Kia Pulls the Wraps Off Of Its Next-Generation Sportage

Compact Sportage SUV Touted as Having Sedan-Like Ride and Handling

Kia Motors released the first official photos and technical specifications for its upcoming Sportage compact sport utility vehicle yesterday, and by early account it looks on track to become another top seller for the burgeoning Korean automaker.

The original Sportage was an instrumental model for Kia when introduced in 1993, as the brand was new to North America at that time and needed a competitive SUV to initially gain market share. Along with zany advertising, that featured a wacky character taking a modest family for a joy ride in a then new Sportage, the little SUV became an immediate hit. Altogether, the Sportage was a global best-seller, racking up 568,720 sales outside of Korea.

With time, the Sportage became uncompetitive in North America and was dropped from Kias lineup soon after the much larger Sorento was introduced in 2002 as a 2003 model. Now the Hyundai-owned division is bolstering its SUV ranks with a second model that is representative of the original in name only. Unlike the 1993 version, the 2005 Sportage will lose its body-on-frame design for a car-like monocoque architecture, which will promote a more civilized ride and improved handling.

"Adding to our quickly expanding full product line-up, the all-new Sportage will reinforce our SUV offering together with the tremendously popular Sorento, thereby boosting Kias brand reputation in the SUV category," commented Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice-President and COO of Kia Motors.

Being that Kia is a relatively new player in North America, at least compared to Honda, Toyota and the like, its products have to be better and less expensive than its Japanese and domestic rivals. Its safe to say that the Sportage offers quite a bit more for the money than the comparable Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, starting with a longer wheelbase at 103.5 inches, a larger overall exterior width at 70.9 inches and height at 66.7 inches, and the associated benefits inside. The Sportage delivers more front and rear legroom, second-row headroom, total interior volume and cargo space than the two Japanese compact SUVs.

It also offers more power than many competitors in top trim. Its optional 2.7-liter V6 develops 175 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and a maximum of 178 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The base engine is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, featuring 142 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 136 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. European and other markets will get a high-tech 2.0-liter common rail diesel powerplant as well, which would be the one to get at todays high fuel prices. While only producing 112 horsepower at a significantly lower 4,000 rpm, it makes even more torque than the V6

at 181 lb-ft, plus it reaches its maximum at a super low 1,800 to 2,500 rpm.

Transmission choices include a 5-speed manual or H-Matic 4-speed automatic, the latter the only gearbox offered with the V6. For all-weather traction the Sportage offers optional electronic full-time 4-wheel drive - front-wheel drive is standard.

Also, massive 15-inch ventilated front disc brakes and 9-inch drums in the rear take care of standard stopping duties. Power actuation comes at no charge, but ABS and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) is optional. With the ABS system the rear brakes become solid discs for improved braking performance. Additional safety features include traction control system (TCS), plus dual front, curtain and side airbags, as well as electronic stability program (ESP).

Hopefully making the airbags irrelevant is a fully-independent MacPherson strut suspension system up front and a dual-link setup in the rear. Adding adhesion are standard 16-inch wheels with 215/65R 16 tires in the front and 235/60R16s in back.

Kia also boasts that its new Sportage features greater convenience than its rivals, by stowing its spare tire horizontally under the cargo floor, instead of vertically inside the cargo area or attached to the rear door. The new SUVs rear hatch is also said to be multifunctional, as it rises upward to allow easier access than side-swinging doors in confined areas and includes a convenient "flip-up" rear window.

From a drivers perspective, it features an "ergonomically designed center fascia with driver-friendly control placement," or so the automakers press release states, with a variety of seating (or sleeping) configurations including front seats that lay fully flat. Its "fold and dive" rear seats reportedly increase cargo capacity, while the rear seatbacks are split folding to accommodate more than two occupants while hauling longer items.

The new Sportage, which shares general architecture with the upcoming Hyundai Tucson, will start rolling off the production line in early September, with the first allotment going to Europe and what Kia refers to as general markets. America will have to wait a little over a month later for its first run of Sportages, as production will start at the end of October.

Kia expects to sell 100,000 units per year outside of South Korea, with more than 60,000 destined for North America, 20,000 for Europe and the remaining 20,000 throughout other markets.

Look for the new model to first appear in the flesh at the Paris Motor Show this September.