2011 Kia Sportage Makes 176 HP, On Sale in July

SEATTLE — Kia announced today that the redesigned 2011 Sportage will go on sale at the end of July. Based on the Hyundai Tucson, the third-generation Kia Sportage comes standard with a 2.4-liter inline-4 cylinder making 176 horsepower and 168 pound-feet of torque.

Initially, Kia will sell its compact crossover in base, LX and EX trim levels. The base Sportage is strictly front-wheel drive and equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard on the Sportage LX and EX, which are available with either front-drive or an on-demand four-wheel-drive system (which Kia calls "all-wheel drive"). The automaker predicts EPA fuel economy estimates of 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway on automatic-equipped front-drive Sportages and 21/28 with AWD.

For those of you wanting more performance out of a small, car-based SUV, Kia will add a Sportage SX model to the lineup in January 2011. The SX gets Hyundai-Kia's turbocharged and direct-injected, 2.0-liter four-cylinder making in the "270-hp range," said Alex Fedorak, Kia public relations director. The six-speed automatic is standard on the 2011 Kia Sportage SX, as are higher-performance two-way dampers. Kia officials say they haven't decided whether the SX will be offered in both front-drive and AWD variants, or be sold with AWD exclusively.

In December 2010, Kia will launch its Microsoft-based UVO voice control interface in the Sportage, Sorento and 2011 Optima. Similar in functionality to Ford's Sync system, UVO allows drivers to control all phone and audio functions by speaking commands. You'll also have the ability to send and receive text messages (using customizable pre-programmed replies) if your phone has streaming Bluetooth SMS. UVO is optional on all Sportages; however, you can't get it with the factory navigation system. Kia says it will resolve this problem for the 2012 model year.

Close in size to its predecessor, the 2011 Kia Sportage rides on a 103.9-inch wheelbase and is 174.8 inches long from nose to tail. Reflecting the trend away from hard-core utility, it is more than 2 inches shorter than the 2010 model. Cargo capacity is 26.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats and expands to 54.6 cubes when the seats are folded.

Standard equipment on the 2011 Kia Sportage includes 16-inch alloy wheels; a CD audio system with auxiliary and USB inputs and 3 months of Sirius Satellite Radio; cruise control and full power accessories. The LX essentially adds a longer options sheet, including 17-inch wheels, a telescoping steering wheel, rear parking sonar, and a navigation system with a back-up camera. A telescoping steering wheel is standard on the EX, as are 18-inch wheels, LED daytime running lights, a rear spoiler and roof rails. A dual-pane sunroof, keyless ignition, leather upholstery, a heated/cooled driver seat (and heated passenger seat) are optional on the 2011 Sportage EX.

Inside Line says: Don't expect the 2011 Kia Sportage to be as cheap as earlier Sportages, but look for a payoff in feature content and overall refinement. — Erin Riches, Senior Editor