The new 2010 Sportage is the first fully modern Kia, we reckon. The first styled wholly under chief designer Peter Schreyer (he of Audi fame), who's only now making his influence felt after four years in charge of styling the Korean cars.

So take note of this new Kia Sportage. It's the most comprehensive look yet at the new face of Kia. Tiger-snout grille? Check. Crisp, almost Germanic surfaces? Yep. Complex headlamp graphics, Audi-esque LED day running light ticks and chrome tinsel to move Kia gently upmarket? Those too.

The new Sportage launches in the UK with the range-topping 2.0 CRDi First Edition, available only as this well equipped £20,777 diesel 4wd. Joining the range in November 2010 will be a 1.6 petrol and a smaller, 1.7-litre diesel - both available with front-wheel drive.

So what's the new 2010 Kia Sportage aimed at?

Think Nissan Qashqai. This is Crossover Central, a market that's leapt to a fulsome 8% of the total UK retail market worth 130,000 sales a year. There's much respect at Kia for the Qashqai's market saturation and they aim to repeat its rich mix of engines and transmission options. No +2 version though. In the fullness of time expect a downsized petrol turbo Sportage and even a hybrid option.

For now, we're stuck with the 2.0-litre diesel in 4wd guise. It's loaded with kit. The only option is an auto transmission (we're testing the manual), but this First Edition comes with leather, climate control, reversing camera and Kia's new market-leading seven-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Looks crisp and stylish...

It does. Schreyer's tiger-nostril detail pops up everywhere on this design, from the prominent grille to the windscreen graphic (noticed how the top edge of the glass rises up on either side? A subtle but cool detail). It's repeated inside too, the dashboard running the same motif.

The design works well and I like the look of the Sportage. It's telling these launch cars come in a vibrant burnt copper colour. Reminds me of a certain Qashqai paint scheme, not to mention the zingy orange of the original Range Stormer concept...

Makes you realise just how far Kia has come. The Ceed and its ilk are now firmly in the European mainstream, and the new Sportage only accelerates that shift in emphasis. Guess that's what happens when you employ a German design chief.

Statistics :

How much?	£20,777
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:	1995cc four-cylinder TD, 134bhp @ 4000rpm, 236lb ft @ 1800-2500rpm
Transmission:	Four-wheel drive, six-speed manual
Performance:	112mph, 10.9sec 0-60mph, 47.1mpg, 156g/km CO2
How heavy / made of?	1600kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4440/1855/1645