2011 Kia Sportage Review
The is an actually nice-looking compact SUV having a sporty, bold style. The EX model we tested hits the $30,000 mark, but it included features such as heated and cooled leather seats, a massive panoramic sunroof, and a navigation system with back-up camera. The 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine delivers 176 horsepower via a 6-speed automatic transmission. It provided decent acceleration and good overall drivability, even though the throttle tip-in is often a small abrupt. On the road, the stiff platform and suspension tuning give the Sportage a crisp and controlled feel with out becoming overly harsh. Steering had an odd resistance, though, creating it easy to give too significantly steering input. A sports car this is not. Bottom line, the Sportage is efficient and practical, yet it delivers a lot of style and value for the dollar.
The all-new Kia Sportage is an incredible improvement over the outgoing model. At first glance, it actually stands out from the crowd. Closer examination reveals an impressive interior with nice materials, well-laid-out controls along with a surprising amount of storage space. For most uses, the cargo space is a lot more than adequate, as well as the rear seats fold down simply to fit far more gear. The ride is comfortable, even though a bit jarring on rough roads, and there had been no complaints from my tall rear-seat passenger. The Sportage is no hot rod, but the 176 horsepower is sufficient to obtain it moving quickly. I expected better fuel economy, although. Even so, I was able to attain 23 mpg in mostly city driving. With prices starting at much less than $20K - totally loaded at much less than $30K - the Sportage ought to certainly be on your list of little crossovers to think about.
