You can’t accuse Kia of being shrinking violets and, even if you could, you’d be wrong.

The fourth generation Sportage is an able demonstration of the Korean firm’s confidence with its bold styling and unashamed push upmarket.

The previous model proved a bit of a ground-breaker for Kia, showing that it could build stylish cars offering great value backed up by their impressive seven-year warranty and Kia aims to build on what were very solid foundations and move the latest version to the top of the class.

Its rivals include Nissan’s Qashqai, Mazda’s CX-5 and Ford’s Kuga, as well its sister car, the Hyundai Tucson.

The new model is longer – 40mm with 30 of that between the wheels – but the same height and width. The floor height has been reduced by 40mm, making it easier for us oldies to climb in and out.

The swooping roofline and bulging wheel arches are carried over from the old car. At the front it wears a broader interpretation of the company’s ‘tiger nose’ grille and Kia’s signature daytime running lights.

The rear has a more chiselled and voluminous appearance, with a mix of concave and convex surfaces contrasting with horizontal lines that helps emphasise the car’s width.

Whether you could argue that the new look is an improvement over the old is a matter of taste but there’s no disputing that it’s adventurous and that it undoubtedly stands out in the middle of a crowded playing field.

There have been a few changes inside as well – although you might not notice that the centre console has been angled 7.2 degrees towards the driver without a kindly reviewer highlighting the fact – with the dashboard now divided into an upper display area and a lower control area with fewer switches.

Cabin quality is excellent. There’s lots of soft-touch plastics and all of the controls have a pleasant feel to them. It doesn’t exactly lift the spirits when you climb aboard, apart from a few flashes of chrome around the air vents, ventilation controls, steering wheel boss and gear lever it takes itself just a little too seriously, but it’s all very well put together.

If unfussy was the goal, then Kia have hit the back of the net.

The driving position is good, with the elevated seating offering an excellent view of the road ahead. Unfortunately the narrow side windows and thick rear pillars impact on visibility out of the rest of the car.

Parking sensors and a rear view camera are standard on the 2 up which makes manoeuvring in tight spaces much easier.

The 2 – the range includes 1, 2, 3 and 4 with the KX prefix denoting all-wheel-drive – also includes 17in alloy wheels, seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with sat nav, roof rails, privacy glass, powered lumbar support on the driver’s seat, electrically folding door mirrors with LED indicators, auto lights and wipers, auto-dimming rear view mirror, dual zone automatic air con and a cooled glovebox.

It’s safe to describe the equipment levels as generous then.

The additional space between the axles hasn’t gone to waste with improved head and leg room over the old car. What that means to thee and me is that there’s ample room for five adults. You might like to reserve the middle pew in the back for the smallest, or least popular, member of your clan as whoever’s sat there will have to straddle the transmission tunnel. Those rear seats recline for a little bit of additional comfort.

The boot – at 491 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,480 with them stowed away – is about par for the class. It’s a good shape with a wide opening, low lip and flat floor.

The 1.7-litre diesel fitted to my test car, despite producing ‘just’ 114bhp, is a surprisingly peppy performer. It pulls willingly across the range, feeling sprightly and eager, but is still refined enough not to impact on the cabin ambience.

Kia claims a combined return of 61.4mpg but during my time with the Sportage I maxed out at about 50mpg.

That refinement means that it is also an excellent long-distance cruiser. Wind and road noise is as reasonably well supressed ensuring that the cabin remains a tranquil and relaxing environment.

Its talents aren’t limited to hungrily munching motorway miles, the Sportage can be a bit of a hoot on less accommodating surfaces too. The suspension absorbs bumps well and, while body roll is quite pronounced, it’s controlled well enough that the chassis never feels overwhelmed by the car’s high centre of gravity.

The electrically-powered steering is excellent too. It’s precise, linear and with good feel. The ability to place the car exactly where you want on the road, being able to assess precisely how much grip the tyres are providing at any given moment, allows you to maximise the chassis’ potential.

The six-speed manual ‘box is a delight. Its action is positive and nicely weighted.

It’s beyond doubt the new Sportage is a better car than the one it replaces. Its looks might have the potential to divide opinion but by being bold Kia have helped reinforce the small SUVs identity in a highly competitive segment.

Improved cabin quality, greater practicality and improved efficiency have helped move the Sportage closer to the top of the class. It’s not quite there yet. Some of its rivals are still better to drive, others remain slightly more practical but while it might not be the best at anything, it is remarkably good at most things, and if that’s not enough to tempt you, Kia’s legendary seven-year warranty might just tip the scales in the Korean’s favour.

Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDI 2 Eco

Price: £22,050

Engine: 1.7-litre 4-cylinder diesel

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 114bhp

Max torque: 280lbft @ 1,250rpm

Max speed: 109mph

Acceleration (0-60mph): 11.1 sec

Urban: 52.3mpg

Extra urban: 67.3mpg

Combined: 61.4mpg

Emissions (CO2): 119g/km

For more information visit www.kia.co.uk