THE Sportage has been a massive success for Korean manufacturer Kia and now the popular family SUV is even better and more stylish thanks to recent updates.

Since it first arrived the Sportage has sold millions worldwide and over 400,000 of them are on UK driveways.

It is a top seller because it is practical and spacious, has good equipment levels in all models and comes with Kia's impressive seven-year warranty.

The refreshed Sportage now benefits from Kia's new design language with vertical front headlights and ‘Star Map' LED daytime running lights.

There is a larger front grille, new alloy wheel designs and some smart new colours.

At the rear, the car has a redesigned bumper and taillights, a new skid plate and black trim around the window frames.

There is a choice of three trim levels and only petrol and regular hybrid engines are now available.

You can opt for just petrol power or the1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an electric motor to produce 235bhp and 265Nm of torque I have been sampling.

This hybrid model can get from 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds and it will go on to a top speed of just over 120mph.

It is goodfor a combined fuel consumption figure of 50.4mpg with emissions of128g/km of CO2 and that means it is easy on your pocket.

If you go for the standard petrol model, it comes equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, while all hybrid versions come as standard with an automatic transmission.

The Sportage provides a nice drive and the hybrid setup is smooth and does a great job of switching between petrol and electric power when it needs to, while at higher speeds the cabin is well-insulated from tyre and road noise, making the Sportage a great motorway cruiser.

The Sportage SUV feels like a normal car, with nicely weighted steering and limited body roll even on tight corners.

The latest design updates mean the Sportage shares a lot of nice design touches taken from the company's electric models and it now has a more sporty look.

The interior has been updated too, with a smart new two-spoke steering wheel that is also borrowed from the firm's EVs.

There are dual 12.3-inch screens, and my GT-Linemodelalso came with a 4.2-inch digital driver's display.

The centre console is now finished off in a brushed aluminium-effect material and the buttons that control the different driving modes have moved from the centre console to the steering wheel. This model features all the equipment you could ask for and there is lots of storage space in the roomy cabin.

Four adults can travel in real comfort and five is possible for shorter journeys. The boot space is impressive too, with 587 litres available in this hybrid version.

The ordinary petrol car offers 591 litres. The rear seats fold totally flat creating up to 1,780 litres of load space.

No matter which Sportage you go for, it's going to come with stacks of kit alongside Kia's seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty.

The entry-level ‘Pure' features LED headlights, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and climate-controlled air conditioning.

Our ‘GT-Line' car boasts heated front seats and steering wheel, aluminium pedals, GT-Line exterior and interior styling and gloss black roof rails.

Meanwhile, top-of-the-line ‘GT-Line S' cars come with an eight-speaker premium Harmon Kardon sound system, a powered tailgate, ventilated front seats and heated outer rear seats.

Prices start from £30,885 and all the latest driver and safety aids complete the package, so it is hard to find fault with this newcomer.