Sportage tops German SUV test, beating European rivals

The Kia Sportage has claimed the top spot in a comparison of compact SUVs by one of Germany's leading automotive magazines, underscoring the model's continued strength in one of the world's most competitive vehicle markets.

The automaker said Thursday that the Sportage ranked first overall in a recent comparison test conducted by Auto Motor und Sport.

The German publication evaluated four compact SUVs: the Kia Sportage, the Mazda CX-5, the Ford Kuga and the Citroën C5 Aircross.

The vehicles were assessed across seven categories: body, safety, convenience, powertrain, driving performance, environmental performance and cost.

The Sportage earned 541 points to finish first overall, ahead of the Mazda CX-5 and Ford Kuga, which tied for second with 535 points each, and the Citroën C5 Aircross, which scored 533 points.

The Sportage received the highest scores in four categories: body, convenience, powertrain and driving performance.

The magazine said the Sportage stood out for its high-quality interior materials, solid fit and finish, spacious cabin and intuitive physical controls, giving it th ...