AM readers voted for the freshly-launched Kia Sportage to win the New Car of the Year trophy at the 2022 AM Awards.

Now in its fifth generation, the Sportage has been instrumental in driving growth for Kia. It accounts for half the brand’s annual sales and competes in the market’s most competitive sector.

The new Sportage is a significant evolution of its AM award-winning predecessor, welcoming enhancements in styling, driveability, and powertrains.

Taking inspiration from the recently-launched fully-electric EV6, the new Sportage has a distinctive look and an upmarket interior.

The chassis was developed specifically for European roads and delivers a more engaging drive, while ride comfort and refinement are raised to premium-brand levels.

New powertrains introduce hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology for the first time, improving performance and efficiency, with the latter bringing greater appeal for fleet customers in particular.

The Sportage PHEV can travel more than 40 miles with zero emissions, when fully charged, and delivers an impressive 265PS, making it the most powerful Sportage to date.

Standard features across the  include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone compatibility; front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera; lane-follow assist; and lane-keep assist.

The safety focus continues with forward collision avoidance assist, which includes sensors for monitoring pedestrians, cyclists and junctions.

As a family-focused model, the Sportage has a luggage capacity that is among the best in its class – offering almost 600-litres of space.

Kia says the interior of the all-new Sportage creates “a driver-orientated space that is truly state-of-the-art”.

The 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and digital instrument display are connected in one wrap-around panel, while a raised centre console houses a rotary gear selector and switches for key functions.

Pricing starts at £26,745 – an increase of more than £2,000 on the outgoing car.

 

Finalists:

• Audi Q4
• BMW 2 Series Coupe
• Kia Sportage
• Nissan Qashqai
• Suzuki S-Cross
• Toyota Yaris Cross