LX 4dr Front-Wheel Drive
2011 Kia Sportage

2011 Sportage Photos
2011 Kia Sportage – click above for high-res image gallery The crossover is the high-fructose corn syrup of the automotive world. Think about it: Rather than using real sugar, Pepsi opts for a cheaper, highly refined and processed sweetener. Which, according to lots of studies, is pretty bad for us. Why would they do that? Higher profits, pure and simple. Likewise, CUVs offer all of the space of a comparably long station wagon or hatchback, get inferior mileage, don't handle as well, take longer to stop and in most cases offer none of the utility of a true off-roader. But guess what? They pull 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 a more sensible, safer, smarter product (again, wagons). Yet consumers simply don't listen. The fastest growing automotive segment is – of course – the small CUV. Like the Snickers bar, the Twinkie and a twenty-piece Chicken McNuggets meal with BBQ sauce (all of which is mostly corn syrup), they are here to stay, forever. Buyers just seem to like the looks and the perceived safety that a high-riding vehicle affords them. Plus, for those with infant children, not having to stoop down to strap Junior into his car seat is the most luxurious feature on earth. With all that in mind, some CUVs are better than others – and not only in terms of looks, but also handling, packaging, content and value. Is the new 2011 Kia Sportage one of them? Read on to find out. %Gallery-96683% Photos by Jonny Lieberman / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc. The Sportage is arguably the Granddaddy of the CUV craze, as it was initially launched in 1996. That may not seem like a long time ago, but consider that the little Kia trucklet showed up before the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V or Ford Escape. Of course, when the Sportage initially arrived, the diminutive softroader packed a puny, 92-horsepower engine along with an archaic body-on-frame construction. In reality, the Sportage was actually an SUV, but it was one that wasn't terribly good at the roly-poly stuff. It looked a little funny, too. However, the Sportage proved to be a huge success for Kia, allowing them to offer customers a very inexpensive entry into the late-90s SUV-craze. In fact, the Sportage remains so integral to Kia's U.S. efforts that it's the only nameplate in the company's stockpile from the 1990s that's still on sale. But while the Kia Sportage has always been cheap, it hasn't been particularly good – especially in the aesthetics department. But as 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 Beetle – and he's already made taken some big strides at Kia. Specifically with the Forte, Koup and Sorento. Now comes the 2011 Sportage and it's easily the best looking of the bunch. Designed …
Full Review
2011 Kia Sportage – click above for high-res image gallery The crossover is the high-fructose corn syrup of the automotive world. Think about it: Rather than using real sugar, Pepsi opts for a cheaper, highly refined and processed sweetener. Which, according to lots of studies, is pretty bad for us. Why would they do that? Higher profits, pure and simple. Likewise, CUVs offer all of the space of a comparably long station wagon or hatchback, get inferior mileage, don't handle as well, take longer to stop and in most cases offer none of the utility of a true off-roader. But guess what? They pull 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 a more sensible, safer, smarter product (again, wagons). Yet consumers simply don't listen. The fastest growing automotive segment is – of course – the small CUV. Like the Snickers bar, the Twinkie and a twenty-piece Chicken McNuggets meal with BBQ sauce (all of which is mostly corn syrup), they are here to stay, forever. Buyers just seem to like the looks and the perceived safety that a high-riding vehicle affords them. Plus, for those with infant children, not having to stoop down to strap Junior into his car seat is the most luxurious feature on earth. With all that in mind, some CUVs are better than others – and not only in terms of looks, but also handling, packaging, content and value. Is the new 2011 Kia Sportage one of them? Read on to find out. %Gallery-96683% Photos by Jonny Lieberman / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc. The Sportage is arguably the Granddaddy of the CUV craze, as it was initially launched in 1996. That may not seem like a long time ago, but consider that the little Kia trucklet showed up before the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V or Ford Escape. Of course, when the Sportage initially arrived, the diminutive softroader packed a puny, 92-horsepower engine along with an archaic body-on-frame construction. In reality, the Sportage was actually an SUV, but it was one that wasn't terribly good at the roly-poly stuff. It looked a little funny, too. However, the Sportage proved to be a huge success for Kia, allowing them to offer customers a very inexpensive entry into the late-90s SUV-craze. In fact, the Sportage remains so integral to Kia's U.S. efforts that it's the only nameplate in the company's stockpile from the 1990s that's still on sale. But while the Kia Sportage has always been cheap, it hasn't been particularly good – especially in the aesthetics department. But as 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 Beetle – and he's already made taken some big strides at Kia. Specifically with the Forte, Koup and Sorento. Now comes the 2011 Sportage and it's easily the best looking of the bunch. Designed …
Hide Full Review

Retail Price

$20,295 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 2.4L I-4
MPG 22 City / 31 Hwy
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission 6-spd w/OD
Power 176 @ 6000 rpm
Drivetrain front-wheel
Smart Buy Program is powered by powered by TrueCar®
Autoblog Advertisement