IT IS all change for Kia’s Sportage mid-size SUV, with improvements to ride and handling, as well as a lift in standard specification and safety gear.

Kia has been widely praised for its exterior design in recent years, and the new Sportage takes on a bold new face that buyers may find polarising, but there has been a big focus on lifting the cabin.

The previous Sportage was a likeable, solid offering, but since its launch a number of new contenders – Mazda’s CX-5, the Ford Kuga and Hyundai’s Tucson – have proven how good the competition is in the busy segment.

Has Kia done enough to achieve its sales targets of 10,000 units a year for the new Sportage?

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