Britain’s biblical storms are no worry for Kia’s Sportage plug-in hybrid

BACK in the day, Britain only got a storm you could put a name to once in a blue moon.

But in the last few years the weather seems to have gone a bit Biblical.

Every other week we are getting battered by 120mph winds, a month’s rain in a day, or snow drifts south of Watford Gap.

I’m sure when Kia took me to Norway to drive the new Sportage plug-in hybrid (PHEV) they thought I’d be talking about its electric range.

Impressive as it is at 43 miles.

But what I really liked about this car is the fact that it now has a Terrain Mode for driving in mud, floods and blizzards.

Which in light of the weather these days is one of its biggest assets.

A wicked family car

It only takes five minutes driving in Oslo to realise how bad we are when it comes to snow in Britain.

A little bit of icing sugar on our roads and everything grinds to a halt.

But for the locals in Oslo, driving on ice is as natural as breathing.

I stopped at a supermarket and this old Volvo came gliding past, in one continuous drift, straight into a parking spot. I thought, “Wow, there’s a driver” — only for a 60-year-old woman to get out and toddle into the shop.

Beautifully done.

Tyres are crucial, obviously. That’s why I tell everyone who will listen that we should adopt all-season tyres in the UK. Like Michelin’s CrossClimate.

They provide better grip in the cold and rain below 7C, as well as on snow and ice. Stick this 4WD Sportage in Snow Mode and you’ve got the added insurance of the car’s brain working overtime to keep you shiny side up.

It makes you feel at ease on ice-rink roads very quickly. Like a Norwegian.

Also like a Norwegian, you’ll be doing your bit to stop the world melting.

Norway is the EV capital of Europe. There are Teslas and electric Audis and Porsches everywhere.

The Sportage PHEV will do most daily chores on battery power alone, yet still has long-distance flexibility that most EVs don’t.

Now for the bit that Kia expected me to write.

The PHEV is great for emissions and company-car tax. But for everyone else it is expensive compared to a regular Sportage without a plug.

That said, there is a lot to like about this car.

It sets off in EV mode. The interplay between electric and engine power is smooth and tight. They’re like best buddies. And it goes well too.

The extra weight of the battery pack helps contain body roll. Steering is light. Progress is easy. You’ll do north of 50mpg.

I should add that it takes two hours to charge the 13.8kWh battery pack.

Now let’s have a poke around inside. Very nice. Very Merc-like with that wide curved screen. Very well thought out.

There are buttons to warm your back and pinkies, big cup holders, wireless phone charging, and all the latest driver-assistance kit.

We also like the separate touch panel which alternates between stereo and air-con at the push of a button.

Boot space is smaller than a regular Sportage at 540 litres but that’s still decent for a family SUV.

To sum up, then. Sportage is a wicked family car that has just got a lot better.

Partly because of the electric motor but mostly because it’s weatherproof.