Same with the RX-8 - remember that debacle; dealers had to give owners cash back or some other incentive to make up for the lack of advertised hp.
This Sportage is really a great package all round, except for the below avg cargo capacity IMO. On paper I think it trumps most if not all of its competitors. The thing with KIA is you except to save a few bucks due to name brand but at $37k a decision would have to be more based on vehicle vs vehicle and without bias it should win here, unless cargo was the top priority.
I'm trying to convince a buddy (not a car guy) in the market right now to look at Hyundai and Kia. Last year I gave the same advice and he said he would never ever buy a Kia, even if it was the best car (vehicle) in the world b/c it was a Kia. This year I have been wittling him down and the ace card was mentioning Peter Schreyer the former chief designer from Audi. That turned his head. He is looking at the CR-V and Outback. The former has good finance and the latter is the preferred vehicle but too expensive. I was hoping this Kia would hit it home but at $37k it might not. He could step down a model but without that turbo engine its not going to look as an attrative alternative.
I wish there was more explaination on the side-to-side AWD torque transfer: is it actual torque transfer of their version of stability control studdering the brakes? And is that 50/50 lock an actual centre diff lock or improved rear torque transfer? Does it stay locked at all speeds or come undone like in the Ridgeline after 30km/h? The Outlander had a selector that was labelled 'Lock' for the centre diff, but it never locked the torque just increased the variable amount going to the rear wheels.
