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Once you’ve spent a bit of time behind the wheel of electric vehicles and got used to having instant power available under your right foot without the need to co-ordinate gear shifts with your left hand and foot, it’s surprisingly easy to forget just how agricultural the driving experience of internal combustion engined (ICE) cars can by comparison - especially if they are automatics.
While recent advances in autobox technology mean there are now two-pedal petrol/diesel-powered cars capable of auto-shifting quicker than any human ever could, for the most part there is still a tangible gap between the ultra-smooth power delivery of electric vehicles - all equipped with automatic gearboxes as a matter of course - and automatic ICE vehicles.
I was reminded of this while testing out the latest non-hybrid version of Kia’s Sportage, the compact SUV which is currently its best-selling car in Europe, and the best-selling vehicle in Northern Ireland full-stop, the latter title having also been claimed by the near mechanically identical Hyundai Tuscon in recent years.
Initially, I found our seven-speed DCT (Double Clutch Transmission) auto-equipped test car annoyingly ‘lurchy’ when setting off from a standing start at traffic lights or pulling out from junctions.
I felt like really had to prod the accelerator to get the car moving and then, as the power suddenly arrived, I’d become acutely aware of the fact I was behind the wheel of a two tonne SUV.
Read more: Test Drive: Kia Picanto GT-Line trades spicy performance for bags of style, comfort and character
Kia Sportage 2026 (Adam Warner) As the power suddenly arrived, I’d become acutely aware of the fact I was behind the wheel of a two tonne SUV
I did get used to the DCT box on our non-hybrid GT-Line test car eventually - it was absolutely spot-on once underway, and also includes shift paddles at the wheel should you feel the need to drop a cog manually - but it definitely made me curious about how the stick-shift equipped Sportage would compare.
The car is equipped with Kia’s turbocharged four-cylinder 1,598cc T-GDi petrol engine, making 147bhp and 184.4lb ft of torque, and utilises either the DCT autobox or a six-speed manual depending on personal preference and/or trim.
The same lump is utilised right through the Sportage range, from the base Pure trim (from £30,935 OTR) through GT-Line (from £33,435) and the DCT-only GT-Line S (from £40,335, or £43,775 if you need AWD): those requiring more power can opt for the self-charging Hybrid version of each (from £34,475), with the ICE augmented by a 47.7kW electric motor to deliver 235bhp and 206lb ft of torque.
A plug-in Hybrid Sportage is due to be launched later in the year, but you’re out of luck if you’d prefer a pure electric version: the nearest thing to that is Kia’s slightly larger EV5 (from £39,345), often referred to as ‘the electric Sportage’ but not nearly as attractive in the looks or price department.
The EV5 is one of Kia’s latest electric vehicles Read more: First Drive: Can the Kia EV5 crack the electric SUV segment?
Our petrol only GT-Line car never felt underpowered when laden with just myself and one passenger, and managed to deliver around 35mpg on urban commutes: those with three in the back plus a full 562 litres worth of luggage in the boot behind those 40/20/40 flat-folding rear seats will, of course, find they have to work the car much harder.
Happily, despite its tangible road presence, the Sportage really doesn’t feel like a ‘big’ vehicle for 90 percent of the time you are behind the wheel, which is now a two-spoke affair hosting a selection of non-haptic buttons, including a handy drive mode selector toggle for switching between Eco, Normal and Sport.
Indeed, one of the Sportage’s greatest assets is that the its driving experience can best be summed up as ‘perfectly pleasant’ - pretty much what everyone wants from a family car, as evidenced by those world-beating sales figures.
Kia Sportage 2026 with two-tone GT-Line S interior (Adam Warner) Progress is pleasingly quiet, comfy and - autobox gripes aside - reassuringly composed and predictable, while a decent 11m turning circle which makes the Sportage quite car park-friendly.
There’s acres of space inside the comfortable, well-designed cabin, which has been facelifted for the better with a slightly revised 12.3″ infotainment display and improved non-piano black textured plastic finish for the centre console, along with a striking new front-end treatment featuring vertically stacked LED headlights similar to those found on the its EV sisters and indeed the current Picanto.
The GT-Line model includes desirable extras like comfy ‘bio PU leather and suede’ upholstery, a heated steering wheel and font seats, rear privacy glass and 18-inch alloys (19-inch wheels are also available as a £1,488 option), plus black exterior trim accents.
If you want more extras like ventilated, electrically adjustable seats, a larger digital driver info display, wireless phone charging, tilt/slide panoramic glass roof and Kia’s cool new HUD which can project Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality, you will need to opt for the range-topping GT-Line S thus incurring the dreaded ‘luxury vehicle tax’.
The Sportage rivals the Skoda Karoq and Hyundai Tucson. (Kia) (Adam Warner) After spending a week with the Kia Sportage, it was easy to see why this comfy and capable family car is so popular, especially when you factor in Kia’s famous seven year/100,000 miles warranty.
I’d put good money on the Korean’s attractive and pleasingly unpretentious compact SUV being a best-seller for another year or two yet - longer if they can refine that DCT autobox to the point where you just forget all about it.
AT A GLANCE: Kia Sportage GT-Line 1.6 T-GDi
Price as tested: £35,760Cubic capacity: 1,598Number of cylinders: 4Transmission: 7-speed DCTMax power (bhp/rpm): 147/6,000Max torque (lb ft/rpm): 184.4/4,0000-62mph (seconds): 9.4Max speed (mph): 119Combined MPG: 40.4Regulated emission standard: Euro 6ECO2 emissions (g/km): 160Insurance group: 20E
Kia Sportage 2026 (Adam Warner) 
