Kia Sportage SUV - Engines, drive & performance
The Kia Sportage is refined at speed, although can be noisy when you’re accelerating
Family SUVs aren’t really designed to cater for keen drivers, but the Kia Sportage is as agile and precise as most will need. It’s not quite as good to drive as a Ford Kuga or Mazda CX-5, but it’s not far behind.
There’s very little body roll, for a start, although this is achieved by a slightly firm ride. That means the Sportage will occasionally crash into bumps and potholes but for the most part comfort is acceptable. Direct steering gives you confidence despite a lack of road feel, while Sportage grips harder than you’d expect in corners.
The Sportage doesn’t reward hard acceleration. The hybrid model we tested was noisy getting up to speed, with quite a harsh tone from the petrol engine. It’s much better if you stick to a relaxed pace and is impressively refined once you’re at cruising speed. Refinement is good at lower speeds, as then the car can run on electric power for short periods of time.
Kia Sportage hybrid engines
Topping the Sportage range for the first time is a plug-in hybrid model, capable of over 40 miles of electric range. It also gets 261bhp, but isn’t the fastest in the line-up - largely because its larger battery makes it heavier. Below this is the 226bhp 'self-charging’ hybrid. Both use Kia's familiar turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine. The 226bhp version hits 0-60mph in 7.7 seconds, so it’s a little quicker than the equivalent Hyundai Tucson, while the PHEV sneaks in at around eight seconds. Both hybrid models come with a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard, while the PHEV gets four-wheel drive (it’s an option on the hybrid GT-Line S).
Petrol engines
While there was previously a conventional 1.6-litre petrol version with 148bhp, now all Kia Sportage models get some degree of electrification. The mild-hybrid assisted version of that engine is now the entry point into the range, producing 157bhp. This comes paired to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed automatic. It doesn’t feel nearly as quick as the hybrid or plug-in hybrid, but it’s still well-suited for most buyers.
Diesel engines
The 1.6-litre diesel engine was carried over from the old Sportage and, like the petrol, it came with mild-hybrid technology on automatic versions, although it’s no longer available to buy new. Manual versions got 113bhp, while the auto boasted 134bhp.
