Sportage 5th Generation

The fifth-generation Kia Sportage, internally the NQ5, was unveiled in 2021 and is built on the Hyundai-Kia N3 platform. It is a major redesign with a bolder, boomerang-light design, a more spacious cabin and a wheelbase of 2,680 mm for the short version, and a long-wheelbase version of 2,755 mm for North America and some other markets. The boot is about 591 liters in the short body. It is built in Gwangju in Korea, in Zilina in Slovakia, in West Point, Georgia in the US, in China, Malaysia, Russia, Pakistan and Vietnam.

The story of the NQ5 is electrification and choice. Petrol engines are the 1.6L Smartstream T-GDi with 150 to 180 PS, the 2.0L MPi with 150 hp and the 2.5L GDi with 187 hp in the US. Diesels include the 1.6L CRDi with 115 to 136 PS and the 2.0L CRDi with 186 PS, and the 1.6L T-GDi has a 48V mild hybrid with 150 PS, a full hybrid with 230 PS and a plug-in hybrid with 265 PS and a 13.8 kWh battery that gives about 70 km of electric range WLTP. There is also a 2.0L LPG version. Gearboxes include a 6-speed manual, a 7-speed DCT, a 6-speed DCT for the hybrid, 6-speed and 8-speed automatics.

A defining characteristic of this generation is the interior. A curved panoramic display houses the 12.3 inch digital cluster and the 12.3 inch touchscreen in most trims, with Kia's driver assist suite including forward collision avoidance, lane following, navigation-based cruise, highway driving assist and remote parking. Euro NCAP gave five stars in 2022. A facelift came in late 2024 with new headlights and tail lights and an updated display.

Beyond the figures, the NQ5 is roomy, comfortable and well equipped, with a long warranty and a wide choice of powertrains. Points to check are the DCT behavior at low speed, software updates for the hybrid systems, recall status and the touchscreen functions. Specifications differ by market, so check the exact version.