From Underdogs to Heavyweights: Kia’s relentless Charge Continues
It must have been sometime in the early 2000s, during the Geneva Motor Show, when the Hyundai Motor Group—the parent company of Kia—summoned the motoring press to a briefing. They laid out ambitious plans to break into the top five global car manufacturers. At the time, the reaction from the gathered journalists was a mix of furrowed brows, shaken heads, and murmurs of scepticism. Looking back from 2025, however, that scepticism has been thoroughly silenced. The Korean conglomerate has not only met those goals but surpassed them, landing third place in the ranking of the world’s highest-grossing manufacturers.
This ascent wasn’t built on empty promises but on products with mass appeal, rapidly improving quality, and competitive pricing. A prime example of this winning formula is the Kia Sportage, which has shifted over seven million units globally. Now, the fifth generation of this best-seller has received a comprehensive facelift, and to see where it stands, it must face stiff competition: the Peugeot 3008 and the segment’s formidable benchmark, the Volkswagen Tiguan.
The Battle for the Family SUV Market
Visually, the updated Sportage is immediately identifiable by its new daytime running light signature, dubbed the ‘Star Map’ graphic. Inside, the cabin has seen a technological overhaul with a new head-up display to project driving data and navigation prompts directly onto the windscreen. It is also equipped with AI-supported voice control that assists with more than just route guidance. However, not all changes are for the better; the analogue-style rev counter has been replaced by a digital numeric and bar display, which arguably hampers readability at a glance.
In terms of practicality, the Sportage maintains its reputation for offering decent passenger space. Yet, in this direct comparison, the Volkswagen Tiguan demonstrates that there is still room for improvement. The German rival scores heavily with its sliding rear bench, offering superior variability and better rear knee room. At the other end of the spectrum lies the Peugeot 3008; its stylish, coupé-like silhouette severely compromises cargo space, leaving it trailing behind the more pragmatic Korean and German contenders.
Elevating the Electric Flagship
While the Sportage secures the brand’s volume, Kia has also turned its attention to its performance halo. Three years ago, the manufacturer caught us off guard with the original EV6 GT. It arrived during the darker days before the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N illuminated the sector, offering eye-watering power figures that promised to push the right buttons for driving enthusiasts. While our initial testing of that car revealed it wasn’t quite the finished dynamic article, the facelifted model aims to rectify that.
On the face of it, it appears Kia has simply copied the homework of its Hyundai neighbour. The updated EV6 GT adopts the same dual-motor setup—churning out 223bhp at the front axle and 378bhp at the rear—along with the larger 84kWh battery found in the Ioniq 5 N. It even gains the ‘virtual gear’ system to mimic the engagement of an internal combustion engine. In reality, the engineering teams are closely connected, and this evolution was always part of the master plan.
A Grand Tourer with Teeth
Kia’s pitch is that the EV6 GT is a true Grand Tourer: it offers the same performance and engagement as its Hyundai cousin but with a greater emphasis on everyday comfort. This positioning is slightly curious, given the standard EV6 is usually marketed as the sportier alternative to the lounge-like Ioniq 5, but the execution is convincing. Through careful tuning of the dampers, steering, and limited-slip differential, the chassis feels adjustable and genuinely enjoyable, all while remaining comfortable enough for the daily grind.
Visually, the GT distinguishes itself from the standard range—which starts from around £45,635—with new 21-inch wheels and aggressive bumper work. The front end has taken on a sinewy quality, resembling a snarling dog; it is perhaps a touch aggressive for some tastes, but it undeniably possesses road presence.
Despite these improvements, the car still sits somewhat in the shadow of the Ioniq 5 N and suffers from poor efficiency and range when pushed. However, with its distinctive interior and exterior styling, combined with the new dimension added by the virtual gearing, the EV6 GT serves as a powerful reminder of just how far Kia has come since those sceptical days in Geneva.
