KIA were this week named Best Manufacturer in the 2023 Autocar Awards.

The major honour comes after Kia UK reported a record first quarter for sales, with March setting a new monthly record. Last year, the company sold more than 100,000 cars for the first time.

Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw said: “It seems like a very long time ago since any of us have thought of Kia as ‘that funny budget car brand from Korea’.

“What a transformation Kia has been through. Very few brands of Kia’s size can boast product lines half as up-to-date.

“Both the totemic EV6 and Sorento family SUV were launched in 2021, and still feel box-fresh.

“The sheer confidence exuded by the design of the Niro and Sportage made it so obvious that this year’s Best Manufacturer award could go nowhere else.”

Photographed on a wet Greenock Esplanade is the Sportage SUV I recently tried out. The fifth generation of Kia’s global and UK best seller entered showrooms early last year.

Sportage pricing begins at £28,360 for the 1.6 T-GDi 148bhp ‘2’ six-speed manual.

Employing the same petrol engine and transmission, the Sportage shown is the £32,560 ‘3’, which is also offered as a mild hybrid with seven-speed automatic transmission for £34,225. Features of the ‘3’ include heated front and rear outer seats and a heated steering wheel.

The Sportage has considerable appeal and comes with a generous seven year/100,000 mile warranty. It looks great, and is truly accommodating for occupants (rear legroom is excellent) and their luggage – the example featured today has a boot capacity of 591 litres.

While full hybrid and plug-in hybrid Sportages are more powerful and quicker off the mark, I did not find the ‘3’ sampled sluggish. Its 0-62mph time is around 10 seconds. Maximum speed is 113mph.

The Sportage ‘3’ was pleasing to drive and comfortable on varying types of road. Its computer showed 40.2mpg overall.

I close by mentioning a family member has a late example of the previous Kia Sportage. It has proved faultless, as was the case with the earlier Sportage that introduced her to the brand.