2012 Kia Sportage

View Pictures:  2011 Kia Sportage

The Kia Sportage has really changed since hitting the streets. Looking like a shrunken, even boxier Ford Explorer when it first rolled off the assembly line in 1995, the Kia's small utility vehicle was nothing more than basic, no-frills transportation. Performance and looks were sacrificed so dealers could stick a rock-bottom price tag on its front window.

Today, however, the Korean automaker is pushing to become a brand centered on impressive design and innovative technology. The all-new 2011 Sportage is an excellent example of both.

Over the years, Kia has made some impressive upgrades to this small ute. This year it pulled out all the stops, improving both looks and performance significantly. But did Kia change enough to make the Sportage competitive with heavyweights such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4?

Model Lineup
The 2011 Kia Sportage is offered in three trims: base, LX and EX. Front-wheel drive is standard, and the two higher-line trims are available with all-wheel drive. Standard equipment in the base trim includes cloth upholstery, 6-way manually adjustable driver's seat, cruise control, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo, Sirius satellite radio, auxiliary input jack, USB port, power windows and locks, tilt steering wheel with audio controls, trip computer, 60/40 split-folding rear seat and P215/70R16 tires on alloy wheels. The LX adds remote keyless entry, rear privacy glass and side-mirror turn signals. The EX gets dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable driver's seat, leather-wrapped telescoping steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, air-conditioned glove box, floor mats, roof rails, fog lights and P235/55R18 tires.

Notable options include a panoramic sunroof, an upgraded sound system with a navigation system and rear backup camera, keyless access and starting, universal garage door opener, rear park assist, leather upholstery and heated and cooled seats. Kia's UVO infotainment interface is due later in the model year. It will be standard in the EX model. A turbocharged and sporty SX model is also due later in the model year.

Standard safety equipment on all models includes dual front airbags, front side airbags, curtain side airbags with rollover deployment, tire-pressure monitor, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, traction control, electronic stability control, hill-start assist and downhill brake control.

Under the Hood
The Sportage will be available with only one engine: a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder that produces 176 horsepower and 168 lb-ft of torque (170 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque with the automatic transmission). Kia touts the fact that this four makes more power than the available 2.7-liter V6 from the 2010 model. The base model comes only with a 6-speed manual transmission, while the other models are offered only with a 6-speed automatic with manual shift capability. Due later in the model year will be a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder delivering more than 270 horsepower.

EPA fuel-economy ratings are 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway for the manual transmission, 22/31 mpg for front-drive versions with the automatic, and 21/28 mpg for all-wheel-drive versions.

Kia's Dynamax all-wheel-drive system sends all the power to the front wheels under normal driving conditions, and constantly monitors conditions to know when to begin to send power to the rear. Drivers can also select a Lock Mode that locks in a 50/50 front-rear torque split when conditions warrant it.

Inner Space
We're largely disappointed with the quality of the interiors in the entry SUV class. But the Sportage is an exception. Its interior is impressive. Sure, hard plastic makes up most of the dashboard and center console, but it's attractive and feels sturdy. The two-tiered control layout features the climate controls set in the middle of the dash and the UVO/navigation system/radio above them. The controls are clearly marked and easy to reach and use.

The new UVO (short for "your voice") system is a convenient interface for phone and entertainment functions. It uses a fairly simple voice-command system that doesn't require multiple commands to activate its various features. It will take some time to learn the core commands — there are 144 — but once learned, they will prevent drivers from looking away from the road to make a call or change a song. We like the standard jukebox hard drive, but it's pretty small and can hold only about 250 songs. There is also no integrated navigation system. Not a good move.

While the Sportage's new design is more attractive than past iterations, it changes the vehicle's proportions, giving it more space in some areas and less in others. The driver sits lower this year, but seat travel is longer, creating more useful legroom. Front and side views are clear, for the most part, but the view astern is blocked by thick rear pillars. Driver's seat comfort is limited by too few adjustments, a headrest that tilts too far forward, and the fact that the telescoping steering wheel is offered only on the EX model. We're particularly annoyed by the headrest. It intrudes on long-trip comfort when you just want to sit back for the ride. Otherwise, the front row offers plenty of space, and the seats are shapely and fairly well-bolstered.

The rear seat has good headroom, and legroom will be good for an average-size adult. But the short seat bottoms might become tiresome on long trips. A handy, fold-down center armrest aids rear passenger comfort, though — a nice touch.

The sportier, lower roof line reduces cargo room. Even with the 60/40 split-folding rear seat folded flat, the Sportage has only 54.7 cubic feet of cargo space, almost 12 cubic feet less than last year's model. By comparison, the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 offer about 73 cubic feet. With the rear seats up, the Sportage still has a useful 26.1 cubic feet of cargo room, which should be enough for a week's worth of groceries.

On the Road
The 2011 Kia Sportage shares its basic design with the new Hyundai Tucson, but the driving character is very different. The Sportage has stiffer springs and shocks than the Tucson, making for a much firmer, albeit more controlled, ride. Where the Tucson wants to pitch and dive in turns, the Sportage is impressively stable, leaning little and tracking nicely when cornering. The feeling is almost sporty, but there are drawbacks. Road noise is much more prominent, it has a busier ride, and bumps and ruts can jar passengers from time to time. The firmness is more evident in the EX model with its standard 18-inch wheels. The lower-line trims have 16- and 17-inch wheels on higher-profile tires, so they ride a bit better.

The Sportage doesn't have sportiness down pat, though. The steering has an artificially heavy feel, though it is fairly quick. Sporty features such as a small steering wheel, steering-wheel shift paddles or thickly bolstered seats are not offered. The brakes, on the other hand, feel natural and are easy to modulate.

We found that the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine offered as much power as most of us would ever need. It gets the vehicle up to speed easily and it works well with the 6-speed automatic transmission to provide decent, if not willing, passing punch. For those who want more, a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine is due later this year that should make the Sportage impressively quick, much like the 3.5-liter V6 offered in the RAV4.

While the Sportage isn't meant as an off-roader, it does have some features to give it a modicum of prowess off the beaten track. Kia's all-wheel-drive system includes a button to lock in a 50/50 front-rear torque split, ensuring some type of grip as long as one axle has it. Features such as hill-descent control and hill-start assist will also help get the Sportage out of some tough spots. Still, with a lower ride height and a wider stance, the Sportage's AWD system is meant more for on-road security than off-road capability.

Right for You?
Starting at $1,300 more than the outgoing model and topping out at more than $30,000, the 2011 Kia Sportage is no longer the value it once was. Still, it's a better vehicle that leans more toward sporty than cushy and comfortable. Active-lifestyle types who need the space and like the Sportage's road feel will find it appealing. However, it may be too firm for some tastes and it doesn't use its interior space as well as the class leaders.

(As part of an automaker-sponsored press event, Kia provided MSN with travel and accommodations to facilitatethis report.)

Kirk Bell has served as the associate publisher for Consumer Guide Automotive and editor of Scale Auto Enthusiast magazine. A Midwest native, Bell brings 18 years of automotive journalism experience to MSN, andcurrently contributes to JDPower.com and Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com.