Kia Sportage (2010) review
by David Finlay (12 August 2010)
If you wanted to trace Kia's development over the past two decades, you could worse than study Sportages. The first version, which lurched into existence in the early 1990s, was a ghastly device. It didn't cost much, it kept the rain off and it was quicker than walking, but that was about it. The second, introduced six years ago, was outstandingly better; still reasonably inexpensive, but with a sense of being as good as it could be within the budget rather than being built down to a price.
Now (or now-ish, a term which will make more sense shortly) Kia has launched the third-generation Sportage. Unlike the others, it's being marketed more as a crossover than a genuine SUV, partly because that's what many customers want and partly because it's lower than its predecessor, with correspondingly less off-road ability.
It's also longer and wider, yet lighter and more aerodynamically efficient too. The reduced weight and wind resistance means it performs better in two-litre diesel manual form than the previous Sportage did, even though maximum power has dropped from 147bhp to 134bhp, and it's much more economical (47.1mpg combined) and has lower CO2 emissions (156g/km) in the official tests.
Right now, you can only have a two-litre diesel Sportage in the form of the very well-equipped First Edition, which costs £20,777 with manual transmission and £2000 more as an automatic. 1.6-litre petrol and 1.7 diesel engines will join the range in November.
This is considerably the best-looking Sportage yet and the one with the greatest feeling of quality, though the interior plastics are a bit thin and the engine always has a hint of diesel clatter, even when it's just ticking over at normal operating temperature.
The biggest problem with the design is that there is not nearly enough window area - it's as if Kia is trying to see how much it can get away with, and daring legislative authorities to render its feeble front and rear visibility illegal, or customers to go elsewhere because they want to be able to see out of their cars.
This, unfortunately, is virtually standard Kia practice nowadays. When it comes to ride and handling, the company tends to go in one of two very different ways. Sometimes (old Sportage, revised cee'd) it hits the centre of the target, at other times (Venga, new Sorento) it misses the target altogether and shoots out the eye of an unfortunate spectator.
The previous Sportage rode so well that it would have been a cause of deep grief if the new one didn't at least come close to it. As things have turned out, the only hint of a problem is that the car patters over uneven motorway surfaces, but that feels like more of a tyre issue than a suspension one.
In every other way the Sportage behaves beautifully on the road, smoothing out large undulations very effectively and showing a surprising willingness to nip smartly through country lanes. It's quite good fun to drive for that reason, and also because the major controls are slick in operation (with the possible exception of the gearchange, which isn't as smooth as it might be). The seats are good too, holding you in place well when you're giving it large and providing impressive comfort in more placid motoring.
Stated rivals to the Sportage are the Ford Kuga, Nissan Qashqai, Peugeot 3008 and Volkswagen Tiguan. Brand loyalty and availability of dealerships will help those cars stave off Kia's challenge, but in at least some respects the Sportage has enough going for it to be worth considering as an alternative.
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