Kia Sportage (2010) first official pictures

These are the first pictures of the new Kia Sportage, the Korean car company's latest compact SUV. It will be unveiled at the 2010 Geneva motor show next month, and UK sales start in the autumn. It’s up against everything from the Nissan Qashqai to the Ford Kuga, and underneath it sits on the same platform as the new Hyundai ix35 – the pair will roll out of the same Slovakian plant.

Driven: Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Just over 25 years ago, in November 1982, Mercedes Chief Designer Bruno Sacco introduced his new 'baby' 190, codenamed W201. Billed as the new compact Mercedes, it was a successful model that lasted a full ten years until being replaced by the first C-Class (W202). This model – the first with the triangular tail lamps – lasted until 2000 when it was replaced by the W203, a more softly-styled update of the W202 model, with the 'peanut-shaped' linked double headlamps.

Renault Symbol

As one of the fastest growing automotive markets in the world, Russia and the Moscow Motor Show is gaining its share of the spotlight, with an increasing number of major auto manufacturers choosing to debut new vehicles at the show, just as Renault is with the all-new Symbol/Thalia. Jointly designed by Renault teams in France, Turkey and Romania, the C-segment three-box sedan was developed in 26 months. With a length of 4260mm and a height of 1430mm, the Symbol/Thalia is a no-frills design with abstained lines and surfaces and a larger DLO to body ratio when compared to other European-styled vehicles.