Turning on the headlights
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The Kia Sportage is a regular in the UK’s best-sellers list, for many of the same reasons the Nissan Qashqai also appears in the top ten: it’s a thoroughly sensible, practical, and most importantly affordable family SUV. The Kia specifically is also bolstered by one of the longest warranties in the business at seven years, which means even used buyers get to benefit from the reassurance of a factory warranty.
The Sportage is now in its fifth generation, the most recent model having arrived in 2021. It looks and drives sharper than ever but hasn’t lost any of the utility that made previous generations popular. Keep reading to find out more about the Sportage, its trim levels, and its engine range.
The Kia Sportage is pretty easy to recommend as a used car. Even before you get to the model’s plentiful qualities, you have to appreciate the brand’s seven-year warranty, which means that at the time of writing, not just all used current-generation Sportages have several years left, but you can buy a previous-generation model and still have the security of a few years of factory cover.
That previous generation was a pretty good car in its own right, but the latest one takes another step on. It’s sharper to look at, has a smarter and more modern interior (taking its cues from the likes of the high-tech Kia EV6 electric car), and has a wide choice of engines, including regular petrol and diesels all the way to full hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions.
Efficiency is pretty good across the board and all the engines drive well, though it’s the full hybrids that are the smoothest. The PHEV gets 43 miles of EV range, so some drivers may be able to do a full day’s commuting on electric power alone. The Sportage is otherwise nothing special to drive, but it rides well and has good refinement, which will be more important than the fun factor for most buyers. It’s spacious too, and the infotainment is a doddle to use.
The Hyundai Tucson is the Korean sister brand’s closest equivalent to the Sportage and offers a very similar mix of talents, while the Nissan Qashqai, that other UK best-seller, is another great all-rounder. The Ford Kuga is a fine-driving alternative, while the Peugeot 3008 and Renault Austral (the latter similar under the skin to the Qasqhai) offer some style with their practicality. You shouldn’t overlook the excellent Skoda Karoq either.
The sweet spot in the Sportage range is probably somewhere in the middle, since ‘3’ trim gets equipment including heated seats, part faux-leather trim, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a 12.3-inch media display. Engine-wise, the regular petrol and diesel models will do the trick for most owners - petrol will suit those who don’t cover many miles, diesel for higher-mileage drivers. Automatic means mild-hybrid tech from the off, but while the full hybrids are efficient, bear in mind they’ll cost a little more to buy - and that the PHEV will need plugging in to really deliver its best economy.
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Kia’s familiar numbered trim levels make an appearance here, as do its GT-Line trims and their mildly sporty theme. Given the performance of the hybrid and plug-in models a sporty trim line is less inappropriate here than it might have been on older Sportage models, but the emphasis is still very much on comfort and equipment rather than emulating a proper performance SUV.
The Kia Sportage's exterior dimensions are:
The Kia Sportage's boot size is:
For non-hybrid vehicles, annual VED is set at £190 per year for the 2024/2025 tax year, while the hybrids are £10 cheaper. If the original owner somehow spent more than £40,000 on their Sportage though, beware, as this is the threshold at which a surcharge is applied from the second to sixth years of registration - lifting the bill up to £600 a year, or £590 for hybrids.
Sportage insurance starts relatively low, at insurance group 15 for a car in ‘2’ trim with the non-hybrid diesel engine. Go further up the range and insurance tops out at group 26 for some of the higher-spec plug-in hybrids.
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What is the most popular colour for Kia Sportage ?
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What is the average mileage for Kia Sportage ?
18913
How many Kia Sportage cars are available for sale?
1018
