Driving

The Kia is available with 2.0-litre or 2.7-litre V6 petrol engines, but we prefer the 2.0-litre turbodiesel. There's a fair amount of diesel clatter at idle, but once on the move it delivers power progressively, and at cruising speeds is impressive refined. It serves up its power in a progressive manner too. So it's a shame the Kia's clutch action is snappy which, combined with a less-than-slick gearbox, makes smooth progress difficult. What's more, dynamically the Magentis feels flimsy. It rolls through corners, and this increased body movement means it works its front tyres much harder. There's also a lot of dive when braking, and the middle pedal is soft under-foot too. The steering is light and vague, and never inspires confidence. Unfortunately, the soft dynamic set-up doesn't translate into a decent ride quality either, because while the Kia is cushioned over smooth surfaces, the dampers don't control suspension movement. As a result, it can become crashy over imperfections, while kickback through the wheel is a problem. Still, stability control is standard.

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    Door locks
    Operating door locks from outside the vehicle • Turn the key toward the front of the vehicle to unlock and toward the rear of the vehicle to lock. • If you lock the driver’s door with a k ...

    Keys
    The key code number is stamped on the plate attached to the key set. Should you lose your keys, this number will enable an authorized Kia dealer to duplicate the keys easily. Remove the plate an ...

    Customer choice of advanced drivetrains with 2WD and AWD
    Depending on individual markets, consumers ordering a new Kia Sportage will be able to select from five models with 2WD and four with AWD - employing advanced drivetrain systems similar to those i ...