The Kia Sportage certainly looks the part. It has modern, chunky styling, with large wheels and decent ground-clearance, just as you would expect from a SUV. It certainly gives the impression of being more of a capable SUV than the Hyundai ix35 , which is based on the same platform, but which doesn’t look or feel as robust as the Sportage.

The Sportage by Korean manufacturer Kia has been the long-running SUV and with a surge of recent lease deals the Sportage has become one of Smart Lease's most requested models. The compact SUV has sweeping body lines from front to back coupled with the high level of equipment regardless of trim. Whether it is the frugal diesel engine or the punchier petrol the Kia Sportage has been designed for anything the typical family would need.

Kia Sportage Spec 2 and above add features including sat-nav with TomTom connected services, lane-keeping assistance, automatic high beam and heated front seats.

Styling revisions for the Sportage are subtle but include redesigned headlights, a new front bumper with gloss black or chrome foglight housings and revised skidplates. At the rear, new C-shaped LED lights evolve the look, while new alloy wheel designs and five new paint colours also feature.

Kia Sportage new 1.6-litre U3 diesel engine replaces the old 1.7-litre unit and is available with 114bhp or 134bhp. The higher-powered variant can also be had with four-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. CO2 emissions range from 126g/km to 130g/km, with economy of up to 58.9mpg claimed.

All variants of the Kia Sportage come with a reversing camera and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a number of driver safety systems including Trailer Stability Assist, Hill-Start Assist Control, Downhill Brake Control and cruise control.

You’ll feel right at home inside the Kia Sportage. Satin chrome details and high-gloss inserts in just the right places leave a memorable impression.

The infotainment systems in the Sportage have been upgraded. Depending on trim, there is either a 7.0-inch touchscreen or a new 'frameless' 8.0-inch system, each with DAB digital radio. All satellite navigation systems include Kia's Connected Services powered by TomTom as standard, offering a wide range of driving-oriented information. As before, the cabin is decently spacious, with plenty of headroom front and rear. At the back, the seats recline for greater long distance comfort. Out back, boot space is rated at 503-litres.

Kia has made sure there’s a Sportage that suits every conceivable requirement for performance and luxury. Pick the 2.0-litre diesel 4WD version for maximum towing capacity, and you’ll be able to lug up to 1900kg—perfect for caravan holidays with a big family.

Kia offers the longest warranty as standard in the UK expanding 7 years or 100,000 miles.

The Kia Sportage – now in its fourth generation – is the brand’s second best-selling model, with almost 140,000 sold. 16,000 Sportages have been sold since the new model was launched in February.

Kia started trading in the UK in 1991, when it sold just under 1,800 cars in its first year. It now sells the same number of cars every two weeks, from 188 dealers across the country.