Kia Sportage (10 on) - Review

Kia has thrown everything its got at the Sportage to give potential customers peace of mind. There's Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that automatically brakes one or more wheels, reduces engine torque – or does both – to stabilise the car if the car has gone out control. There's also a roll-over sensor that detects when the car might be in danger of rolling over and deploys the side and curtain airbags and seat-belt pre-tensioners so that occupants are fully protected should the worst happen. There's also whiplash-countering headrests, front, side and curtain airbags and ISOFIX child-seat mounting in the rear seats. Security-wise, it's a similar story: the Sportage offers an immobiliser and alarm, door deadlocks, child safety rear roor locks, speed-sensing auto-door locking and impact-sensing auto-door unlocking. The 18-inch alloys also come with locking wheel nuts. All this safety kit has clearly helped as the Sportage was given the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP tests.