 1.7-litre diesel, with 114bhp and a 0-60mph acceleration time of 11.1 seconds, coupled with a manual six-speed gearbox. It might not win any traffic light grand prix, but this is a well-mannered engine, which is quiet at most revs and has adequate performance until you start asking a lot of it up a hill or on the motorway.

Upgrade to the 2.0-litre diesel with 134bhp and a second is chopped from the 0-60mph time, while the 182bhp reduces it to 9.2 seconds. Both versions are available with a conventional six-speed automatic, which is smooth and makes the Sportage a rather relaxing cruiser, with a sport mode for quicker changes.

If you fancy a petrol instead, there are two 1.6-litres, one with a turbo and one without. Choosing the former makes a big difference, upping power from 130bhp to a much more substantial 174bhp and bringing the unique option of a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. We tried the 1.6-litre T-GDi with a six-speed manual and it pulls reasonably strongly from low revs, but its best work is done in the mid-range, where it gives the Sportage a reasonable turn of speed.

Ride and Handling

Take the Sportage through a set of S-bends and it will happily swoop from one to the next, with plenty of grip and impressive composure.

The Sportage has a longer wheelbase than before, and its body shell is a remarkable 39 per cent stiffer. On the road, this translates to a really planted feel, with no vibrations or shudder through the seat or steering wheel and a real improvement in refinement. Bumps are dealt with slightly more sharply than the Hyundai Tucson (which shares its basic underpinnings), but turn into a corner and you can see why. The Sportage has been tuned to handle with a touch more agility, less body roll and weightier steering, and this effect is amplified slightly further if you go for the GT-Line version. Take the Sportage through a set of S-bends and it will happily swoop from one to the next, with plenty of grip and impressive composure. The steering is improved too, with a much more natural feel than older generation Kia’s, giving you more confidence to enjoy the car. Four-wheel drive is available for the 2.0-litre diesel and turbo petrol, with most power going to the front wheels, until it senses a loss of grip. Denoted by a ‘KX’ in the trim level, it’s sure to be desirable for anyone living somewhere prone to a sprinkling of icing sugar in winter, but it’s hard to detect its intervention on a dry road. There’s also a button to lock the four-wheel drive in a 50:50 front to rear split at speeds below 25mph if you find yourself in a sticky situation.

Interior and Equipment

The Kia Sportage has previously achieved the highest overall score in the J.D. Power Survey - back in 2012.

For any owner of the first or second gen Sportage, sitting in the new cabin would be akin to boarding the USS Enterprise. The top of the dashboard and door rests are finished in soft materials, and while there are still some hard plastics lower down the driver-focussed console, there’s a distinctly upmarket feel to all the main controls. Trim level ‘2’ gets a seven-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, while the ‘3’ grade ups this to an eight-inch screen. It’s quick and easy to use, and there’s lots of connectivity options, including standard Bluetooth. The ‘3’ trim is highly-specced, with 19-inch alloy wheels, a front wiper de-icer, leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, a colour trip computer and JBL stereo system. This roster increases with trim level ‘4’, so you’ll get a panoramic sunroof, bi-xenon headlights, electric heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel and safety kit including autonomous emergency braking. Kia’s new GT-Line trim has a sporty flavour, with highlights including unique alloy wheels and a body styling kit, along with ‘ice-cube’ LED foglights, dual exhausts, leather upholstery and a sports steering wheel. It’s immediately obvious the Sportage is more practical than before, with up to 16mm more legroom for passengers in the back, while the boot has grown by 26 litres to 491, with 1,480 litres on offer when the seats are folded flat. Visibility has also been aided by a larger rear screen, and narrower C-pillars, along with repositioned and slimmed down door mirrors and A-pillars.

Cost

The petrol turbo is considerably more costly to run, with 37.7mpg and 175g/km if you go for the automatic.

It’s possible to spend from around £18k to just over £31k on the Sportage, with the limited-run First Edition trim level being the first Sportage to ever break the £30k barrier. The 1.6-litre GDI ‘1’ is cheapest at £17,995, while you’ll need £19,745 for a diesel and £22,050 for the 1.7-litre CRDi ‘2’, which is expected to be the biggest seller. Economy for the 1.7-litre has improved by 7mpg, with a 16g/km reduction in CO2 resulting in figures of 61.4mpg and 119g/km. The petrol turbo is considerably more costly to run, with 37.7mpg and 175g/km if you go for the automatic, while the lower-powered 2.0-litre diesel can manage 54.3mpg and 134g/km with a manual ‘box.

Our Verdict

Kia has become known for its phenomenal rate of evolution, and there’s no clearer example of this than the Sportage. Sure, the fourth-generation might not appear to make quite the giant leap of its predecessor, but dig deeper and it’s a significantly more advanced product. The latest model is better to drive, safer, more comfortable and an all-round better family car. It’s not quite as economical as the Nissan Qashqai and Renault Kadjar, but it has a more comfortable interior and offers customers a slightly more SUV-like experience.