| First Drive | London, England | Kia Sportage First Edition |

Kia's ambitious growth continues, the new Sportage taking on all comers in the compact crossover class. With real style and quality added to the Kia's usual value and a seven-year warranty the Sportage has got what it takes to tempt buyers out of Nissan's Qashqai.

In the Metal

Looking like no Kia before, the Sportage best represents the future of the company's design direction. Its lines have been overseen by Kia's new design chief, Peter Schreyer, who in a previous role at Audi penned the TT. The Sportage looks fresh, modern and exudes a solidity that's much more premium than its predecessor. On this First Edition model it looks even more so, with part black 18-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows and LED daytime running lights the Sportage stands out from its crossover rivals.

Inside is much the same; there's a solidity and quality that's way above what you'd expect from a 'budget' brand. That's helped in First Edition specification by the standard fit of a full leather upholstery, but ignoring that the Sportage's interior still looks and feels good. It's spacious too, with decent rear legroom and a large boot.

What you get for your Money

This First Edition comes with everything but satnav among its standard equipment. It's the range topper, which means the 134bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel is mated to a six-speed manual and electronically controlled four-wheel drive. Most UK sales will be of smaller 1.6-litre petrol and 1.7-litre turbodiesel models with front-wheel drive; though Kia's usual value-laden package should mean all come with specifications better than key rivals. Factor in the standard seven-year warranty and it's a canny buy.

Driving it

Cosseted in the smart interior the first thing that strikes you is how quiet the Sportage is. The 2.0-litre turbodiesel is smooth and hushed, while road and wind noise are nicely suppressed, too. The suspension copes well with our bumpy roads, even when the Sportage is riding on larger 18-inch alloy wheels. The steering lacks any information though and feels oddly weighted just off centre, but it's accurate enough. That's true of the gearbox too, which is easy enough to use, but lacks the precision feel of some of its rivals'. The Kia feels comfortable and easy to drive though, which matters in this marketplace.

Worth Noting

If our driving impressions are relatively scant that's because we've only driven the Sportage a few miles from its London launch to the office. It's with us for a month, after which we'll give a more through appraisal. It has been a while since we've driven something relatively ordinary that's turned so many heads, though that might have a lot to do with the coppery orange metallic paint and look-at-me LED driving lights.

Summary

At £20,777 this First Edition Sportage is more money than most Kia buyers will want to spend, but it shows real promise for the cheaper models. If the same levels of refinement and comfort are offered with the smaller engines then the Sportage looks like a serious contender in the growing crossover marketplace, and one of the best looking.