Kia Sportage / Courtesy of Kia
The Kia Sportage has claimed the top spot in a comparison of compact SUVs by one of Germany's leading automotive magazines, underscoring the model's continued strength in one of the world's most competitive vehicle markets.
The automaker said Thursday that the Sportage ranked first overall in a recent comparison test conducted by Auto Motor und Sport.
The German publication evaluated four compact SUVs: the Kia Sportage, the Mazda CX-5, the Ford Kuga and the Citroën C5 Aircross.
The vehicles were assessed across seven categories: body, safety, convenience, powertrain, driving performance, environmental performance and cost.
The Sportage earned 541 points to finish first overall, ahead of the Mazda CX-5 and Ford Kuga, which tied for second with 535 points each, and the Citroën C5 Aircross, which scored 533 points.
The Sportage received the highest scores in four categories: body, convenience, powertrain and driving performance.
The magazine said the Sportage stood out for its high-quality interior materials, solid fit and finish, spacious cabin and intuitive physical controls, giving it the highest body score of 96 points.
In the powertrain category, the Sportage earned 83 points after delivering strong acceleration performance during real-world testing.
The vehicle completed an overtaking acceleration run from 80 kilometers per hour to 120 kilometers per hour in 6.8 seconds, helping it match the highest score in the category.
Auto Motor und Sport also gave the Sportage the highest driving performance score of 70 points, saying it combined stable handling with a comfortable suspension while remaining agile through corners.
The Sportage also recorded the shortest braking distance in the comparison, stopping from 100 kilometers per hour in 36.0 meters, ahead of the Ford Kuga and Mazda CX-5 at 37.0 meters and the Citroën C5 Aircross at 38.2 meters.
A Kia official said the latest result is especially meaningful because the Sportage has consistently been well received in the European market and said the company will continue strengthening its position globally with competitive products.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.