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Review: 2011 Kia Sportage

Another Korean Competitor That Beats Expectations Kia likes to say it has the Power to Surprise. Back in the day (oh, five or so years ago...), the Korean automaker's customers were supposed to be pleasantly surprised that their new car, crossover or SUV was a better vehicle than expected. Perhaps you've heard the drill: "I bought it because it was cheap... and you know, it's really not that bad." These days, though, being less mediocre than expected simply isn't good enough. See not-so-(inter)stellar brands Saturn and Mercury for proof thereof. In other words, each new Kia has to ... Read More

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    Kia Sportage
    Hyundai Sonata, Kia Sportage win International Car and Truck of the Year Awards
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    The International Car and Truck of the Year award is determined by 12 judges and handed out at the Detroit Auto Show. Established in 1996, the award is given to "the most emotionally compelling international car and truck for the new model year." The latest recipients of the award are the 2011 Hyundai Sonata and 2011 Kia Sportage. Upon receiving the 2011 ...

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    Kia Sportage
    SEMA 2010: Kia mixes business and pleasure with pair of Sportage concepts
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    It's not always easy to mix business with pleasure, and because of that, Kia has teamed up with the folks at Antenna magazine to create two custom Sportages – one for work, one for play. Together, Kia calls this pair "The Duel," and we're quite fond of both. The blue Sportage, dubbed "Work," features a full host of gadgets and gizmos sure to make ...

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    Kia Sportage
    Kia reports record third-quarter profit
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    In spite of a ridiculous 247WallStreet.com article that simply will not die, Kia appears to be doing anything but going out of business. Hyundai's "weakest brand," as it was called, just posted a 66 percent increase in profit for Q3. Kia's home market sales, in South Korea, rose by 25 percent, while international sales were only a shade off, increasing by ...

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    Kia Sportage
    Review: 2011 Kia Sportage
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    Another Korean Competitor That Beats Expectations Kia likes to say it has the Power to Surprise. Back in the day (oh, five or so years ago...), the Korean automaker's customers were supposed to be pleasantly surprised that their new car, crossover or SUV was a better vehicle than expected. Perhaps you've heard the drill: "I bought it because it was ...

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    Kia Sportage
    Kia introducing pair of downsized engines for Sportage in Europe
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    Kia's Sportage compact crossover initially launched in Europe with a choice of either a 2.0-liter gasoline-fueled mill or an oil burner of identical size. The good news is that the CUV's engine choices will soon grow by two with the introduction of new powerplants that displace even less. Available exclusively on two-wheel drive, six-speed manual ...

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    Kia Sportage
    Nissan, Hyundai reportedly duking it out for No. 2 Asian automaker in U.S.
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    Nissan has long been the number three Asian automaker in the U.S., lagging behind both Honda and Toyota on the sales charts. But the Japanese automaker has been on a bit of a roll of late, with 10 straight months of sales gains and an aggressive product onslaught planned for the next 24 months. Nissan would love to unseat Honda to finally sneak up to the ...

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    Kia Sportage
    Kia axes plan for EcoDynamics branding in U.S.
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    When Kia Motors unveiled its EcoDynamics sub-brand at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, the company claimed its new badge would begin to appear on U.S.-bound models soon. In fact, Kia promised that its eco-friendly moniker would be attached to several models sold worldwide. Now, Orth Hedrick, director-product planning at Kia Motors America, tells Ward's ...

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    Kia Sportage
    Kia axes plan for EcoDynamics branding in U.S.
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    When Kia Motors unveiled its EcoDynamics sub-brand at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, the company claimed its new badge would begin to appear on U.S.-bound models soon. In fact, Kia promised that its eco-friendly moniker would be attached to several models sold worldwide. Now, Orth Hedrick, director-product planning at Kia Motors America, tells Ward's ...

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    Kia Sportage
    2011 Kia Sportage bags IIHS 'Top Safety Pick'
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    When it comes to the 2011 Kia Sportage, there's a lot to talk about. From where we sit, it's one of the best-looking compact crossovers on the market, it's reasonably priced (starting below $20,000) and as we found out in our first drive, it's a pretty enjoyable steer, too. To add to these selling points, the Sportage was just named a Top Safety Pick by ...

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    Kia Sportage
    Kia Rondo discontinued in U.S. market with nary a whimper?
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    "Thank you for inquiring about the Rondo. As the saying goes, 'all good things must come to an end.' But with endings, come new beginnings..." That's the message visitors receive when they attempt to learn about the 2010 Kia Rondo from the Korean automaker's U.S. website. Interestingly enough, when we contacted Kia officials for confirmation that the ...

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