Kia Sportage (2016-2021) review - Reliability and safety

The Sportage is well stocked when it comes to safety features. All versions come equipped with ABS, stability control, a tyre pressure monitoring system, lane keeping assist and a speed limit detection system. Top spec versions add the likes of blind spot collision warning and autonomous emergency braking.

All Sportages are equipped with a reversing camera which should reduce the change of parking bumps, and front parking sensors are standard on all but the 2 trim level. Cruise control is also standard across the range, while the GT-Line S gets an adaptive system which can maintain a safe distance from the car ahead.

Euro NCAP has tested the Sportage and gave it a five-star safety rating when it was tested in 2015. The car was praised for its ability to protect passengers of all sizes in all seats and its side-on collision protection. It scored 71 per cent for its active safety assist technologies.

The Sportage achieved an impressive 13th-place finish out of 100 cars in our 2020 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, while 2021's 9th spot was even better. Kia itself finished 2nd out of 29 manufacturers in the Best brands poll - a repeat of its previous year's ranking.

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Warranty

Just like all Kia models, the Sportage range is covered by one of the longest-lasting warranties available, lasting seven years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first). You can also pass it on if you choose to sell your vehicle within the warranty terms.

Servicing

The service schedule for every Sportage variant is 12 months or 20,000 miles, which means bills shouldn’t be too high. You can fix the cost of servicing thanks to a package that Kia offers for the Sportage: the first three services are covered for £329 including VAT (with a maximum mileage limit of 11,000 per year), or the first five services for £609. This represents very good value for money and is definitely worth taking up.