Kia Sportage
MODEL TESTED: Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi 3 PRICE: £32,560 POWERTRAIN: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 148bhp
AS with the Grandland, we’re testing the Kia Sportage in its middle trim level, known simply as 3. When paired with a petrol engine and a manual gearbox, it’s slightly more expensive than its rival; its £32,560 price tag is £830 higher.
Tech highlights
IN a similar vein to the Grandland, the Kia Sportage uses a platform that is shared with a range of other models worldwide. Here in the UK, the Sportage’s Hyundai Group N3 architecture is also used by the Hyundai Tucson and the largest SUV in Kia’s UK line-up, the Sorento. It means that the Sportage can be offered with three levels of electrification: a mild hybrid, a full hybrid and, as with the Grandland, a plug-in hybrid.
The entry-level power unit we’re testing here relies purely on combustion power. The petrol unit has an extra 399cc over the Vauxhall and a fourth cylinder, thanks to its 1.6-litre in-line configuration. As with its rival, a turbocharger boosts torque at low revs, and the 250Nm peak arrives at 1,500rpm, which is 250rpm sooner than the Vauxhall’s 230Nm peak, and lasts all the way up to 4,000rpm.
The result is a 0-60mph time of 9.9 seconds; Vauxhall quotes a 0-62mph time that’s just half a second slower, so on paper there isn’t much in it. The Kia’s extra power is offset by a kerbweight of 1,526kg, which is 95kg more than the Vauxhall’s. SAFETY:
The Sportage was assessed by Euro NCAP in 2022, and it chalked up a maximum five-star rating. However, when it comes to standard safety kit, it isn’t quite as well stocked as the Grandland.
Blind-spot monitoring is only fitted as standard on the top-spec GT-Line S model, as is a parking collision avoidance system. Adaptive cruise control, plus a self-steering Highway Drive Assist set-up, are only available on Sportages fitted with an automatic gearbox.
On road
IN most respects, the margins between the way these two models drive are very narrow. But the Kia holds a slim advantage in one or two areas, even if engine refinement is disappointing when compared with the Vauxhall.
AROUND TOWN:
There’s not much in it when it comes to ride, but the Kia is slightly softer. The clutch feels unnaturally light, while the throttle is very sensitive in the first few millimetres of its travel. Combine these elements, and it takes some practice to get the hang of pulling away without revving the engine too eagerly.
A & B-ROADS:
Revs are something you want to avoid in the Sportage. Not because of the performance – the four-cylinder unit is more willing than the Grandland’s 1. 2 when you accelerate hard – but because the 1.6-litre petrol engine sounds unpleasant. There’s a diesel-like roughness to its delivery. The six-speed shift is less rubbery than the Vauxhall’s, though.
The Kia has a similar soft bounciness to the Grandland on a B-road; it feels as if its centre of gravity is higher through the turns, but it seems lighter on its feet, too, despite a higher kerbweight. The steering is one of the key areas where the Kia feels more satisfying than the Vauxhall. The weighting is more natural as you guide the Sportage into a turn, and the rack feels precise enough for you to trust in what the car is doing.
MOTORWAY:
At higher speeds, the pair remain closely matched. The muted road rumble is almost indistinguishable between the two rivals, and wind noise is similarly well contained.
The Kia’s straight-line stability is fine, and the engine settles down at a cruise. There’s enough low-down torque for you to leave the car in sixth and not worry about downshifts on inclines.
WHEELS
Petrol and mildhybrid diesel versions of the Sportage come with 17, 18 or 19-inch alloys, while the hybrid version sits on 18-inch rims and the plug-in hybrid model gets 19-inch wheels
“The steering is one of the key areas where the Kia feels more satisfying than the Vauxhall”
Ownership
THE Kia’s cabin feels like a step up from the Vauxhall’s both in terms of its contemporary design and its perceived build quality.
It feels more expensive, and the parts of the car you touch most often, such as the steering wheel and the buttons on it, feel better to hold. There’s loads of adjustment in the steering wheel (but a slightly smaller range of fore/aft movement in the front seat), so it’s very easy for a wide range of body types to get comfortable.
Then there’s the visibility. While the driver’s view is still a little obstructed over the shoulder, as in the Vauxhall, the lower dashboard line means you feel less cocooned in the driver’s seat, so you get a better view of the road ahead.
The swoopy design neatly accommodates the pair of large digital displays, yet also does a reasonable job of combining touch-sensitive functionality and physical controls. A slim touch panel serves a dual purpose. In one mode, it operates all of the climate functions (the temperature adjustment is controlled by small physical dials), while a screen press changes it to a bank of shortcut keys for the infotainment system. At this point what was previously a temperature knob now adjusts the volume of the sound system. Most of our testers find the system quite intuitive to use, but others would prefer more real buttons. STORAGE:
The Sportage fares much better than the Vauxhall for holding a variety of small items. A wide, open shelf ahead of the gearlever is big enough to take even large smartphones, and devices can be topped up via the USB-C ports.
The central cup-holders are wide and deep, and the armrest behind hides another deep bin. The glovebox is a decent size (although it needs to be to house an enormous owner’s manual) and the door bins are able to hold a one-litre bottle. There are further cup-holders in the back, too.
Levers fold down the rear seat backs, while moulded trays under the boot floor offer hand storage. The Kia’s load bay beat’s the Vauxhall’s for capacity with the seats up or down
Practicality
THE Vauxhall is certainly roomy, but the Kia is even better – especially in the boot.
REAR SPACE:
The passenger room is impressive, beating the Grandland in most areas, if only by small margins. On top of that, the backrest can be adjusted for angle, and unlike in the Vauxhall, you get a fold-down centre armrest.
BOOT:
While the Grandland’s boot will be large enough for most, the Kia’s is even bigger – the 591-litre space beats the Vauxhall by a clear 77 litres. Not only that, but the load lip is also 65mm lower, so it’s easier to lift bulky items on board, while the floor is level with the boot lip.
Drop the back seats – made easy by large levers in the boot – and you get a clear, flat volume that measures 1,780 litres, which is 128 litres more than you get in the Grandland. A 12-volt socket makes it possible to charge items, too.