Kia Sportage 1.6 GDI 2 2018 UK first drive

This is the refreshed, restyled, fourth-generation Kia Sportage, the firm's best chance of toppling the Nissan Qashqai as the nation’s favourite mid-size SUV.

Numbers suggest that’s an achievable goal: the Sportage accounts for nearly a third of the brand’s UK sales and, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), last month the Sportage ranked as the tenth best-selling new car in the UK.

So how to go about doing conquering the Qashqai? An exterior nip and tuck has sharpened up the Kia’s looks for 2018, while safety and in-cabin technology have received upgrades over the outgoing model.

The engine line-up has also been expanded, with a mild hybrid added to the range for the first time. We drove that variant on European roads earlier in the year, but this is our first chance to experience the Sportage here in the UK.

Unlike that initial drive in a GT-Line trim variant, however, today’s test car is in '2' specification, meaning it uses the entry-level engine and six-speed manual gearbox. The naturally aspirated, 1.6-litre petrol engine gains a particulate filter to help meet emissions standards, but performance remains unchanged.

That means 130bhp and 161lb ft has to propel 1490kg of mid-size SUV entirely through the front axle, with four-wheel drive reserved for the upper end of the model range.

Perfectly adept at the kinds of short, regular journeys most Sportage owners are likely to use it for, with a comfortable driving position and good all-round visibility. Get beyond the city limits, however, and the limitations of the engine are apparent.

Making any significant progress forces you into the upper end of the rev range, where things get noisy very quickly. Even then, it takes significant effort to build up speed, with a sluggish response in just about every gear. Put foot to floor and you'll feel what seems like a kickdown switch, which is odd in a car with a manual gearbox.

The lack of pace is most noticeable when joining dual carriageways, but can be felt away from traffic lights and junctions as well. Caravan owners in search of a tow vehicle are always more likely to buy a diesel variant, but anyone considering long distances may be better served by the turbocharged petrol model, which is £2000 more expensive.

It’s not as if this naturally aspirated engine is particularly economical, only managing a touring average of 36.1mpg.