The Kia Sportage’s cabin presentation has weathered well for a design that dates back to 2021. The curved screen houses two separate displays – one for the driver and a 12.3-inch touchscreen in the centre housing multimedia, telephony and vehicle settings. The GT-Line gains a more elaborate instrumentation set-up for the driver as well as a head-up display. While the climate control system is within the touchscreen, Kia helpfully provides a row of fixed switches for fast access.

Entry/egress is easy, there is no shortage of interior space, the front seats provide fine comfort and support, the driving position is excellent, ventilation works effectively and there is plenty of storage. The rear seat is also fairly roomy, on fixed cushions but 60/40-split reclinable backrests fold down to increased luggage capacity. Amenities include air vents, cupholders, USB-C ports and a folding armrest with cupholders.

The Kia Sportage is a well-equipped mid-sized SUV. Standard features in the base S include keyless entry/start, cloth seats, adaptive cruise control, climate control, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, a reverse camera, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Kia Connect, front and rear parking sensors, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Stepping up to the Sportage SX brings dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, imbedded satellite navigation, driver’s seat lumbar support, remote-folding rear backrests and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Sportage SX Plus gains synthetic leather trim, heated front seats, a wireless phone charger, Harmon Kardon audio upgrade, powered tailgate, privacy glass, improved ADAS tech and 19-inch alloys.

Finally, the Sportage GT-Line scores a more-detailed 12.3-inch instrumentation cluster, a head-up display, 'dynamic' LED lighting, ambient lighting, a surround-view monitor, panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, alloy pedals, 19-inch alloys on the diesel and more.

The Kia Sportage is a five-seater mid-sized SUV. The front seats are of the bucket variety. They are manually adjustable and cloth-covered on the S and SX, the SX+ and GT-Line gain synthetic leather upholstery and heating elements for both seats as well as power assistance for the driver, while the GT-Line adds ventilation and power adjustment for both seats.

The rear seat has a fixed cushion, but the backrest is divided into two (60/40), with both portions being a little reclinable and completely foldable to boost cabin space.

The Kia Sportage diesel uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine making 137kW of power at 4000rpm and 416Nm of torque between 2000-2750rpm. Drive is to the front or all four wheels for all-wheel drive (AWD) depending on conditions and grip, via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Kia Sportage Hybrid uses a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, paired to a 47.7kW/264Nm electric motor, driving the front wheels (2WD) or all four wheels (AWD) via a six-speed torque-converter automatic. Combined outputs are 173kW and 367Nm, while a 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery is located by the multi-link rear axle.

The Kia Sportage Hybrid can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (0-100km/h) in about 7.9 seconds in the 2WD and 8.2s in the AWD models, while top speed is 186km/h.

The Kia Sportage diesel can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (0-100km/h) in about 9.5 seconds, while top speed is about 200km/h.

The Kia Sportage diesel averages 6.3L/100km on the ADR 81/02 combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle. This equates to an average range of around 855km between refills of the 54L fuel tank. The Kia Sportage Hybrid 2WD averages 4.9L/100km on the ADR 81/02 cycle. This equates to an average range of around 1060km between 91 RON unleaded petrol refills of the 52L fuel tank. Finally, the Kia Sportage Hybrid AWD averages 5.3L/100km on the ADR 81/02 cycle. This equates to an average range of around 980km between 91 RON unleaded petrol refills of the 52L fuel tank.