Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi AWD GT-Line does a lot right

For generations, the Kia Sportage was primarily in demand as an affordable alternative. In the meantime, the Korean also has other advantages. It sells very successfully in Germany - and there are good reasons for this, as the driving .

Kia's Sportage SUV series can look back on almost 30 years and five generations. The latest edition has been on the market in Germany for a good two years, where it set a new record last year with well over 18,000 new registrations. There are reasons for its current success, which were also revealed during an extensive test with the electrically assisted and all-wheel drive diesel version.

There is the look. While the early Sportage was odd or staid, generations 3 and 4 were more daring designs which, like fast fashion, lost their appeal after a short time. The current generation seems to be different, because even two years after its launch, it still looks fresh, with balanced proportions and styling. The two-tone paintwork of our specimen, striking LED light signatures and sporty accents of the GT-Line, which include 19-inch alloy wheels, further enhance the appearance.

Chic and modern cockpit

The tidy cockpit is also stylish and modern. The large display behind the steering wheel and the touchscreen in the center of the dashboard are combined in a curved unit. The number of switches and buttons is manageable; many functions are controlled via steering wheel buttons, touchscreen or voice command.

Smart: Below the large infotainment display is a touch bar that can be used as a control unit for the air conditioning or alternatively displays direct selection buttons for the navigation system and other functions. However, the touch areas and the surfaces in the center console in high-gloss black do collect fingerprints over time, which no longer look quite so attractive. Instead, the driver's smartphone can charge its battery contactlessly in a tray. Cell phone content can be mirrored on the touchscreen with Android Auto or Apple Carplay. Whether from Google Maps, Apple Navi or the permanently integrated on-board navigation system - there are many options when it comes to choosing a route planner.

Plenty of space in the front and rear

Whether first or second row - there is plenty of space in the Sportage, which is around four and a half meters long. The headroom for average-sized guests is good, even with the lowered headlining thanks to the optional panoramic glass roof.

Even if the hard plastic wheel arch linings in the trunk are a little annoying, the 526-liter luggage compartment offers a pleasing amount of space. There are additional storage compartments under the intermediate floor, which is flush with the loading sill. The rear seat backrest can be folded down in a 40:20:40 ratio from the electrically opening trunk lid using a remote release. This gradually increases the storage capacity to 1715 liters. The Sportage's relatively high loading sill is the only reason why some might still mourn the demise of the family van.

Test drive with diesel

The Sportage is therefore equipped for the times. You might be surprised that we were allowed to drive a diesel. Oil burners are also considered to be a dying breed, although they have by no means lost their classic advantages in the electric age. Anyone who has to drive fast and far will be pleased with the long range and moderate consumption, even on fast-paced routes. This also applies to the 1.6 CRDi with 48-volt mild hybrid technology, with which you can easily cover 800 kilometers in one go thanks to the 54-liter tank and still enjoy advantages such as all-wheel traction and the self-shifting dual-clutch transmission.

You don't notice much of the electric support of the starter generator during propulsion, but you can feel the drive decoupling of the gliding function more often when you take your foot off the accelerator. Although the diesel torque makes up for a lot, the 1.8-tonner powered by 100 kW/136 hp lacks a certain liveliness. After a sedate 11.6 seconds, it reaches 100 km/h and stops at 180 km/h. The automatic gearbox shifts gears nimbly and ensures mostly low engine speeds. The standard consumption is stated as 5.8 liters, in practice we were on the road with 6.5 liters.

More economical without all-wheel drive

It would be fundamentally more economical to do without all-wheel drive. However, it ensures optimum traction in everyday driving. We certainly didn't experience any wheelspin when driving on asphalt. If you want to drive off-road, you can use a small rotary switch in the center console to select a suitable all-wheel drive mode for the terrain in order to make confident progress.

The Sportage also handles well when cornering. Our specimen with GT-Line equipment has adaptive dampers on board, which promises decent comfort and a high degree of driving stability. However, we did not experience the diesel Sportage as a sedan-like pothole equalizer. On the other hand, roll, dive and pitching movements were noticeably reduced, which is why there were no uncertainties even when cornering at speed.

Assistance systems somewhat inharmonious in places

The many assistance systems also ensure a generally high level of safety, although in some situations they act somewhat inharmoniously. The speed limit recognition does not always work reliably, the lane departure warning could correct with more restraint and the cruise control could distinguish more clearly between dangerous and safe situations.

The current success of the Sportage is therefore based on several pillars, which, however, also have their price. The basic version with a 150 hp petrol engine now starts at almost 35,000 euros, while our mild hybrid diesel with seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive even costs 10,000 euros more. If you order the highest GT-line equipment and a few extras such as the panoramic glass sunroof, you end up with over 50,000 euros. That sounds like a lot of money, but VW charges around 10,000 euros more for a comparably equipped Tiguan.

Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi 48V AWD DCT - technical data

Five-door, five-seater compact SUV
Length: 4.52 meters, width: 1.87 meters, height: 1.65 meters, wheelbase: 2.68 meters, trunk capacity: 526 to 1715 liters
1.6-liter four-cylinder Turobdiesel, 100 kW/136 hp, maximum torque: 320 Nm at 2000 to 2250 rpm, seven-speed automatic transmission (dual clutch), all-wheel drive
0-100 km/h: 11.6 sec., Vmax: 180 km/h
WLTP average consumption: 5.8 l, CO2 emissions: 152 g/km (WLTP), test consumption: 6.5 l, efficiency class: A+, emissions standard: Euro 6d
Price: from 44,550 euros