Kia’s new version of the Sportage SUV, driven here in four-wheel drive petrol form and in the sportier-looking GT-line spec.
Why is it interesting?
The Sportage has driven much of Kia’s growth in reputation and sales, and while some think this model isn’t as good-looking as its predecessor, CO2, kit, quality and practicality are all improved.
How are the running costs?
It’s rare to find 4WD higher-powered petrol SUVs these days, and the Kia loses out on whole-life costs to the pricier Nissan Qashqai and Mazda CX-5 2WD models because of CO2 nearly 40g/km higher – a penalty so hefty that even the Kia’s better RVs (a huge 41.0% on this model) can’t haul it back.
Any other business?
Unless you really want a petrol 4×4, this Sportage doesn’t make enough sense, and doesn’t feel fast enough to warrant the huge efficiency penalty. The 2WD diesel model is a much more sensible and very competitive package.
