Kia: PICS: 2011 Kia Sportage gets STYLISH!

 
premiere in March 201 
mark a dramatic shift in design direction for the brand's popular SU
when it makes its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on 2 March 
fresh, bold, athletic and sporty design that successfully blends th
key features of an SUV – the commanding driving position an
heightened sense of security and raised ground clearance – an
envelopes them in a sleek and urban-friendly design with globa
appeal 
Sportage will offer more space for people and cargo, with an improve
ride quality thanks to a longer wheelbase 
later this year, with a range of highly competitive diesel an
gasoline engines 
(8:45AM, CET) at the Kia Stand (No. 6441) in Hall 6 at the Genev
International Motor Show

From A
****
The crossover is the high-fructose corn syrup of the automotive world
Think about it: Rather than using real sugar, Pepsi opts for
cheaper, highly refined and processed sweetener. Which, according t
lots of studies, is pretty bad for us. Why would they do that? Highe
profits, pure and simple. Likewise, CUVs offer all of the space of
comparably long station wagon or hatchback, get inferior mileage
don't handle as well, take longer to stop and in most cases offe
none of the utility of a true off-roader. But guess what? They pul
in fistfuls of greenbacks for auto companies

Like high-fructose corn syrup then, car experts ("Hi, Mom!"
can scream out their lungs until they're blue about the benefits of
more sensible, safer, smarter product (again, wagons). Yet consumer
simply don't listen. The fastest growing automotive segment is – o
course – the small CUV. Like the Snickers bar, the Twinkie and
twenty-piece Chicken McNuggets meal with BBQ sauce (all of which i
mostly corn syrup), they are here to stay, forever. Buyers just see
to like the looks and the perceived safety that a high-riding vehicl
affords them. Plus, for those with infant children, not having t
stoop down to strap Junior into his car seat is the most luxuriou
feature on earth. With all that in mind, some CUVs are better tha
others – and not only in terms of looks, but also handling
packaging, content and value. Is the new 2011 Kia Sportage one o
the

The Sportage is arguably the Granddaddy of the CUV craze, as it wa
initially launched in 1996. That may not seem like a long time ago
but consider that the little Kia trucklet showed up before the Toyot
RAV4, Honda CR-V or Ford Escape. Of course, when the Sportag
initially arrived, the diminutive softroader packed a puny
92-horsepower engine along with an archaic body-on-fram
construction. In reality, the Sportage was actually an SUV, but i
was one that wasn't terribly good at the roly-poly stuff. It looked
little funny, too. However, the Sportage proved to be a huge succes
for Kia, allowing them to offer customers a very inexpensive entr
into the late-90s SUV-craze. In fact, the Sportage remains s
integral to Kia's U.S. efforts that it's the only nameplate in th
company's stockpile from the 1990s that's still on sale

But while the Kia Sportage has always been cheap, it hasn't bee
particularly good – especially in the aesthetics department. But a
you've no doubt noticed, there's a new design sheriff in Kia-town
Peter Schreyer, the man behind the Audi TT and Volkswagen New Beetl
– and he's already made taken some big strides at Kia. Specificall
with the Forte, Koup and Sorento. Now comes the 2011 Sportage an
it's easily the best looking of the bunch. Designed in California an
featuring Kia's signature bowtie grille (no, not that one), th
Sportage is instantly recognizable as a Kia – to those who know what
one looks like. Obviously, the reason for such strong design language
(and to hire a superstar like Schreyer) is to make the brand more
recognizable. We think Kia is well on their way, and like the Forte
and Koup before it, this newest vehicle is leading the way.

Kia wants consumers to think of the Sportage as "a sports car
wearing a backpack." A bridge too far, perhaps, but not entirely
left field. The Sportage's target demographic is young, single men,
the same sort of folks that purchase sports cars. Kia figures the
Sportage will slot in between the smaller, cheaper Soul and the
larger, seven-passenger, more family oriented Sorento. Even though
the Sportage is clearly not a sports car (backpack or not), it does
offer a number of sporting and even upscale touches that might just
tickle a young man's fancy. For instance, it has LED running lights
below the headlamps, exactly like an Audi R8 (a fact which no doubt
has Ingolstadt's brand managers spitting nails in anger). Kia's also
seen fit to include LED turn-signal repeaters in the side mirrors,
another cue taken from pricier machines. Other thoughtful touches
abound, including rear-parking assist, back-up camera, dual-zone
climate control, ionized filtration A/C, a cooled glove box, a giant
panoramic sunroof and a bottom-hinged throttle pedal, just like a
Porsche. That last item is particularly appreciated by us.

The interior is about on par with the rest of the segment. Plasticy
but fine, though people who really care about a finely finished
interior will have to save their nickels for an Acura RDX. That said,
the Kia's plastics are at least the non-greasy kind and our test
vehicle had the bright orange accents and door panels that greatly
helped break up an otherwise totally black cockpit. And the
cross-stitched leather-wrapped steering wheel is quite excellent, CUV
or otherwise.

Electronically speaking, top end Sportage models get either the
nav-stereo system Hyundai uses for cars like the Genesis Coupe or
Kia's brand-new UVO connectivity system. Think of UVO as Kia's
version of Ford's SYNC. Both systems ride atop Microsoft's Windows
Embedded Automotive operating system, or WEA for short. Like Sync,
UVO (which stands for "Your Voice" and is pronounced,
"You-Voh") lets you connect your Bluetooth capable phone to
the car's infotainment system. Then, using just "your voice"
you can place calls and even respond to text messages. Sadly, like
SYNC, you're forced to use canned replies – though with UVO, at least
you can customize those replies.

The biggest difference between UVO and SYNC is that UVO will let you
just say, "Play Led Zeppelin Black Dog," whereas SYNC
currently requires an intermediary step where you must first say,
"iPod," then the artist and track information. The UVO idea
being that you might have "Black Dog" on your phone, a CD,
your iPod, a USB stick or the Sportage's built-in hard drive. That
being the case, UVO searches all of your media sources, finds the
song you want then plays it. Pretty slick.

In theory, totally. Sadly, all the UVO-equipped cars we drove were
pre-production – both the Sportages themselves and the UVO units. Out
of about fifty attempts to get UVO to work using our voices, two were
successful. Are we panning it? We should, but we're not – but only
for one reason: As UVO shares the same operating system as SYNC, it
has the potential to be an industry leader. Not only that, but the
head of Kia's Connected Car unit is Henry Bzeih, a former SYNC
engineer at Ford. We're therefore confident that Kia will get UVO
working properly before it reaches consumers. For now, however, the
jury remains unhappy – and they had better get it working, as going
forward, all future Kias will have UVO as an option.

But enough gizmology. How's the Sportage drive? Solidly, like a
sportier version of the Hyundai Tucson, a vehicle that impressed us
with its firmly tuned suspension and near-athletic moves. This should
come as no shock: The Sportage and the Tucson share the same basic
architecture. Compared to the previous Sportage, however, the
difference is night and day. The new model is three inches longer,
two inches wider, but just over two inches closer to the ground.
Amazingly, it's also 200 pounds lighter than the outgoing model,
though we suspect that figure is compared to the outgoing V6, and the
2011 Sportage can only be had with a four-banger. But here's the good
news: the new 2.4-liter direct-injected inline-four (shared with the
Sorento, Tucson and Hyundai Sonata, so far) produces more horsepower
than the old 2.7-liter V6 – 176 hp compared to 173 ponies. Torque is
down a bit, however, from 178 pound-feet in the V6 to just 168 lb-ft
from the 2.4-liter. And to hear Kia officials tell it, the Sportage
will never be available with a V6. It will, however, be offered with
Hyundai's 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo motor, which should produce
somewhere around 270 hp and 270 lb-ft of twisting force. Who needs
those extra cylinders?

Back to the powertrain we actually drove. The grunt is enough to move
the Sportage about in a quick – if not genuinely brisk – manner.
Sports car? Again, not really. But definitely quick enough to easily
merge onto highways and provide good entertainment when the going
gets twisty. Just don't concern yourself with top speed. Speaking of
which, the Sportage's suspension is set up unusually well for curving
road duties. Up front, you'll find MacPherson struts and out back
there's a multi-link configuration. For reference, the much-lauded
BMW 3 Series is set up much the same way. The Sportage, then, can
actually live up to its name. And there's more handling to come.

Remember the turbocharged engine we mentioned? It will ship with
firmer, sportier shocks called HPD (high performance dampers). As it
happens, the prototypes we drove around Washington state actually had
the HPD shocks installed, so like UVO we'll have to wait for a
production version to get the entire story. You can also opt for an
on-demand all-wheel drive system that features a center-locking
differential as well as the ability to "predict" conditions
(i.e. use the traction control system to notice slip) and route torque
front-to-back appropriately. We drove one AWD Sportage on smooth, dry
roads from Redmond to Seattle, WA and noticed no handling difference
between it and its front-drive counterpart.

On the negative side of things, the examples we drove felt pretty
twitchy, with a ride quality that was sometimes jarring on bumpy,
truck-worn freeways. It was also hard to keep one of them pointed
straight. Again, these were pre-production vehicles. Moreover, the
CUVs we drove were late coming in from Korea. So not only did the
cars feature the wrong dampers, but Kia wrenches were actually
changing out engine mounts the night before we arrived. As a result,
all three of the Sportages we drove had different behaviors. This was
most noticeable in each CUV's various steering feel. One was a bit
slack on center, another felt under-boosted, and still the third had
even more slack on center – until we ran into/over a curb while
trying to negotiate a traffic circle. Oddly, that jarring bump seemed
to clear the problems up. Like the Tucson and most Kia/Hyundai
products going forward, the Sportage features electronic assist
power-steering, which is one reason why it manages 22 miles per
gallon in the city and an impressive 31 mpg highway. However,
electronic power-steering needs to be tuned to the tastes of the
target market and again, we don't feel these pre-production vehicles
were adequately tuned at all. Like UVO, we have faith that Kia will
get everything sorted out by the time the Sportage goes on sale later
this summer.

We know that a review of a not-ready-for-prime-time player isn't the
most useful piece of consumer information ever written. Trust us, Kia
knows this, too. However, assuming that the kinks get worked out of
the production cars – and they've pledged to do just that – what
we've got here is a pretty compelling, good-looking, sporty handling,
inexpensive crossover. Kia isn't set on the numbers just yet, but they
say that pricing should fall in line with the current Sportage. Figure
a stripped-out base price of just under $17,000 with a fully-loaded
AWD and UVO example going for around $25,000. Like its cousin the
Hyundai Tucson, this represents great value when compared to
competition like the RAV4, CR-V and Escape, especially as the
Sportage looks remarkably better than all of them – including the
Hyundai. While we still maintain our starting mantra against CUVs as
a segment, Kia's new Sportage is pretty easy to swallow.

*****

Pictures below

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premiere in March 201 
mark a dramatic shift in design direction for the brand's popular SU
when it makes its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on 2 March 
fresh, bold, athletic and sporty design that successfully blends th
key features of an SUV – the commanding driving position an
heightened sense of security and raised ground clearance – an
envelopes them in a sleek and urban-friendly design with globa
appeal 
Sportage will offer more space for people and cargo, with an improve
ride quality thanks to a longer wheelbase 
later this year, with a range of highly competitive diesel an
gasoline engines 
(8:45AM, CET) at the Kia Stand (No. 6441) in Hall 6 at the Genev
International Motor Show

Compact CUV Continues Kia'
Design-Led Transformatio

* New design and AWD system for longest-running Kia nameplat
* Sportage boasts more refinement, power, fuel efficiency
technology and convenience features than its predecesso

SAN FRANCISCO, July 20, 2010 /PRNewswire/ - The all-new 2011 versio
of Kia's venerable Sportage CUV takes its design "Kue" fro
the concept vehicle of the same name that was shown during the 200
North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Completel
and beautifully redesigned, Sportage offers more urban and flui
silhouettes than its predecessor while retaining the desirabl
benefits and functional features of the popular CUV. Sportage als
offers increased levels of performance and efficiency, comfort an
convenience and the latest in-vehicle technologies incorporated int
all of Kia's latest new vehicles

"Adding world-class design and cutting-edge technologies to a
already successful value-packed CUV equation, the all-new Sportag
offers Kia the opportunity to attract an entirely new and mor
sophisticated customer," said Michael Sprague, vice presiden
marketing & communications, Kia Motors America (KMA). "Th
2011 Sportage retains the functionality and versatility of th
previous generation model but repackages the CUV into a sleek, moder
and bold style with new proportions and a completely new look to hel
elevate the Kia brand further as a world design leader.

Available later this month, the 2011 Sportage offers image-consciou
yet practical consumers more power (176 hp) and improved fuel econom
along with the options of a panoramic sunroof, navigation, push-butto
start, rear camera display, LED daytime running lights and a
air-cooled driver's seat (a compact CUV segment first). However, wha
first draws attention to the new CUV is the visceral connectio
drivers make with the striking new design of the all-new Ki
Sportage. Also expected to be available in late 2010 is the UV
powered by Microsoft®1 in-vehicle communication and entertainmen
system based on the Windows Embedded Automotive platform

"An increasing number of consumers are craving and expectin
connected experiences in their vehicles including being able t
quickly and directly access music files, change radio stations an
make or answer phone calls through voice or touch-activate
controls," said Mukund Ghangurde, director of product managemen
for Microsoft's Windows Embedded business. "It's exciting to se
Kia Motors embrace the power of the Windows Embedded Automotiv
platform to deliver Kia UVO. We look forward to our continue
partnership to deliver connected and engaging in-vehicle experience
for drivers.

Available in three trims – Base, LX and EX – pricing for the dynami
compact CUV will begin at $18,2952 for the base trim, offerin
standard convenience features, including air conditioning, power
windows, door locks and mirrors, SIRIUS® Satellite Radio capabilities
with three months complimentary service,3 MP3 connectivity and
Bluetooth®4 wireless technology. LX will start at $20,295* and will
include standard outside mirrors with LED turn signal indicators and
privacy glass. Moving up to the EX trim level offers a beginning
price of $23,295* with standard features such as 18-inch alloy
wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
Emotion-Evoking Exterior Design

With a high beltline, sweeping angles and more pronounced wheel flares
than its predecessor, the team at Kia's U.S.-based design center in
Irvine, Calif. aimed to convey an even more demanding road presence
within Sportage's compact size by emphasizing its hunkered-down
position. The all-new 2011 Sportage projects a modern and clean CUV
and greatly expands beyond the current generation's basic and
reliable appeal. The full-sectioned body, defined by a spearing
shoulder line throughout the length of the car, helps to visually
connect the headlamps and tail lights. The crispness of this line,
together with the lowered body, offers a distinct sense of precision
while the pronounced C pillar gives a sense of solidity and balance
when viewed from the side.

Drawing generously from the distinct styling elements of the Kue
concept, the 2011 Sportage's front end proudly displays the new face
of Kia, the brand's signature grill, with dramatic swept back
headlamps, tabbed grill outline and a distinctive lower fascia
treatment. The dynamically sculpted hood, framed by a distinctive
windshield design, adds to Sportage's fresh appeal. The rear view
offers a clean and contemporary look with pronounced unique tail
lights set solidly within the rear lift gate. Longer, wider and lower
than the previous model, the all-new CUV successfully retains the key
features, including a commanding driving position and of security and
powerful road presence, which helped make the second-generation
Sportage so popular among consumers.

Starting with the Base trim, Sportage offers numerous standard
exterior features, including 16-inch alloy wheels matched with
215/70R16 low-rolling resistance silica tires, body-color door
handles, body-color and electrically adjustable side mirrors and a
6-speed manual transmission. The LX adds side mirror LED turn signal
indicators, keyless entry, and tinted glass. Moving to the EX trim
offers more prominent 18-inch alloy wheels mated with 235/55R18
silica tires, roof rails, a rear spoiler and chrome body trim and
door handles. Available later in the model year will be the SX trim,
featuring Kia's all-new efficient and powerful 2.0L turbo GDI
engine.
Contemporary and Comfortable Interior Space

Sportage's sleek aesthetic design from the exterior flows seamlessly
into the interior, establishing an inviting and comfortable ambience
with well-appointed features and the availability of numerous
convenience and technology features. With the signature three-pot
instrument cluster set prominently within the dash, Sportage's
interior exudes contemporary design and an upgraded driving
experience.

All LX models come standard with a host of convenience features
including air conditioning, power windows, 12-volt power outlets in
the front and cargo areas, power side mirrors with integrated LED
indicators, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, keyless entry with panic
alarm and multi-way adjustable front seats. Stylishly appointed cloth
seats provide comfortable seating while 60/40 split-folding rear seats
effortlessly accommodate driver and passenger cargo needs.

Further increasing the level of refinement, EX models benefit from a
leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, telescopic steering
wheel, illuminated vanity mirrors, automatic folding rear seats, a
dual-zone temperature control air-conditioner with ionized
filtration, illuminated and cooled glove box, and a power driver's
seat with lumbar support for additional comfort and support. Both
trim levels come equipped with an active EcoMinderTM indicator for
optimal fuel-efficient driving.

Impressive technology features also come standard throughout,
including an AM/FM/CD/MP3/Sat audio system with SIRIUS® Satellite
Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service. Also
standard on both trims are auxiliary and USB audio input jacks for
connecting with MP3 players and Bluetooth® wireless technology
connectivity with steering wheel-mounted voice activation controls to
enable hands-free operation for compatible mobile phones. The 2011
Sportage also will be among the first Kia models to offer UVO powered
by Microsoft®, an advanced hands-free in-car communication and
entertainment system (standard on EX models) that enables drivers and
passengers to answer and place phone calls, receive and respond to SMS
text messages, access music from a variety of media sources and create
custom music experiences. HD Radio® also will be made available to
enhance listening enjoyment.

Available upgrades for the LX trim include 17-inch alloy wheels paired
with 225/60R17 silica tires, navigation with SIRIUS traffic data, rear
sonar detector and rear-view back-up camera, heated side mirrors, an
air-conditioned and illuminated glove box, telescopic steering wheel,
roof rails and a rear spoiler.

Sportage EX models can be further enhanced with available features,
including leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, an air-cooled
driver's seat, push button start with Smartkey, rear sonar detector
and rear-view back-up camera, heated side mirrors and a panoramic
sunroof.
More Powerful, Fuel-Efficient Engine

The all-new Sportage comes standard with a 2.4-liter DOHC 16-valve
four-cylinder engine with Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT),
offering more power (176 hp) and better fuel economy (22/31) than the
previous 2.7-liter V6 engine. A more powerful but extremely fuel
efficient 2.0-liter turbo GDI engine delivers V6-type power with a
four-cylinder engine that produces 270-plus horsepower also will be
available in the 2011 model year. Offered with either a front-wheel
drive (FWD) or a Dynamax™all-wheel drive (AWD) configuration paired
to either a six-speed manual transmission (Base) or a six-speed
automatic transmission, consumers will have a variety of powertrain
combinations to fit their driving needs. The six-speed automatic
transmission, first seen on the 2011 Sorento CUV, is a proprietary
design for Kia that was designed, engineered and built specifically
for Kia vehicles, making the brand one of only three manufacturers to
employ such a transmission. All automatics feature Sportmatic®
clutchless shifting.

Perfectly suited for on-road driving through the city or on the
highway, the FWD configuration offers an efficient package with
responsive acceleration, enhanced fuel economy and impressive ride
and handling. For drivers who typically face more difficult road and
weather conditions, the AWD powertrain provides even more
possibilities.

The Sportage's Dynamax™ AWD system, co-developed by Kia Motors
Corporation and Magna International, Inc., continuously monitors
driving conditions and anticipates AWD system requirements, compared
to other common AWD systems which can only react to conditions after
they occur. This offers drivers the benefits of improved lateral
stability while cornering as well as the removal of unintended over
and under steering by reducing unwanted traction to the front and
rear axles. Aimed at achieving increased torque and improved
performance on every surface, Dynamax™ offers true AWD for drivers
who want an exciting driving experience with enhanced safety and
performance.

Sportage's AWD design delivers 100-percent of engine torque to the
front wheels during normal driving conditions, enhancing fuel
economy, however when wheel slippage is detected a percentage of the
torque is automatically transferred to the rear wheels to help
maintain forward momentum. When driving in slippery conditions, such
as rain, snow, mud, unpaved roads or off-road, the driver can
manually select the "Lock Mode," distributing torque evenly
between front and rear axles up to a speed of 25 mph for enhanced
stability.
New and Improved Platform

The 2011 Sportage is all-new, including its platform, which has been
completely redesigned for the new CUV. With an overall length of
174.8 inches, overall width of 73 inches, wheelbase of 103.9 inches,
Sportage is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor, enhancing
handling and aerodynamics. Built on a unibody frame, Sportage
utilizes independent front-and-rear suspension systems. MacPherson
struts are used in the front and have been fine-tuned to improve feel
and stability, while new side-load coil springs reduce friction. An
all-new, multi-link rear suspension system is used in conjunction
with new dampers and coil springs mounted separately to minimize
intrusion into the cabin and trunk space and add to Sportage's
handling.

The newly engineered suspension offers the same comfortable ride as
the previous generation but also delivers improved handling
characteristics with more precise responsiveness to driver input.
Both the front and rear suspension systems are mounted on a
lightweight hydro-formed subframe, to help isolate the occupants from
irregularities in the road surface.

Significantly quieter and more refined than its predecessor due to an
aggressive series of NVH reduction measures, the all-new Sportage
employs a new bodyshell design with greater use of high tensile
strength steel.
Impressive Safety Features

Like all Kia vehicles, the 2011 Sportage is equipped with a long list
of standard safety equipment. Both trims come outfitted with driver
and passenger advanced front airbags, front seat-mounted side
airbags, side curtain airbags and front active headrests, four-wheel
Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) and a Brake Assist System (BAS), which recognizes an emergency
stop and delivers significant braking power. Hill Start Assist Control
(HAC) and Downhill Brake Control (DBC) also come standard on all
models, the former assisting in preventing the vehicle from rolling
backward when trying to pull away from an uphill gradient, while the
latter locks the vehicle at a slow speed down steep grades so the
driver can focus their attention on steering.

To assist drivers when the vehicle is in reverse, an available back-up
warning sensor helps the driver avoid contact with certain objects in
the vehicle's path by triggering an audible warning when the vehicle
approaches an obstruction, while an available rear-view back-up
camera enables drivers to view certain items behind the vehicle.
Competitive Warranty

The 2011 Sportage is covered by Kia's warranty program, which offers
unprecedented consumer protection. Included in this program are a
10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, a
five-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty and a
five-year/100,000-mile anti-perforation warranty. A
five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan also is part of the
vehicle coverage.
Kia Motors America in 2010

Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic, design-led transformation,
which has been delivering dynamically styled vehicles in several
important segments at exactly the right time, contributing to the
brand's continued gains in U.S. market share. With three new vehicle
introductions and several other key initiatives planned for 2010, Kia
is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the
brand through design innovation, quality, value, safety features and
with new technology such as the UVO powered by Microsoft® advanced
hands-free in-car communication and entertainment system (expected to
be available in select Kia models in the U.S. later this year). The
launch of the all-new 2011 Sorento CUV, the official vehicle of the
NBA and the first vehicle to be assembled5 at Kia's first U.S.-based
manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia, further enhances the
lineup, and is now in dealerships.