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By Jonathan Crouch

The full-Hybrid version of Kia's Sportage family SUV could just be the pick of the range. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 58

On paper, you might wonder whether the HEV full-Hybrid version of Kia's Sportage SUV is the best choice to make from the Sportage line-up. But in practice, this variant proves to be a very efficient real-world all-round choice, with eager performance matched to the usual attributes of the current Sportage - striking looks, practicality and a long warranty.

Backgroundword count: 146

If you're not quite ready yet to plug your car in, then the chances are that you want a Hybrid of some sort. And it's equally likely that you want some sort of SUV. If that needs to be of the mid-sized family-shaped sort, then here's a model that needs to be somewhere on your shopping list; the full-Hybrid HEV version of Kia's Sportage. The 'full-Hybrid HEV' terminology's important here because Kia also offers this car in mild hybrid guise (where it's cheaper) and in Plug-in Hybrid form (where it's predictably pricier). All these various flavours of 1.6-litre petrol turbo engine are directly shared with this Kia's Hyundai Motor Group close cousin, the similarly-priced Hyundai Tucson. But this Kia has a very different visual vibe. Is it the family SUV Hybrid for you? You'll need the usual comprehensive Car & Driving Road Test to find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 239

All Sportage models these days are powered by some sort of 1.6-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder unit, but in very different flavours. The 148bhp output offered by the mild hybrid version of this powerplant rises to 178bhp with this HEV hybrid version. Which, combined with a tiny 1.49kWh battery pack and an 44.2kW electric motor, plays a major part in a very useful total power output of 227bhp. Weight and aerodynamics though, combine to keep performance relatively modest; the rest to 62mph sprint occupies 7.7s in the front-driven model and maximum speed is 120mph. There are 'Eco', 'Normal' and 'Sport' drive modes. With top-spec trim, you can also pay extra for the brand's AWD 4x4 drivetrain. In all its guises, this Sportage is superbly refined, particularly around town where the electric motor frequently and seamlessly kicks in to supplant the engine. Only when you push on around twisty roads beyond the city limits will you begin to feel the mandatory 6-speed auto gearbox chase itself a bit; and at this point, you might find the engine's usual calm disrupted somewhat. Like its rivals, this Sportage is never likely to feel fun or entertaining; the steering is particularly light and relatively feel-less, though that's great in town. But there's plenty of cornering grip, it's wieldy on urban roads, easy to park and a quiet highway cruiser, with the usual semi-autonomous driving tools available to take the strain out of long trips.

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