Topic: First Drive: 2011 Kia Sportage

[Autos_Editor]

"Eye-catching" styling, "generous" standard equipment, "superb" road-holding, and a powerful new four-cylinder engine highlight the new 2011 Kia Sportage, reports Paul Williams, but visibility to the front and rear is "compromised," he says.

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[cargoman]

"The LX can also be ordered with all-wheel drive (AWD), while the EX is available with AWD only."

Is the EX only available with AWD?  Later in the article, you mention that you can get an EX with FWD for $26K

[saint_satan]

I like it!  Ground clearance at 6.8" is a bit low.  Looks like the new Sorrento.  My brother just leased the later - V6 AWD - and loves it.  Looks pretty cool.

The Hyundai/Chrysler/Mitsubishi 2.4l "world engine" project seems to have been paid off.  It seems to be showing up in tons of vehicles these days...

[Winterpeg]

Vastly improved over previous model for sure. Very nice inside and out. Kudos for Kia AND Hyundai.....keep rolling those  dice.  

[aknutson]

This is a great looking crossover, especially considering the price point. I'm glad to see that Kia has designed this vehicle to look good with 17" wheels - I hate this trend of vehicles coming with standard 18, 19 or even 20" wheels as standard equipment on high trim models. I realize it looks good, but for those that travel a lot and need to consider tire replacement as a regular cost, wrapping new 20's on your vehicle every year or two is not cheap, not to mention getting winter tires fitted.

[CanuckS2K]

Kia has hit another homerun with this new Sportage.  I am highly considering one of these this fall.  I took one out for a test drive and was very impressed with it.  Definitely the best handling SUV I've driven. 

[D70]

Another winner from Hyundai / Kia with all sorts of goodies to go wrong later in life. Well reviewed.

My 2000 km drive through rugged BC., Chilcoten country to Bella Coola, was in a simpler vehicle with nothing electric and great visibility and economy, 6.4 l per 100 km.,

Scary roads

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4865542061/in/photostream/

Older versions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4867838400/in/photostream/

Comfortable accommodations in hazardous conditions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4867777270/in/photostream/

OASP



 

[5 Wheel Drive]

Saw one of these in person 2 weeks ago when dropping my wife off at work.  The Kia dealer is right across the street from her store.  They had a fully loaded orange one parked right out front.  I had no idea what it was, I had to have a peek.  WOW!  Looks great in person.  As long as there's enough back seat room and storage space, I'd consider one next time we're car shopping.

[EV Dan]

Paul, any word on the pricing of 2.0T?

[Wilson]

Wow, thank god I would be spending most of the time inside the vehicle looking at the amazing interior because the exterior is butt ugly.  Not sure what other people are seeing in this, but I'm seeing "not in my driveway".

[aknutson]

Looking again, can't help but think there would be a significant blind spot from the extra-chunky rear pillars on the new Sportage. I have never driven a Sportage so I can't comment, but it seems like a case of form over function.

[Allen]

most car designs are form over function, if not there wouldn't be alot of the good looking cars we have today...

[mrthompson]

The exterior looks better than the Tucson...me rikey.

[bikenut]

good write up on all the features and short comings , shame about the visability issues .

on styling it sure looks good from the back , that designer , i think they stole him from audi , sure has done a good job with their new cars , soul and forte koupe , and if i was a midsize car guy i'd grap the 2011 optima on looks alone,  except for the wheels
 hopefully they will have a velostar copied their own way with that designer on the job

great to know kia is doing what hyundai used to do in the feature department on base models - listening toyota , ha,ha , (their base 3 door yaris doesn't even come with a back window wiper )

you didn't go into what the engine was like besides saying its powerful and the mpg isen't that good , if driven with atitude as you put it
i'm trying to gather more info on the new engine, in the sonata it has got mixed reviews from some writers
--- they might put the engine into something alot lighter one day

[CatsEye68]

Why only black and white shots of the interior?

[edcar]

Wow! Great intro article! I am blown away by the exterior styling--I see nissan versa styling in the rear doors with the rearward cant of the doors' windows into the C pillar (like the saturn/opel hatch too).

I am eager to see better photos of a loaded up interior and a direct shot of the instrument binnacle because the interior shots here are a let down: a sea of grey plastic! I wish it had the new Tuscon interior!

I hope the 2.0T isn't too pricey!

[John]

WOW!  The exterior styling is another home run by the Korean makers.  Take note GM and Dodge, this is how a car company re-invents itself with new models and styling, not just rebadge the same Opel four or five times over.

[EV Dan]

Wow! Great intro article! I am blown away by the exterior styling--I see nissan versa styling in the rear doors with the rearward cant of the doors' windows into the C pillar (like the saturn/opel hatch too).

I am eager to see better photos of a loaded up interior and a direct shot of the instrument binnacle because the interior shots here are a let down: a sea of grey plastic! I wish it had the new Tuscon interior!

I hope the 2.0T isn't too pricey!

Another interior shot. I'm sure in person it will look fine, although I'd like a choice of different colours on fabric/ leather.

[BSharp]

Love the styling and value.  Have a problem however with fuel consumption.  (My daily driver is a 2000 Jetta TDi with 332,000 km on it and I still average 4.9 - 5.0 litres/100 km -- hence the focus on fuel economy.)  The test value of 10.2 litres/100 km is ridiculously high.  The Korean makers and Nissan still have some work to do on fuel economy.  Will make me think twice about purchasing one.

[CanuckS2K]

Love the styling and value.  Have a problem however with fuel consumption.  (My daily driver is a 2000 Jetta TDi with 332,000 km on it and I still average 4.9 - 5.0 litres/100 km -- hence the focus on fuel economy.)  The test value of 10.2 litres/100 km is ridiculously high.  The Korean makers and Nissan still have some work to do on fuel economy.  Will make me think twice about purchasing one.

The article indicated that high elevation certainly played a factor in the fuel economy they got.  Driving in a mountainous terrain will not get ideal results.  Also, I wonder how many KMs were on these test vehicles?  That could play a factor in it as well.