Kia Sportage (10 on) - Review

Kia has made a step forward with this, the third-generation Sportage: the first incarnation was quite ugly and the second-generation was found wanting when compared with rivals from Japanese car makers. Toyota, Suzuki and Honda had more competent offerings with the Rav 4, Grand Vitara and CR-V. Then there there was a rush of fashionable crossovers - the Ford Kuga, Hyundai's iX35 as well as the more premium offerings from Audi and BMW. All are reliable, stylish and practical. However, Kia's rivals now have something to truly worry about: the latest Sportage, looks the part and with generous kit levels, acres of space and a decent choice of engines it is raising the bar even higher in the crossover sector. Can it whisk away the top prize in the affordable 4x4 category? Read on to find out.