Review: 2011 Kia Sportage

Filed under: Budget, Crossover, Kia, Reviews

Another Korean Competitor That Beats Expectations

2011 Kia Sportage

2011 Kia Sportage – Click above for high-res image gallery

Kia likes to say it has the Power to Surprise. Back in the day (oh, five or so years ago…), the Korean automaker’s customers were supposed to be pleasantly surprised that their new car, crossover or SUV was a better vehicle than expected. Perhaps you’ve heard the drill: “I bought it because it was cheap… and you know, it’s really not that bad.”

These days, though, being less mediocre than expected simply isn’t good enough. See not-so-(inter)stellar brands Saturn and Mercury for proof thereof.

In other words, each new Kia has to be completely on-target and every bit as good as its competitors from America and Japan – and judging by the ambitions of its corporate partner, Hyundai, you might even be inclined to include Germany on that list.

And we’ve come to expect exactly that from Kia. If the company’s first Sportage was a passable entry with a cut-rate price to make the masses take notice, and the second go-round was, you know… “not that bad…” then this crossover, the third-generation Kia Sportage, had better be good.

So, were we pleasantly unsurprised by the 2011 Kia Sportage?

Gallery: 2011 Kia Sportage: Review

2011 Kia Sportage