We review the Kia Sportage from price to economy and all its features

IF you thought Kia were just a value-for-money buy, check out the new Sportage.

You will discover they now have a motor you’d like on your drive.

Kia have been threatening something special. The funky Soul and neat and sensible Cee’d moved them up the motoring design ladder.

Now with the Sportage they have become a brand with distinctive flair. Kia proudly say it’s their first model that has become “an object of desire”.

If desire is stretching things, the fact is that the Sportage IS a very handsome motor.

It doesn’t look out of place alongside some premium brands costing twice as much.

When you realise the man responsible is Peter Schreyer, things become a lot clearer. The design chief has Audi’s A4 Avant, A2, A3 and iconic TT on his list of credits.

He is a master at giving a car an upmarket, expensive feel and the Sportage is in that mould.

Schreyer told me he wanted people to buy the Sportage for how it looks, rather than simply the price.

Schreyer’s also a great believer in detail making a difference — things like the tiger-nose grille, the slim headlights with LED highlights and the sculpted top of the windscreen.

Chrome trim on side windows, the smart alloys and steep roofline give it a sleek profile, while the curvy rear completes the transformation of the Sportage from rugged SUV to a stylish crossover.

The new model is bigger in every direction than the old Sportage, with more head and legroom, although the sloping roof means rear headroom is tight for tall adults.

Boot space is increased and the rear seats fold flat giving the Sportage the versatility families demand. If the exterior is bang up to date design, the interior is also major step forward.

Neat features include a dashboard echoing the shape of the front grille, while the trim and finish are much improved.

Driving pleasure was another area that no one bought a Kia for in the past, but in the past few years that has changed as well, with a range of new engines and better handling.

Engineers spent a lot of time developing the Sportage for UK road surfaces, embarrassingly regarded as the worst in Europe.

They’ve done a sound job because the Sportage soaks up the bumps in some style and the handling feels more car-like than SUV, although the steering was a bit light for my preference. At launch in September, Kia will have just one engine available, but it’s a good one.

The 2litre turbo diesel is refined, delivers reasonable performance and I got close to Kia’s claimed 47mpg. In fact, the fuel gauge barely moved on a drive from London to Herefordshire.

And a smooth six-speed gearbox shows how far Kia have come from the sloppy boxes of just a few years ago.

Early next year, Kia will add a direct injection 1.6litre petrol and a 1.7litre diesel to the line-up, and the diesel’s 50mpg-plus will make it the best-seller.

The Sportage will also come with the choice of two or all-wheel drive systems.

I expect the majority of buyers to go for two-wheel-drive but the four-wheel will give extra peace of mind if we get another bad winter.

Which only leaves the price before passing verdict.

Prices will start at less than £17,000 for the 1.6litre — and don’t forget, that comes with Kia’s seven-year warranty.

The 2litre turbo diesel First Edition I tested came with full leather seats and executive-level equipment, including everything from cruise control to air con and a top music system in the £20,777 price.

Compare that to a VW Tiguan of the same engine size that starts at £23,650 and a Ford Kuga at £23,615, factor in that warranty and styling, and it’s hard to beat for value and style.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN BUYING A USED KIA SPORTAGE

Kia averages little more than one recall a year across its entire model range, so it’s no surprise that Sportage owners have yet to be summoned to their dealer. Reliability issues are also few and far between; that’s how Kia can afford to provide that amazing seven-year warranty. But, this doesn’t mean that things don’t come up occasionally.

The front seats can suffer from tears along the sides of the base, near the front, because of the frame chafing on the material. Also, some cars have had some central locking issues. But so far that’s about it, and dealers tend to look after their customers pretty well.