KIA SPORTAGE GT-LINE S

What is it?

The Sportage has always been a favourite here at Muddy Towers, it may not have been the most sharpest handling of vehicles, but that didn’t matter as we knew it was an SUV with dual roles, one being that it was competent off the beaten track.

However, the world doesn’t stand still for SUVs, and despite numerous facelifts and updates over the last few years, the Sportage was lagging behind its competitors, so a clean sheet was required, and the fifth generation Sportage is essentially a brand new car with the Sportage moniker.

This model, the 1.6 T-GDi ‘GT-Line S’ HEV Auto AWD, giving it its full title, sits at the top of the hybrid range and takes the Sportage to a whole new level of sophistication.

On the Road

During our week, the majority of miles we added to the Sportage were on the motorway, and it ate them up for breakfast. It was smooth and quiet, despite having 19” alloys.

With the addition of the electric motor, the 1.6 litre petrol engine has a combined 226bhp, and although I wouldn’t say bolting it to the 6 speed auto made it sporty, it does have a 0-60mph time of just 7.2 seconds, which is more than ample.

On the usual commute, and having a bit of fun on country lanes, this new model is head and shoulders above the previous one, it does everything better, as it should. Potholes are disregarded and it feels better balanced through the bends. It still leans, as you would expect, but it feels a lot more composed.

Fuel wise, after around 400 miles it averaged 43mpg, which I consider to be good, and being a self-charging hybrid meant that I can also tootle around town in EV mode.

Off Road

I’ve always said to anyone who would listen that Kia should shout about their AWD capabilities more as they’re really very good. Both the Sportage and the Sorento have never given me any trouble whilst off the beaten track, and I’ve tried!

This new model does away with the old ‘lock mode’ for when things get sticky, instead has three options, Mud, Sand and Snow. Unfortunately it didn’t rain during our week together, neither did it did snow, and I was nowhere near a beach, but on a few inclines with loose stones it didn’t let me down and climbed valiantly upwards. As they say, what goes up must come down, and Hill Descent Control worked well when required. When I found myself in a few tight spots, the 360° Around View Monitor was very helpful, as was the forward facing camera.

When it comes to ‘laning, this new model isn’t as ‘rugged’ as its previous namesake, but it’s not meant to be as I feel Kia wants to focus on other things.

On certain lanes I had to be quite careful as the front approach angle proved to be a bit too low and I kept scraping the front valance, but don’t tell Kia that.

Interior

It’s really quite lovely, I like the new tech, especially the curved 12.3" Supervision Colour Cluster Display that sweeps in front of the driver, though lower spec Sportages have a smaller unit.

The seats fitted to the GT-Line are worthy of note; supportive, yet comfortable, and the same goes for the rears, too, and there’s plenty of room for big passengers along with their paraphernalia.

On the whole, the new switchgear is good, and yay, it has dedicated dials for temperature control. For passengers who always moan that the temperature is either too hot or too cold (Muddy Madam), the new Sportage has a button for Driver Only, that actually works. Full marks for that.

When it comes to spec, I don’t know where to begin, the spec sheet reads like a novel.

The boot has ample space; 587-litres with the seats up and 1,776-litres with them laid flat. If you opt for the entrylevel 1.6-litre petrol model with twowheel drive and a manual gearbox, then those figures rise slightly.

What’s also handy is that the flat floor lies flush with the boot opening, so it's easy to slide bulkier items in and out. There’s also a shallow storage area underneath the floor that houses mount that secures the parcel shelf when you don’t need it.

Engine ’n’ transmission

Kia give you a choice of petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, full hybrid, and plug-in hybrid drivetrains, along with front and and all-wheel drive, and depending on which model you decide there's also the choice of a 6-speed manual, 6-speed auto and 7-speed auto.

Conclusion

In a way I’m sad that the old Sportage has gone, it was a simple-ish SUV that worked well, and it ticked a lot of boxes.

This new fangled model on the other hand includes lots of tech, and although it may not be the cheapest vehicle in its size, all models come well equipped with both luxuries and safety spec.

Despite my affinity for the old model, this new one won me over - it’s comfortable, smart, economical and best of all it’s a Kia, so you know it’s going to be reliable.

Prices start from £26,775 Model tested, from £40,245 more at » www.kia.com