Kia Sportage Sells 150,000 Units in Europe... Ranks First in German Automotive Magazine's Compact SUV Comparison

One of Germany's Top Three Automotive Magazines: Auto Motor und Sport

Beating Mazda CX-5, Ford Kuga, and Other Competitors for First Place

Highest Scores in Four Categories Including Body and Convenience

The Kia Sportage has taken first place in a comparative review of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) by a major international media outlet.

Kia Sportage. Kia

On July 23, Kia announced that the Sportage ranked first overall in a recent compact SUV comparative evaluation conducted by Germany's leading automotive magazine, Auto Motor und Sport.

Auto Motor und Sport, alongside Auto Bild and Auto Zeitung, is considered one of Germany's top three automotive magazines and serves as an important point of reference for European consumers when purchasing vehicles.

This comparative evaluation covered Kia's Sportage, Mazda's CX-5, Ford's Kuga, and Citroen's C5 Aircross, assessing seven categories: body, safety, convenience, powertrain, driving performance, eco-friendliness, and cost.

The Sportage received the highest scores in four categories—body, convenience, powertrain, and driving performance—earning a total of 541 points and surpassing the second-place CX-5 and Kuga (each with 535 points) and the fourth-place C5 Aircross (533 points) to claim the overall top spot.

In particular, the Sportage ranked first in the "body" category (96 points), receiving praise for its more premium materials and superior fit and finish compared to rival models. Its spacious interior and intuitive physical button controls were also highly evaluated. The CX-5 scored 93 points, the Kuga 91 points, and the C5 Aircross 84 points in this category.

In the "powertrain" segment, which rates the completeness of the drive system, the Sportage received the top score (83 points). Notably, its acceleration responsiveness stood out, recording an overtaking acceleration time of just 6.8 seconds when accelerating from 80 km/h to 120 km/h during real-world testing—scoring higher than its competitors.

Auto Motor und Sport further noted that the Sportage "provides a stable driving experience overall," praising its comfortable suspension and agile cornering. The Sportage was thus awarded first place (70 points) in the "driving performance" category as well.

Additionally, the Sportage recorded a braking distance of 36.0 meters to stop completely from 100 km/h, outperforming the Kuga and CX-5 (each at 37.0 meters) and the C5 Aircross (38.2 meters).

A Kia spokesperson commented, "The Sportage has long been a beloved model in the European market, which makes these evaluation results even more meaningful. We will continue to strengthen our global presence with product appeal that meets customers' expectations."

Meanwhile, the Sportage has been named "Family SUV of the Year" for four consecutive years at the UK's prestigious 'What Car? Awards.' According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), around 149,000 units were sold in Europe last year alone, highlighting the model's enduring popularity in the local market.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.