2011 Kia Sportage -+ gallery photo

Kia continues the application of a distinctive design language to its entire lineup—witness the chrome-framed grilles and chiseled flanks of the Soul, 2011 Sorento, and Forte and Forte Koup—and the 2011 Kia Sportage is the next to show off dressier duds. We’re down with the redesign, if only because the current model is among the best (worst?) examples of old-school Korean design. The body-side moldings and awkwardly boxed-off wheel openings have thankfully been tossed to the curb. (The Sportage was first shown at the 2010 Geneva auto show, but made its U.S. debut at the New York show.)

The third-gen Sportage is longer, lower, and wider than the existing model, at 174.8 inches long, 73.0 inches wide, and 64.4 inches tall, with a wheelbase stretched about a half inch to 104.0. Power will come from a version of the 2.4-liter four-cylinder found in the 2011 Sorento; we expect 170-ish horsepower. Buyers of front- and all-wheel-drive Sportages will have their choice of six-speed automatic or manual transmissions. The all-wheel-drive system normally transmits 100 percent of the power to the front axle, although an off-road mode locks the system into a 50/50 front/rear split at speeds up to 25 mph. The Sportage’s braking abilities are augmented by panic-braking assist that senses a quick movement to and sharp application of the pedal and applies full braking.

Kia promises a direct-injected turbocharged engine will arrive shortly after the Sportage launches, likely the new 2.0-liter four just introduced in the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, where it makes a whopping 274 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. We can’t imagine that the 2.0-liter will be that powerful when installed in this cute ute, but it will be the top engine, so look for it to produce at least 200 hp. Fuel economy should be in the mid-20-mpg range for the launch engine, and the turbo four is described as being “extremely fuel-efficient.” (The 2.0T is said to return up to 34 mpg highway in the Sonata.) Acceleration with the 2.4-liter should top that of the poky current model, which took 10.2 seconds to meander to 60 mph in our most recent test, and the forthcoming turbo is likely to quicken things up even more.

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The level of standard equipment is predictably high. The base Sportage LX gets 16-inch wheels; air-conditioning; a tilting steering column; auxiliary, USB, and Bluetooth connectivity; six airbags (driver and passenger front and side, and two-row curtains); hill-start assist; and a low-speed, off-road hill-descent control. The only other trim is the top-spec EX, which adds 18-inch wheels, leather on the steering wheel and shift knob, a power driver’s seat, a telescoping function for the steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, and additional styling flash in the form of a roof spoiler and more chrome, among other bits.

The list of optional gear will run into luxury territory and includes a navigation system with Sirius traffic data, heated and ventilated front seats, backup sensors or a rearview camera, paddle shifters for the automatic transmission, a panoramic sunroof, and push-button start. The Sportage also will be the second Kia to offer the company’s new Microsoft-based Uvo infotainment technology, which works essentially like Ford’s Sync setup. The base price of the 2011 Sportage could creep above the outgoing model’s $17,690 starting point, but probably not by much. If it were us, we’d happily pony up the extra cash just for the fresh styling.

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