The Kia Sportage
Petrol, hybrid or plug-in. From £31,395
The shape everyone knows
The nose carries Star Map daytime running lights across a wide grille and air intake. The same graphic appears in the rear lamps. The rear wiper sits inside the roof spoiler. GT-Line and GT-Line S get a black beltline under the windows. A gloss black roof is available against the body colour.
Three ways to have one
The 1.6 T-GDi petrol comes with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed double-clutch auto. It is the cheaper way in. The hybrid pairs the same engine with an electric motor for 235bhp and drives through a six-speed automatic. It charges itself. There is no plug and nothing to remember at the end of a journey.
The plug-in hybrid is the one to have if you can charge at home or at work. Same engine again, a bigger battery and 283bhp, and it emits 23 to 26 g/km — which puts a company driver on a 9 per cent benefit-in-kind rate rather than the high twenties. It does 44 miles on the battery alone and reaches 62mph in 7.5 seconds.
The petrol takes 9.7 seconds to 62mph with the manual, 9.4 with the DCT, and both top out at 121mph. Kia quotes 7.0 to 7.2 litres per 100km combined, which is roughly 39 to 40mpg. The hybrid is quicker at 7.9 seconds and more frugal at 5.6 to 6.4 l/100km — about 44 to 50mpg depending on trim and drive.
Front-wheel drive on every petrol. All-wheel drive on the GT-Line S hybrid, and on two of the four plug-ins.
Official WLTP figures from Kia's specification page, which vary by trim, wheel and drive: CO2 158–163 g/km petrol, 126–145 g/km hybrid, 23–26 g/km plug-in hybrid. Kia states petrol and hybrid economy in l/100km; the mpg quoted above is the conversion. The plug-in's 104.6mpg is a weighted combined figure. Kia has not yet published figures for the 'Storm'.
Inside
Two 12.3in screens, both curved at you
A 12.3in Supervision Cluster and a 12.3in touchscreen sit under one curve, angled towards the driver. Navigation, media and the menus all run through it.
One panel, two jobs
The Multi-Mode Touch Display switches between climate and navigation. One row of controls does both. The air vents sit hidden across the dashboard.
The back seat is the point
Second-row legroom comes first in this cabin. Storage cubbies sit front and back. Rear passengers get fast USB-C in the seatbacks. The front gets a 15W wireless charging bay.
Pick your Sportage
Four trims, three powertrains. Prices are on-the-road from the official Kia UK price guide, for the cheapest version of each trim.
Petrol
1.6 T-GDi, 147bhp, front-wheel drive.
Pure
GT-Line
Storm
GT-Line S
Hybrid
1.6 T-GDi with an electric motor, 235bhp, six-speed automatic.
Pure
GT-Line
Storm
GT-Line S
Plug-in hybrid
1.6 T-GDi, 283bhp, six-speed automatic. No 'Storm' in this range.
Pure
GT-Line
GT-Line S
Premium paint is £675, or £825 with a two-tone roof. It comes as standard on the 'Storm'. Cars with a P11D price over £40,000 attract the Expensive Car Supplement on road tax. Ask us for a full quote on any derivative — the price guide runs to more combinations than fit here.
Get into a Sportage
Tell us how you'll use it and where you can charge, and we'll tell you which of the three makes more sense. Then we deliver nationwide.
Selling cars since 1917