Kia Sportage review - Interior, design and technology

When the fourth generation Sportage came out in 2016, it took the old car’s sloping roof line and bulging arches, but added a sharper rear and more delicate front end arrangement. A styling update in 2018 introduced some little chrome whiskers on the front bumper an gained a full-width light bar at the back.

The changes to the inside were more subtle, with the facelift adding a new steering wheel, a revised driver’s display and tweaked air con controls. Still, the Sportage mixes it with the class’s best for quality. It is full of soft-touch plastics and the buttons and knobs all feel sturdy; it’s only if you look hard lower down the dashboard that you find any cheaper plastics used. The cabin’s design can’t match the stunning Peugeot 3008 for style, but it’s clear, functional and full of tech.

The range is arranged into 2, 3, GT-Line and GT-Line S equipment levels. The '2' trim isn't really a typical entry-level standard as it comes with bags of kit, including 17-inch alloys, LED daytime running lights, dual-zone air conditioning, cruise control, heated seats, a reversing camera and an eight-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation.

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The ‘3’ brings 19-inch alloy wheels, heated leather seats that are electrically adjustable and a panoramic sunroof. The GT-Line goes without the glass roof, but gets a start/stop button, some sporty-looking red piping and stitching on the seats, black headlining, a sports steering wheel, alloy pedals and LED front fog lights. The top-spec GT-Line S throws the panoramic roof back in, plus gets a power tailgate, ventilated front seats, smart cruise control with a stop/go function and a JBL premium audio system with eight speakers.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

The Sportage is equipped with an eight-inch touchscreen navigation system, including both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The eight-inch display was revised for 2018, and both gets a sharper image and faster touch response. Kia’s infotainment interface was already among the best in this class, and the latest updates make it even better. The clear menu layouts are the same as before, with a split-screen home page showing mapping on the left and other options on the right. Loading times are fine, and it’s a very intuitive system to use.