There are more than just design changes for the new Kia Sportage that’s appearing on our roads as a 191 model, following its Irish launch back in September last. The new Sportage retains its mid-size SUV image from the previous generation, while there are some worthwhile changes to make the car more comfortable and more fuel efficient.

Kia’s new Sportage SUV comes with a new improved and cleaner diesel engine and better comfort and minor styling changes. Entry prices have taken a hike and are still competitive at €29,495 or £21,595 in N. Ireland.

This new Sportage, which is Kia’s best-selling car in Ireland, comes with an important engine upgrade. Kia has moved from a 1.7 litre turbo-diesel engine to a smaller 1.6 litre unit, with similar power and cleaner emissions.

A hybrid version of the Sportage is also on the way later this year.

Most buyers will opt for the entry level Kia Sportage with its 115bhp turbo-diesel engine. This model has taken a price hike compared with the previous model and some of that is due to the new emissions regulations that impact on the vehicle registration tax (VRT). This is despite the fact that on paper at least, this Sportage is more efficient and cleaner than in the past.

There is little difference in the dimensions of the new Kia Sportage; wide opening doors give good access. The boot opens high for good clearance and easy loading with a space saver spare wheel included.

I took the new Sportage for a run in recent weeks and came away impressed with the comfort and overall build feel to the car.

The new engine is impressive in terms of performance and smoothness. When matched to the six-speed manual gearbox, the driving effort was easy and comfortable.

From the outside the Sportage look is slightly changed, with a redesigned front bumper along with new fog lamp housings.

There are new black or chrome inserts leading from the fog lamps into the lower air intake.

The new Sportage has LED head lamps with four-point LED daytime running lights and redesigned fog lamps.

The entry models all come with 16in alloy wheels while the test car was fitted with 17in alloys on 225/60 R17 Continental tyres.

On the inside, the dash has been redesigned and comes with a new steering wheel.

This is matched to a new electric powered steering system that’s very smooth and easy to use, with good road feedback.

The Sportage infotainment systems have also been upgraded with a six-speaker system.

The entry models come with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment, or navigation system.

The other safety features include forward collision-avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, high beam assist, intelligent speed limit warning and blind-spot collision warning

All navigation systems include Kia’s Connected Services powered by TomTom, as standard.

This brings with it live traffic updates, speed camera locations and alerts, local search, and weather forecasts, depending on legal restrictions applied in each country.

The upgraded safety kit for the new Sportage includes smart cruise control with stop-and-go, and a driver attention warning.

The other safety features include forward collision-avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, high beam assist, intelligent speed limit warning and blind-spot collision warning.

All models come with Kia’s Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), which claims to maximise stability when braking and cornering by controlling the car’s electronic stability control (ESC) if it detects a loss of traction.

The Sportage is also fitted with driver and front passenger airbags, first-row side airbags, and first- and second-row curtain airbags.

It does not have a recent Euro NCAP crash test rating, but expect it to be among the top performers.

Kia’s new 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine produces 115bhp for the entry model, while a higher powered 136bhp version is available for those drivers who opt for a four-wheel-drive system.

There’s a new turbo-diesel engine in the 191 Kia Sportage that delivers more fuel efficiency and cleaner exhaust and now uses the AdBlue fuel additive.

This engine has a stop/start system and uses the latest emission control system that includes the use of AdBlue, hence the second filler pipe beside the diesel filler unit.

This gives the car a CO rating of 130g/km, which is competitive and means an annual road tax rating of €270.

I didn’t achieve the rated fuel consumption figure of 21km/litre (4.8/100km or 59mpg), even with leisurely driving.

Against the competition, which includes the closely related Hyundai Tucson, this new Sportage is fuel efficient.

It may be marginally more expensive to run compared with similar offers in the guise of the Seat Ateca of Skoda Kodiak, but the differences will be small.

The nearest competitive offer to the Sportage is Ireland’s best-selling car for 2018, the Hyundai Tucson and that’s where you need to look to compare the value.

The obvious difference relates to the warranty. Kia boasts a 7 year warranty but there is a kilometre limit, while Hyundai has a five-year unlimited distance warranty.

The dash layout for the new Kia Sportage has been upgraded with a larger infotainment screen and better features.

The two cars are very similar in specification, with minor differences.

They are built around the same structure, so expect them to deliver very similar performance and comfort, so the decision is down to price.

The entry model Sportage comes with a price of €29,495 or £21,595 in Northern Ireland. Hyundai’s offer south of the border is slightly keener, but drill down through the specification offers before signing the bottom line.