About this video

• Video Title: Kia’s New Sportage In Detail + How It Compares To Rivals
• Channel: Sam Sheehan Car Reviews
• Speakers: Sam Sheehan
• Duration: 00:11:55

Overview

This video provides a detailed review of the updated Kia Sportage hybrid, focusing on its design, interior features, practicality, and driving experience. The reviewer compares the Sportage to its key rivals, particularly the Citroen C5 Aircross and Nissan Qashqai, to determine its position in the family SUV market.

Key takeaways

• The updated Kia Sportage maintains its handsome SUV silhouette with subtle exterior tweaks and improved lighting, particularly in the GT-Line trim.
• The interior features a driver-focused design with large screens, supportive seats, and a user-friendly climate control system that cleverly mimics physical buttons.
• The Sportage offers excellent rear legroom and headroom, making it a strong contender for passenger comfort, although the front interior is less practical than some rivals.
• Boot space is generous and competitive within its class, matching the Citroen C5 Aircross, with a flat loading floor and adjustable rear seats enhancing practicality.
• The hybrid powertrain is efficient and offers good performance with nippiness off the line, enhanced by one-pedal driving capabilities through adjustable regenerative braking.
• While the Sportage's ride can be slightly firmer than the Citroen C5 Aircross over UK road imperfections, it offers a comfortable and relaxing driving experience at higher speeds.
• Despite a price increase and some missing tech features compared to rivals (like a 360-degree camera in GT-Line), the Sportage's stylish design, practicality, and efficient hybrid system make it a compelling family SUV.

The Kia Sportage's interior, particularly in GT-Line trim, is described as sportier than the Citroen C5 Aircross. It features firmer, supportive bucket-style seats and touches of color, like cream accents against black. However, the reviewer notes that the C5 Aircross's interior is more centered on comfort and uses more soft-touch materials. While the Sportage has two main screens with sharp graphics, some of its storage solutions are considered more conventional and less practical than those found in the C5 Aircross, which offers storage underneath the infotainment system.

The Kia Sportage's hybrid powertrain, specifically the self-charging hybrid, offers advantages in efficiency and performance. It makes good use of its electric power, providing effortless and nippier acceleration from a standstill due to the extra electric "oomph."

A key feature is the one-pedal driving capability, controlled via the shift paddles. When this regenerative technology is ramped up, the car slows down significantly as if braking, effectively putting energy back into the battery. This reduces the need to use the brake pedal, especially in traffic, and contributes to better fuel efficiency.

The Kia Sportage offers very good boot space, positioning it at the top of its class and essentially matching the Citroen C5 Aircross. It features a flat loading floor, making it easy to load items and suitable for dogs. The boot's width is also decent. While there's an initial compartment for sound deadening, this can be removed if more space is needed.

In terms of rear seat flexibility, the Sportage excels. The backs of the rear seats are adjustable, allowing them to be set to different heights or reclined further back for increased passenger comfort. The seats can also fold down, creating a near-flat loading space, which is useful for carrying larger items like those from IKEA. The rear doors open widely, providing good access. However, the floor in the rear has a bulge from the foot tunnel, which reduces space for a middle seat passenger's feet compared to the flat-floored C5 Aircross.

The Kia Sportage faces some criticism regarding its technology features and pricing within the family SUV segment.

Technology Criticisms:

• Reversing Camera: While the reversing camera in the Sportage is clear, it's considered less advanced than those found in rivals like the Citroen C5 Aircross and MG HS, which offer features like an under-car view. The GT-Line trim specifically lacks a 360-degree view and a front camera.
• Voice Control: The Sportage does not feature advanced AI-driven voice control like ChatGPT, which is available in some competitors, limiting its conversational capabilities.
• Driver Assistance Systems: The reviewer finds many of the driver assistance systems to be annoying and not particularly helpful, although a "favorite" button on the steering wheel allows for a quick shortcut to switch them off.

Pricing Criticisms:

• Increased Price: The Sportage, particularly the hybrid version, has increased in price. The hybrid model starts from £34,000, which is £4,000 more than the starting price of the hybrid Citroen C5 Aircross.
• GT-Line Price: To get into the GT-Line hybrid trim, the price rises to £36,925.
• Optional Extras: Some desirable tech features, like the more advanced parking cameras, are not standard on the GT-Line and require spending more.

Overall, while the Sportage is praised for many aspects, its technological offerings and price point are areas where competitors may have an edge.