Skip advert
Advertisement

Kia Sportage SUV (2010-2014)

"The Kia Sportage is a good value, practical and smart competitor in the crossover class."

Carbuyer Rating

4.1 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.4 out of 5

Read owner reviews

Pros

  • Great value for money
  • Seven-year warranty
  • Spacious interior

Cons

  • Bouncy ride
  • Lifeless steering
  • Some cheap-feeling trim

The Kia Sportage takes on a host of rivals in the compact family SUV class, including the extremely popular Nissan Qashqai, the Hyundai Tucson, the Renault Captur, the Ford Kuga, the Mazda CX-5 and the Skoda Yeti. It’s certainly not the newest contender of the bunch (a new Kia Sportage is on the way in early 2016) but it still offers reasonable value for money, standard equipment, running costs and interior space.

Advertisement - Article continues below

As with all Kias, the market-leading seven-year/100,000-mile warranty is a big part of the Sportage’s appeal, especially for private buyers. It means you can hold on to the car for longer, safe in the knowledge you won’t face any huge repair bills, or alternatively it can boost the Sportage’s value if you’re selling it with a couple of years’ warranty cover remaining.

The Sportage has a three-strong engine line-up, with a 1.6-litre petrol, 1.7-litre diesel and 2.0-litre diesel (with two power outputs) to choose from. The 2.0-litres are only available with four-wheel drive, while the cheaper-to-run front-wheel-drive Sportages are powered by the smaller petrol and diesel.

We think the 1.7-litre diesel is the best of the bunch, as it’s quite economical but also capable of moving a fully loaded Sportage briskly. Four-wheel drive isn’t really necessary unless you live in a fairly rural area or expect to be dealing with snow and ice on a regular basis in winter. It should be noted, however, that if you want your Sportage to have an automatic gearbox, you have to go with the 2.0-litre 4x4 diesel setup.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Despite its name, the Sportage isn’t what you’d call sporty. It’s a heavy enough car that leans a bit in corners and can be unsettled by a poorly surfaced road. Comfort is the name of the game here, so if you want a more satisfying driving experience, we’d steer you in the direction of the Mazda CX-5 or maybe the (admittedly more expensive) BMW X3.

Interior space is one area where the Sportage doesn’t come up short: the boot is huge, with extra luggage space under the floor. This is an easy car to see out of in general, but rear visibility could be better. Fortunately, parking sensors are available to eliminate the need for guesswork.

Choosing your Sportage’s specification is fairly simple. The two-wheel-drive models are simply known as Sportage 1, 2, 3 and 4, while four-wheel drive adds a ‘KX’ prefix to those names. As standard, the 1 and KX1 get alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control and air-conditioning, which is pretty generous.

We’d recommend stepping up to the 2 or KX2 if you can afford it though, as that means you get to enjoy a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone air-conditioning, half-leather seats and those all-important parking sensors.

The Sportage is reliable enough to ensure that you probably won’t need to call on that seven-year warranty. It also boasts a five-star Euro NCAP crash-safety rating, along with standard electronic stability control, hill-start assistance and ISOFIX child-seat mounts.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

The UK's top 10 best-selling cars 2024
The UK's best-selling cars hero
Best cars
6 Mar 2024

The UK's top 10 best-selling cars 2024

Top 10 best hybrid family cars 2024
Top 10 best hybrid family cars
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best hybrid family cars 2024

Top 10 best hybrid SUVs 2024
Top 10 best hybrid SUVs 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best hybrid SUVs 2024

Top 10 best mid-size SUVs 2024
Top 10 best mid-size SUVs 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best mid-size SUVs 2024

Have You Considered

Toyota C-HR review - stylish and efficient, but lacks rear space
Toyota C-HR UK front dynamic
In-depth reviews
18 Mar 2024

Toyota C-HR review - stylish and efficient, but lacks rear space

Honda HR-V review – an economical but flawed small SUV
Honda HR-V front quarter dynamic
In-depth reviews
11 Mar 2024

Honda HR-V review – an economical but flawed small SUV

Most Popular

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
28 Mar 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
26 Mar 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
26 Mar 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide
Public EV charge point
Tips and advice
11 Jan 2023

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
best electric cars
Best cars
28 Mar 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024