THE SUCCESS OF the Kia Sportage has been remarkable. More than a quarter of Kia's UK sales last year were of Sportages, and given how fresh and handsome the car still seems, it's obvious what buyers are responding to. But the car will need more than good looks to continue to thrive in a segment containing a brand new Nissan Qashqai - more, perhaps, than Kia has just armed it with as part of a 2014 facelift. Regular readers might remember how comprehensively the Kia was trounced by the new Qashqai in a group test earlier this year - not least on refinement, quality and dynamic wieldiness. Kia's response is to fit the Slovakian-built crossover with a thicker windscreen, some new interior trim, a new audio system, a new instrument pack and some fresh seat upholstery. Under the skin, the variable-assistance steering rack, front subframe bushes, revalved dampers, softer anti-roll bars, symmetrical driveshaft and transmission mountings are all new.
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