2011 Kia Sportage sx Turbo AWD.....

[handinpants]

I was on the internet searching for a new car, looking for a suv, but then i saw this, 2011 Kia Sportage SX Turbo rolls into showrooms this month | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20039405-48.html) and thought, a 2 liter turbo charged engine with either AWD or FWD drive train, this thing has potential. yay korea for making this, boo on the price, i am gonna go test drive.
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/03/04/45854-hi-sportage_sx_24_ext_610x415.jpg

[upsdude]

i'm liking the design of the new kia's...good for them for not dying off like daewoo lol

[ronmcdon]

Yeah but what are the actual chances this will top the similarly (if not cheaper) priced wrx?
I applaud Kia for making more interesting cars, but that's about it.

[0100]

Kia's current design team, in my opinion, is very good, but not feeling the wheels. I think their price point is too high though.

The optima SX is also kinda cool. 274 hp on 87.

2011 Kia Optima Turbo First Drive (http://www.insideline.com/kia/optima/2011/2011-kia-optima-turbo-first-drive.html)

[exitspeed]

Kia is BA.

The SX AWD Sportage is just another example of why Hyundai and Kia are killin it right now.

[axiomatik]

It looks pretty good, though the view from the rear is kind of strange. Overall though, I'd rather have a WRX for about the same size interior and more fun to drive.

[aziankingz]

wow impressed by KIAs new line of cars, would not imagine they would be offering AWD turbo cars 10 years ago..

[handinpants]

well a wrx is about $30k, and an sti can get up to $40k where i am, and well if i am going to spend $40k, i might as well save up and get the ford raptor svt, or get a 335 4 door bmw. i like the idea that this car has potential with a factory 2 liter turbo, awd. boost it up, maybe kia will enter rally

[ronmcdon]

The base wrx is like $26,200-ish (after delivery)
Subaru Impreza WRX | The New 2011 Impreza WRX Sports Cars (http://www.subaru.com/vehicles/impreza-wrx/index.html#)

Kia cross-over is $27,296 (as per the article)

[exitspeed]

WRX and this are two different segments all together though.

[ronmcdon]

Maybe, depending on how you look at it.

There is probably more things in common that things that set it apart
i.e. pricing, compact, 4-door, awd, 4cycl turbo engine, similar power output.

Only difference I see is that the Kia is marketed as a cross-over,
although it sits fairly low for one based on the pic.

[axiomatik]

Yeah, technically they are in different segments, but in reality one is just taller than the other. Functionally, they are very similar.

[exitspeed]

Either way I don't see typical consumers cross shopping the two vehicles.

[axiomatik]

Consumers don't necessarily decide on a specific category and only look at vehicles that fit within that narrow definition. I think the 2 most important factors in shopping for a car are:

1. Does it fit my needs?
2. Do I like it?

Frankly, there are very few uses that one model can do that the other can't. What exactly can a Sportage do that a WRX can't? How about the reverse?

For example, we will probably be replacing my wife's Expedition sometime this year. We haven't done any actual shopping yet, but my mental list of possibilities includes a bunch of very different vehicles:

- Leaf
- Volt
- Cube
- Juke
- WRX
- G37
- used 5-series wagon
- Focus
- Mazda3
- Fusion Hybrid

I may not be a typical consumer, but that doesn't mean that people don't cross-shop wildly different vehicles.

[exitspeed]

Or do they?

With my wife she is only interested in a certain segments for her next vehicle. The Murano, Traverse, Enclave segment, and the Sportage, Tuscon, Rouge (although that car isn't even on our list), Equinox segment.

She's just not interested in something smaller or another sedan.

So both of our examples prove that customers do both.

;)

For me, if someone asked me about the WRX I wouldn't recommend a WRX to them, and vise versa depending on what criteria they gave me. One is a tall wagon mini-van-ish, sport Ute, CUV, the other is a sedan/hatch small car with a low ride height.

[BustedS13]

Sweet crossover, how many kids do you have

[stinky_180]

I just bought a WRX wagon. This Kia Sportage SX Turbo AWD does not appeal to me what-so-ever. However, I like the direction that KIA is heading in. Their recent vehicle line up is much better than it was in the past.

[exitspeed]

Sweet crossover, how many kids do you have

1, and one on the way. ;) Yes this appeals to me. :wiggle:

[Tantwoforty]

Hyundai and kia are coming up in the world

[highwaystar22]

Kia's new cars are very good. I just came off a five day rental of the Optima (2.4L Non-turbo) where I put almost 2k on the car. Very nice indeed. And for $25k, it's got very good value for money. It's about 2-3k more than a compareable VW Jetta in it's class, but offers more standard ammenities and features.

For us handling folks, it's got a independant rear suspension. The VW has a torsin bar suspension. In the looks department I think it blows the VW away.

Gone are the nasty looks that Kia and Hyundia were rockin', they've polished up the cars a lot.

[Deeano]

I actually work for Nissan and Kia here in SF. Kia really stepped up they're game. in 2009 they picked up the head designer for the Autoban/Audi, thats what gives it, it's sporty look. Kia has pretty good waranty also. 100k/10yrs powerterrain along with 60k/5yrsbasic and roadside. Kia's offers a lot for it's price.

[soreballz]

That thing looks awful. The rims look like MotoMetal knockoffs. Ick.

[thrax]

Even if one hates the Koreans you can't deny that they have made VAST improvements in everything the last decade in particular. Just about every recent debut they've made has been something really above the the norm.
I hope all manufacturers follow suit since it would be good for all consumers in general.

[exitspeed]

Even if one hates the Koreans you can't deny that they have made VAST improvements in everything the last decade in particular. Just about every recent debut they've made has been something really above the the norm.
I hope all manufacturers follow suit since it would be good for all consumers in general.

I would not say decade in the styling and dependability department. Styling in particular has been only in the last 2 years. They didn't hire Peter Schreyer until 2006. While he started using the tiger nose as soon as he could, it wasn't until the Forte that he really got the design the entire car around it successfully.

[ronmcdon]

Even if one hates the Koreans you can't deny that they have made VAST improvements in everything the last decade in particular. Just about every recent debut they've made has been something really above the the norm.
I hope all manufacturers follow suit since it would be good for all consumers in general.

Yeah they certainly have been improving a lot the past few years, and i think their sales figures go to prove that.

I'm just not so sure I would call it 'above the norm'. What they doing now isn't anything innovative, bar perhaps their 100k warranty. Pretty much most of what they've done is just focus on improving what they already have.

Otherwise there's nothing inherently groundbreaking. Hyundai's been around for pretty much as long as many Japanese automakers have. They're just starting to do what the Japanese have done many years ago, like making a serious effort to expand into the luxury car segment and the performance car segment. Good for them. Cars are starting to actually drive pretty well too. I enjoyed test driving a Genesis Coupe 3.8 last year, and thought it was more fun than the Nissan 370z I test drove a few months before. They do have potential.