Few would have believed, when the first-generation Kia Sportage was released in the UK in 1995, that this unassuming and slightly bland off-roader would become one of Britain’s best sellers. But in five generations, the Sportage has gone from being a dated, poorly-built bargain-basement 4x4 with dodgy wood trim to one of Britain’s most desired family SUVs. In doing so, it’s matched Kia’s growth from a niche manufacturer of warmed-over Mazdas into one of the country’s mainstream car brands.
The reason for the Sportage’s success is simple: from the second generation onwards, Kia hit upon a recipe people really wanted, which is to say family-friendly space in an SUV body, for a bargain price. Later, the arrival of Kia’s outstanding seven-year warranty sweetened the deal, and suddenly the Sportage was an ideal choice for budget-conscious buyers newly able to afford a brand-new car – but only just – thanks to favourable finance deals.
Today, the Sportage’s flexible seating, mild hybrid engines and generous equipment mean it remains one of the most popular SUVs in the country. From little acorns do great oaks grow.
Generations: 5
Kia Sportage mk5 (2022-present)
Bodystyles:
- Five-door SUV
Notable features:
- This version marks the first full hybrid Sportage (rather than simply mild hybrid)...
- ...as well as the intorduction of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model
- While other car makers ditch diesel, Kia is still offering it as an option on Sportage models
With the fifth-generation Sportage, Kia moved into a whole new era of bold design, with sharp creases, alluring curves, radical LED headlights and a striking-looking grille that wouldn't look out of place on an Audi.
Inside, many models feature twin curved 12.3-inch screens (one for the instruments, one for the central touchscreen panel) as the centrepiece of an interior that looks and feels very nearly a match for BMW or Audi in terms of stylishness, quality and layout. A particular highlight is the touch panel beneath the central screen that can be switched between infotainment or climate controls.
It's a smart, theatrical feature that emphasises just how far the brand has come in a few short decades – from a maker of bargain-basement models to one knocking on the door of premium brands.
On the road, the Sportage balances comfort and handling agility with true aplomb, although a Ford Kuga is arguably slightly more enjoyable to drive.
There are plenty of choices when it comes to drivetrains, too, with petrol, mild hybrid, diesel, full self-charging hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions available as well as a choice between two- or four-wheel drive.
Kia Sportage mk5 Review
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Kia Sportage mk4 (2016-2021)
Bodystyles:
- Five-door SUV
Notable features:
- The first Sportage available in sporty, high-spec GT Line form, marking Kia’s move upmarket
- Mild hybrid diesel engines arrived along with a facelift in 2018
- Became Britain’s second best-selling SUV during 2021
Revealed at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, Kia promised a move upmarket for the fourth-generation Sportage. On the outside, the new car’s styling had more than a hint of the recently revealed Porsche Macan about it, as if to signify that intent, while inside, posher plastics and more equipment meant the Sportage looked like good value.
Journalists praised the new car’s space and versatility, and liked the solidly built interior, even if they were underwhelmed by the driving experience; the noisy diesel engines in particular came in for some criticism. Buyers didn’t mind too much, though; for them, the Sportage was the perfect blend of practicality, affordability, and – with that warranty – peace-of-mind, and it soon started making appearances in the list of the top 10 best selling cars in the country.
Both two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive (AWD) variants were available, the latter differentiated by a ‘KX-’ in front of the model name. The trim levels consisted of Sportage 1, Sportage 2, Sportage 3 and Sportage 4, capped by the sporty-looking GT Line model.
Even entry-level models had alloy wheels and parking sensors, and available features included cruise control, black leather upholstery and even a heated steering wheel. The infotainment system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Bluetooth and satnav. It also let you see the feed from a rear-view camera.
The Sportage was built on the same underpinnings as the Hyundai Tucson. Customers could choose between a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DCT auto. Safety levels took a big jump forward, with modern systems available including lane keep assist and automatic emergency braking.
A facelift in 2018 added an even plusher version to the line-up – the GT Line S – but the headline news was a new mild-hybrid diesel engine, badged CRDi 48V, which combined a small battery and electric motor to offer a small boost to fuel economy and acceleration while reducing emissions. Unfortunately, journalists noted the added complication made the car less smooth to drive, and didn’t actually improve MPG by all that much. They preferred instead the new, cleaner 1.6-litre engine. Petrol buyers had the option of a turbo for the first time, with the T-GDi ISG engine option.
Regardless, the Sportage’s popularity soared, and as buyers sought peace of mind during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Sportage’s sales rocketed; by the middle of 2021, it had reached seventh spot in the UK sales charts, and was challenging its arch-rival, the Nissan Qashqai, for supremacy.
Kia Sportage mk4 Review
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Kia Sportage mk3 (2010-2016)
Bodystyles:
- Five-door SUV
Notable features:
- Sales boosted by new, more stylish look
- First Sportage to be safety tested by Euro NCAP
- Much wider range of engine options saw Sportage enter the mainstream
- First time a two-wheel-drive Sportage was available
2010 was a watershed year for the Sportage. The introduction of the third-generation car was the point at which it moved from being an also-ran in the SUV market to a real contender.
Journalists praised the new Kia Sportage's slicker driving experience and a better quality interior, and buyers loved the sharp styling. The V6 engine option was gone, but the range of more sensible engines had doubled, with two diesel and two petrol engines with various levels of bhp, and for the first time, front-wheel drive was available as an option, too, which reduced the price of entry to the Sportage range and offered a more frugal option for buyers who didn’t need to go off-road.
A more generous equipment list, with a touchscreen entertainment system and a panoramic sunroof both available on higher-end models, boosted the Sportage's appeal further, but competitive pricing ensured it still felt like a good-value option. Plenty of space in the front seats and rear seats didn't hurt, and there was a good amount of room under the hatchback tailgate, too.
These changes put the Sportage firmly in the crosshairs of crossover buyers, and that made it immensely attractive to buyers interested in cars like the Nissan Qashqai and Peugeot 3008, who were attracted by the Kia’s longer warranty.
The Sportage’s move into the mainstream was further solidified with a test by Euro NCAP, the European safety body, whose crash tests are rarely carried out on slow-selling models. The Sportage acquitted itself well, gaining a five-star Euro NCAP rating, and that in turn propelled it yet further up the sales charts.
Kia Sportage mk3 Review
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Kia Sportage mk2 (2004-2010)
Bodystyles:
- Five-door SUV
Notable features:
- First Hyundai-based Sportage
- Engine range expanded to include a gutsy V6 and, for the first time in the UK, a frugal diesel
- Vastly improved quality and reliability compared with the previous model
- First Sportage available with seven-year warranty
There was a two-year hiatus in Sportage production before the second-generation version arrived; time taken to make sure the new model was bang up-to-date, and could compete better than its predecessor with its rivals.
To that end, it grew in size slightly, and now sat on a Hyundai mechanical platform; the same mechanical underpinnings used by the Lantra saloon, in fact, which made this Sportage feel more car-like and less utilitarian. There was, as you might expect, more space inside, while on the outside the Sportage looked less dated, if no less derivative.
The first signs of the Sportage’s move upmarket emerged, too, in the option of a powerful 2.7-litre V6 engine. That said, the Sportage was still very much at the budget-conscious end of the SUV market, so it’s no surprise that the diesel model – the first to be sold in the UK – was much more popular.
Its solid low-down torque, combined with four-wheel drive, gave the Sportage real cred among caravan owners, and buyers of a sensible disposition valued the Sportage’s mix of a low price and lots of toys.
They liked it even more when Kia introduced a seven-year warranty in 2007, which helped set the Sportage up as the SUV of choice for those buying with their head rather than their heart. The fact that the warranty was fully transferrable to subsequent owners was another masterstroke, because it made the car’s residual values stronger by making it more desirable on the used car market, meaning more money back for the original owner come sell-on time.
Kia Sportage mk1 (1993-2002)
Bodystyles:
Five-door SUV
Notable features:
- Until 1998, European Sportages were built in Germany, by coachbuilder Karmann, which also produced the Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet at the time
- The Mk1 Sportage was never available with either a driver or a passenger airbag in the UK – part of the reason it generally had poor safety ratings
- Generous equipment levels and low prices led to a reputation for good value.
The first-generation Sportage arrived in the UK in 1995, and while it was hardly the most exciting thing in the world to look at or to drive, it caught the surge in popularity of so-called “soft-roaders”, cars we’d now call SUVs.
At the time of its inception, Kia had a deal with Mazda to share technology, and so the Sportage was in fact based around a small Mazda van. It used 2.0-litre petrol and diesel powertrains also sourced from Mazda; here in the UK, only the former was available, and - as was the norm at the time - you could only have your Sportage with four-wheel drive.
Trouble was, the Sportage was neither stylish enough to fight it out with the Suzuki Vitara and Toyota RAV4, nor rugged enough to make it an alternative to the Daihatsu Fourtrak or Land Rover Defender. Meanwhile, journalists writing Kia Sportage reviews lauded the car’s lengthy equipment specifications, but not much else, and its bland looks struggled to capture buyers’ attention. Consequently, it struggled to make an impact.
Quality was an issue, too, and reliability suffered as a result, although this started to improve when Hyundai partially took over Kia in 1998. By the time it went out of production in 2002, the Sportage was better built, but despite a mid-life facelift that brought a new grille and lights, among other tweaks, it was dated by comparison with younger, fresher rivals.