Skip advert
Advertisement

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

The Sportage offers good safety kit, while the seven-year warranty is generous

Reliability and Safety rating

4.3

How we review cars
RRP
£29,525 £39,290
Avg. savings
£2,773 off RRP*
Find your Kia Sportage
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

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.

Advertisement - Article continues below

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.

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.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

KIA Sportage

KIA Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £2,773 off RRP*Used from £11,995
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £2,919 off RRP*Used from £14,800
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £4,364 off RRP*Used from £8,595
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £2,499 off RRP*Used from £10,695
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal
BMW M5 Touring - front action

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal

The BMW M5 Touring is M car royalty, with a thoroughly impressive PHEV powertrain. It’s our Deal of the Day for 29 June
News
29 Jun 2025
Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019
Opinion - Kia EV9 GT

Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019

From poor electric car sales to crashes in F1, Mike Rutherford thinks its been a crazy few weeks in the automotive world
Opinion
29 Jun 2025
New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand’s hot-SUV onslaught
Skoda Epiq vRS exclusive image

New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand’s hot-SUV onslaught

Every future Skoda will get the go-faster treatment, with the brand also working on making cars sharper and more engaging
News
27 Jun 2025