Beauty is more than skin deep

The facelifted Kia Sportage, launched last week, is likely to add to the well-established popularity of this third-generation model.

Even in the dark days when Kia had very little going for it in South Africa, the original Sportage caught the eye.

What is it?

The Sportage is a mid-range SUV and does well in a hotly contested market niche.

The commanding driving position, with a view over common sedans and hatchbacks in traffic, is one big advantage all SUVs share.

Some have real off-road ability, but most fall into the soft-roader category.

Some Sportages have all-wheel-drive, but even they should not be taken on anything much tougher than a bad gravel road.

How does it look?

Kia itself says the Sportage is all about looking good.

They're underselling it - the vehicle has much more going for it than that - but it certainly is handsome.

The facelift includes new rear combination lights and changes to the front grille, fog lamps and a lower bumper.

The alloy wheels (17-inch on cheaper models and 18-inch on range-toppers) have been redesigned.

The spare is full-sized.

What's it like to drive?

Apparently the 2-litre petrol engine is more refined and now has a six-speed manual or auto gearbox.

The 2-litre diesel auto AWD at the launch was pleasant to drive in town traffic and on the wide open road. There was plenty of power for overtaking and the gearbox was a treat. Kia says measures have been taken to reduce noise in the cabin and yes, it's a quiet drive.

Any special features?

Kia is big on standard features. These now include a 4.2-inch LCD screen displaying vehicle information. It becomes a rear-view camera when reverse is engaged. The AWD diesel auto has an improved sound system.

Other features include dual climate control, cruise control, a huge boot, downhill brake control and hill assist control. The AWD models have smart keys and start-stop buttons. A glorious panoramic sunroof adds R11000 to the price, but is available only on the AWD auto models.

Should you buy one?

Since 2010, 9000 third-generation Sportages have been sold. When I drove the car for a couple of hours at the launch I could certainly start to understand why they are so popular.

All the Sportages have five-year or 150000km warranties, five-year or 100000km maintenance plans and three-year roadside assistance.