Review: Solid, practical and comfortable, the Kia Sportage PHEV offers emission-free driving with zero anxiety

Published on 20 November, 2022

Overview

There’s something deeply reassuring about the thud of solid doors shutting on a car and this showroom appeal has long been understood by carmakers. The Kia Sportage, our test car this week, scores well on this front and is one of Ireland’s best-selling cars.

Oozing kerb appeal in “Experience Green”, the model on test carries the PHEV (plug-in hybrid) badge at the back to distinguish it from its ICE counterparts, while the colour seems to only enhance its eco credentials.

From the outside, it’s sharper and sleeker and comes with the obligatory chunky SUV styling but has been given a fresh twist thanks to the ‘tiger nose’ grille and the distinctive boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights.

Step inside and you’ll notice just how much has improved in the well-appointed cabin. At the centre sits integrated twin 12.3in touchscreens with curved panoramic display that sweep across the front of the interior. The tech-savvy will appreciate the Kia Connect smartphone app that allows you to control your Sportage remotely. You can plan your route in advance and set the cabin temperature and, if by any chance you misplace your car, you can keep track of it with the “find my car” feature.

On the practical front, headroom and legroom have all improved compared to the outgoing Sportage model and there’s a usefully large luggage area of 540 litres which increases to an impressive 1,715 litres of cargo space with the rear seats folded.

Kia’s Sportage PHEV joins the Kia line-up along with a petrol, diesel and a mild hybrid version. The plug-in hybrid features a 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol engine and an electric motor. The 13.8kWh battery gives the Sportage an all-electric range of up to 70km.

On the road, it’s pretty unremarkable but that’s not to say it’s without its virtues behind the wheel; what you get is a car that’s comfortable, refined and easy to drive. Fuel economy is not, however, as good as official figures suggest and it proved far thirstier.

Prices for the Sportage start from €37,500 and the PHEV models from €47,000. Buyers have a choice of four trim levels: K2, K3, K4 and GT-line. All Sportages are well equipped. Rivals to the Sportage PHEV include Peugeot’s 3008 Hybrid (€44,995), the VW Tiguan R-line 1.4TSI PHEV (€52,795), and the Toyota Rav4 PHEV (€54,170).

Whichever Sportage model you opt for comes with passive and active safety systems, including Kia’s DriveWise suite of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The Sportage was also awarded the maximum five stars by Euro NCAP when crash tested, with high scores in every area.

If you’re not quite ready to make the switch to a fully electric car, then plug-in hybrids deliver electric driving with zero anxiety.

Be warned, however, PHEVs promise great economy but the reality is running costs will often not match the hype unless you have a commute that fits the electric range and commit to charging your car nightly. But if you do, then the Sportage is one to consider. It’s a solid family car that does just about everything well, so what’s not to like?

Star rating: 4/5