EXLUSIVE: Christopher Sharp drove a automotive that’s competing with the Ford Puma and Jaecoo 7 to be the UK’s greatest promoting automotive
Christopher reviewed the Kia Sportage (Picture: Christopher Sharp)
Yearly the SMMT (Society of Motor Producers and Merchants) tracks one of the best promoting vehicles within the UK. On the finish of every month, after which on the finish of every 12 months, it releases an announcement saying which is one of the best promoting automotive within the nation.
All clear thus far? Good. For the previous few years one of the best promoting automotive within the UK has been the Ford Puma, a small SUV that took over the mantel from its now-no longer on sale sibling the favored Ford Fiesta.
Nevertheless, in current months, two challengers have emerged to take the Puma’s, and Ford’s, crown within the form of the Kia Sportage and Jaecoo 7. The truth is, initially of 2026 the Sportage outsold the Puma, earlier than the American mannequin retook the lead in February.
With this in thoughts, and having reviewed the Puma final 12 months, we determined to take a better take a look at the Sportage and assess whether or not it’s higher than the Puma or not.
The Kia Sportage is competing to be the UK’s greatest promoting automotive (Picture: Christopher Sharp)
Specs
The automotive we had on take a look at was the HEV ‘GT-Line’ 1.6 T-GDi 6AT FWD version of the Kia Sportage with a hybrid system. It encompasses a petrol engine and a 47.7kW electrical motor working collectively to ship 235bhp and 265Nm of torque to the entrance wheels through an six velocity computerized gearbox.
In terms of boot house with the rear seats up there’s 587 litres of house and with them down there’s 1,776 litres to play with. In the meantime, on the street, the automotive is able to a mixed MPG determine of fifty.4mpg.
All in, our Sportage as specced price £36,975. Nevertheless, costs for the automotive can begin as little as £23,954.17 if one goes for the 1.6 T-GDi mannequin with the six velocity handbook gearbox. A bit just like the Puma, costs can vary from simply above £20,000 to simply above £30,000, however with each finance choices can be found.
The inside of the Kia (Picture: Christopher Sharp)
The inside
The inside of the Kia is a hybrid of buttons, a touchscreen, and haptic controls. There’s a handbook selector for ahead, reverse, impartial, and park in addition to a buttons for heated seats, heated steering wheel and the beginning button.
As with most trendy vehicles there are button shortcuts on the steering wheel that will let you flip off issues like lane help with out going right into a sub menu and will let you swap between Eco and Sport Mode.
In case you get right into a Kia Sportage and its infotainment programs really feel just like these on Hyundais of an identical age, don’t be stunned, as a result of they’re each a part of the identical firm. There are a few variations right here and there, however in any other case they’ve the identical shortcuts.
In case you’ve not been in both of these vehicles earlier than it takes a little bit figuring out, however total it’s wonderful to make use of. I want there was a bodily dial that meant you didn’t have to the touch the display to get to completely different elements of the system and, sadly, the aircon is operated through a haptic contact bar that means it feels a bit fiddly.
The steering wheel, just like the Puma, is sq. with rounded corners. I don’t actually perceive why each Ford and Kia have completed this as a result of the wheel turns into too giant and due to this fact the automotive extra awkward to manoeuvre.
At the least the opening on the high by no means disrupts your view of necessary on the sprint in entrance of you and the padels for the adjustable regenerative braking are at all times inside straightforward attain. If I had an additional small critique, it will be that the steering wheel didn’t come out far sufficient to me for my driving place.
Christopher Sharp loved his time with the Kia (Picture: Christopher Sharp)
On the street
While the Kia is wider than the Puma, and regardless of the unusual steering wheel, it felt much better to drive than its American rival. I didn’t just like the Puma for the best way it felt like a metropolis automotive on stilts and rolled rather a lot within the corners.
In distinction, the Kia may be very flat by way of corners. There’s communication by way of the steering and pedals. It’s not BMW iX3 ranges of driving pleasure, it’s inoffensive and plain. On this context, that’s not a foul factor as a result of it means the automotive received’t throw up any surprises.
This doesn’t imply there aren’t any issues. The regenerative braking has three energy settings and happening hills it felt very delicate. It by no means felt harmful, nevertheless it was a curiosity, when it will reduce out after which reduce in; prefer it was unsure.
One other curiosity was how the petrol engine and remainder of the hybrid system labored collectively. I at all times felt the durations in all electrical mode had been all too transient earlier than the petrol engine fired again in. The automotive is at all times making an attempt to strike a stability, however for those who’re getting a hybrid, you’re doing so to burn much less gas, so you may want a automotive to spend extra time not burning it.
Aside from these two small critiques I loved my time with the Kia. It was properly sprung, and its width helped give it stability on motorways and B-roads.
Conclusion
Total, I believe the Kia Sportage is a greater automotive than the Ford Puma. Sure, it’s greater and due to this fact possible much less capable of cope with among the UK’s tightest spots. It does, due to that, imply that wider masses will extra simply slot in it.
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Moreover, I really feel the inside is simpler to make use of, with fewer capabilities handled through the touchscreen and that it drives higher. Whether or not it in the end succeeds in dethroning the Ford shall be fascinating to see because the 12 months roles on.
Christopher’s Verdict: 7.5/10
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