Kia recognised an rising urge for food for barely extra rakish ‘SUV coupés’ with the third-generation Kia Sportage again in 2010. While this automotive was by no means formally outlined in these phrases, the most recent model is extra of the identical: a design-led product that doesn’t supply fairly as a lot inside passenger area as boxier mid-sized rivals corresponding to the Toyota RAV4.

Take a tape measure to the brand new automotive’s inside and you’ll shortly discover proof of that. One of our street check topics, the range-topping GT-Line S, fitted with Kia’s panoramic glass sunroof, supplied simply 920mm from rear seat cushion to roofline, which is admittedly solely as a lot head room as a mid-sized hatchback usually affords (a RAV4 presents absolutely 80mm extra). Leg room is extra beneficiant, after all, besides, that is most likely not a household automotive you’d hunt down with grown-up youngsters to move.

Limited adult-appropriate second-row practicality apart, nevertheless, that is actually an inside with some visible curiosity and ambition about it. Striking design options, just like the tomahawk-shaped air vents and the widescreen instrumentation-cum-infotainment ‘flight panel’, catch your eye, and though some cheaper, harder-feeling mouldings are simple to seek out, the remainder of the cabin does simply sufficient to ship a very good all-round impression.

The driver’s seat is comfy, with a cushion angled effectively to help your thighs and respectable lateral bolstering. The management format is certainly one of sound ergonomics, and grants a transparent view of the digital instrument display behind the wheel, which renders graphics very crisply and clearly.

The infotainment system to the left of that’s pretty simple to navigate: it’s touchscreen-operated principally, however a line of shortcut keys (whose operate could be switched to turn out to be heating and air flow controls) does play an element in making it simple to get on with.

In the second row, Kia presents helpful and accessible bag storage hooks and USB-C charging ports on the entrance seatbacks, which is a neat contact. Further aft, boot area is usually good, though its 850mm loading size to the second-row seatbacks is 110mm down on that of a RAV4.

Some helpful carrying area is accessible below the boot ground, and there’s a stowage area for the curler load bay cowl when eliminated, in addition to extra bag hooks and a 12V energy provide.

For outright carrying area, it’s a bit disappointing that the rear seats don’t fold fully flat, offering additional proof that this isn’t essentially the most sensible automotive in its class.

Multimedia system

Only the entry-level 2-grade Sportage does with out Kia’s 12.3in infotainment system, which brings linked navigation (seven years’ information entry comes with the automotive). You want to purchase both a 4 or a GT-Line S Sportage to get wi-fi smartphone charging, however wi-fi mirroring for each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is available in lower-grade fashions as effectively.

The system is clearly laid out and fairly simple to navigate for an all-touchscreen interface. It’s all the time simple to get again to the house display, and from there to seek out the menu you want with out an excessive amount of distracting scrolling or swiping.

Kia’s manufacturing unit navigation system is simple to program, user-friendly in its format and controls, and simple to observe.

It does lack a handy ledge on which to anchor an outstretched arm and, as all the time, we would favor a joystick or cursor controller on the steering wheel to make discovering a operate simpler with out spending too lengthy with eyes off the street.