Performance and 0-60mph time
No surprises here, but you’re not going to be breaking any records with the Sportage getting to 62mph, but changes in 2014 did improve things slightly. The majority of the range takes between 10.7- and 11.9 seconds to cover the benchmark sprint. The range-topping 181bhp 2.0-litre CRDi AWD model manages to break in under ten seconds with a 9.5-second showing in both manual six-speed and automatic models.
That flagship diesel is relatively brisk, though it is unusually needy of revs for a common-rail turbodiesel, which is to the detriment of refinement. The majority of buyers will ignore it anyway, preferring the lower entry cost of either the 1.6 GDI petrol or 1.7 CRDi turbodiesel, both of which are only offered with front-wheel drive. The petrol model is quicker to 62mph with a time of 10.7 seconds in comparison to the 11.9 seconds the diesel car takes, though the latter is the easier drive thanks to its torque advantage. The 1.6 petrol does feel quite lively at lower speeds, but get up to motorway pace and you’ll wish you had its diesel relative. Choose the 2.0-litre CRDi in lower 133bhp output with front-wheel drive and the 0-62mph dash is covered in 10.9 seconds. It’ll top out at 112mph, the rest of the range delivering top speeds between 107- and 121mph.
