Kia’s compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), the Sportage, has once again demonstrated its exceptional appeal in the European market. The vehicle clinched the top spot in a comparative evaluation conducted by a leading German automotive magazine, outperforming its rivals.
Kia announced on Thursday that the Sportage achieved the highest overall score in a recent compact SUV comparison test carried out by Auto Motor und Sport, a prestigious German automotive publication.
The evaluation pitted the Kia Sportage against the Mazda CX-5, Ford Kuga, and Citroën C5 Aircross. It assessed seven categories: body, safety, convenience, powertrain, driving performance, eco-friendliness, and cost.
The Sportage excelled in four categories—body, convenience, powertrain, and driving performance—amassing a total of 541 points. This score allowed it to edge out the joint second-place finishers, the CX-5 and Kuga (both with 535 points), as well as the fourth-place C5 Aircross (533 points).
In the body category, the Sportage earned top marks (96 points) for its premium material quality and robust build compared to its competitors. Evaluators also praised its spacious interior and user-friendly controls with physical buttons.
The Sportage’s powertrain impressed with its responsive acceleration, clocking a 6.8-second time in the 80 km/h (about 49.7 mph) to 120 km/h (about 74.6 mph) overtaking test, outperforming its rivals.
Regarding driving performance, reviewers lauded the Sportage for its overall stability. They noted that it maintains a comfortable ride while still offering agile cornering, contributing to its high score in this category.
The Sportage also showcased superior braking performance, coming to a full stop from 100 km/h (about 62 mph) in just 36 meters. This outperformed the Kuga and CX-5 (both at 37 meters) and the C5 Aircross (38.2 meters).
This latest accolade adds to the Sportage’s impressive track record, which includes being named Family SUV of the Year for four consecutive years at the prestigious What Car? Awards in the UK.
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) reports that over 149,000 Sportage units were sold in Europe last year, underscoring its enduring popularity in the region.
On the financial front, analysts project Kia’s second-quarter revenue to reach 31.8435 trillion KRW (about 21.7 billion USD), representing an 8.5% increase from the previous year’s figure of 29.3496 trillion KRW (about 20 billion USD).