New spy shots of the 2011 Kia Sportage surface to the web…
Spy photographers have caught another prototype of the third generation Kia Sportage crossover. This time, the new-look Sportage has not been spotted in Korea, but near Kia’s R&D centre in Germany, which is responsible to take on Sportage’s design, powertrain and handling development.
Even though the exterior is covered with heavy camouflage, it is evident that new exterior design is a huge step up from the current model. Details that stand out on the 2011 Sportage are a roof line slightly lower than with the current model, short front and rear overhangs, sleeker side profile, stretched headlamps, as well as interestingly shaped windshield!
Codenamed SL, the 2011 Kia Sportage will share its engines with the all-new Hyundai ix35/Tucson, so you can expect to see the power coming from a wide range of four cylinder diesel and gasoline engines.
Gasoline power will come from 2.0L and 2.4L Theta II engines that will generate 166 and 175 horsepower, respectively, while diesel engine line up will include a 2.0L R-diesel engine with class-leading 184 horsepower rating and 15.4 kilometers per liter fuel economy. Smaller, 115-hp 1.7L four-cylinder diesel engine, as well as 1.6L GDI gasoline powerplant with 140 horsepower are also rumoured to find a place under the hood of next generation Sportage.
Latest reports from Kia also reveal, it is very unlikely we will see a gas-guzzling V6 engine in the new Sportage. What will be available in the 2011 Sportage for the very first time is Kia’s all-new six-speed automatic tranny, which will be available in addition to standard six-speed manual gearbox. Just like other new-coming Kia models, the 2011 Sportage will also feature an ISG (Idle Stop & Go) system.
Although the Sportage looks like it was ready for production it’s still some months away from its official introduction. The model will make its official premiere at the forth-coming Geneva Motor Show in 2010 and will go on sale in Europe sometime in the summer next year. US sales are projected to begin towards the end of 2010. [Source: Autoweek.nl]
To see more Kia Sportage spy shots, copy and paste this link:
www.autoweek.nl/autonieuws/12899/Kia-Sportage-gaat-alvast-offroad
October 27th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Yess!! Did anyone check that site and see those FRESH-looking tail lights? =D
I am very eager to see how this turns out. Hyundai had a winning design with the ix35 but screwed up the front on the production version – I am sure Kia will not make such a mistake (as the Sportage was always better looking than the Tuscon LOL).
GO KIA!
October 27th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Are you sure 2.4 is going to stick with 175hp? Why isn’t it getting DI for ~200 hp?
The 2.0 with 166hp and a 2.4DI with 201hp would be great engines for Sportage/Tucson. Otherwise, 166 and 175 are too close together.
October 27th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Hmm, and since when does the 2.0L generate 166hp? IFAIK it produces 156hp with MPI, and I haven’t heard anything yet about getting an upgrade to a DI engine, or did it?
Second strange thing is the 1.7L Diesel engine that produces the same hp as the “old” 1.6l one…
But with a good range of engines like that, and a stunning exterior like the spyshots suggest, it may become a real top seller next year!
October 27th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
The Sportage is looking good. It looks like a little KUE.
October 27th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
The Sportage is looking good. This will be a great Ford Kunga rival.
October 27th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
the wind shield is from the kee concept.
October 27th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
I’m not impressed: backward-sloped C-pillar makes it look like a shoebox; Very high beltline and vertically narrow side windows are trendy but afford poor visibility.
October 27th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
as far as over-all design goes, presently, I dont like it much. must be the small wheels that spoil the show. but I notice soft lines around the body instead of pronounced lines. and more curves than shrp edges. wing-mirror design also has a part in over-all design and here it looks bland…
October 28th, 2009 at 3:37 am
I agree with Boris it looks bland..
October 28th, 2009 at 5:18 am
JTZ i agree, it looks like a baby-KEE to me so far. good news. but we’ll see. *finger’s crossed* & i hope we get an SX model with sportier options & the Diesel option as well.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
To me it looks sporty. Much sportier than the current model. As Joshy said, it looks like a baby Kee, which is good, because Kee concept was one of the best looking concept cars that Kia ever unveiled.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Every time I look at it from the side, I see a mini Jeep Grand Cherokee. In the United States, the ‘gas guzzling’ V6 engine is BY FAR the best selling engine in the Sportage. If they want to just put four-cylinders in it, it has to lose a lot of weight.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Nice grille too.
October 29th, 2009 at 12:28 am
Maybe the diesel will show up in the states?
October 29th, 2009 at 3:54 am
Why would Kia want to give customers in the states what they want?? They haven’t done that in a while.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:01 am
Still, by just being Kia, one can find a rig they like from Kia and buy one. Without too much trouble, hum?
October 29th, 2009 at 10:21 am
I was told by a KIA Rep that a Diesel might be in the cards, they are more interested in Dropping the 1.6 Small car Hybrid Platform in this thing though. Its already being tested in KIA C’eeds and Souls in Europe.
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The Next Gen Hyundai Accent will most Likely be the first prodction car to get this baby dropped in. The Specs on the Engine sound like it would be perfect.
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From an Angle it reminds me of a KUE and a Supersized Hyundai i20 that had a baby together.
October 29th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
KND-4 concept = Kia Sorento R
KUE concept = All new Kia Sportage
October 29th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Ok. So far everything that Kia told us is pretty much already on spy shots. The VG, the 4 door coupe the Sorento, Sportage. But I remember reading something like a coupe like SUV. I wonder if this will have an available coupe.
That’s the only thing really missing.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
To be quite honest, there is not a single vehicle in the Kia line-up right now that I, nor my mother would buy. The Forte and Koup were nice, but they skimped on options. Both of them could have been really nice borderline luxury cars. The Optima is great, but they made awful cost cutting measures to the interior, so we wouldn’t poke the 09 Optima with a 10 foot stick. The Rio – too cheap. Sedona – too bulky. The 09 Sorento – uncomfortable ride, too much of a gas hog. Rondo – cheap, featureless interior. Amanti – OMG, what a boat. Borrego – Too big, otherwise, our first choice. Sportage – another featureless vehicle, and could be quite a luxurious SUV if it had features. Oh, and when I’m in a Sportage, it feels like a textured-plastic-walled cave. Soul – ummm, ok, who forgot to put leather on the options list?? Fire that person at once!! Hopefully this new Sportage comes with some good features, and possibly less textured plastic.
October 29th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Greg, you’re not being kind of umm…picky, are you? People do look at inanimate objects that move in different ways, true. You’re sure there’s not a Koup or Forte sedan that would include most all of the features you or your Mom would like? Does that drive up the cost more than you’re comfortable with, is that it?
October 29th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I don’t agree with adding all that luxury. I prefer to see profits first than having Kia pay for all that extra raw material and having their sells slump like the rest of the manufacturers. Next thing you know, Kia and Hyundai will be downsizing models like Dodge is doing if that was to happen, don’t expect for the CH to see the light of day. Don’t even expect the Borrego to see another generation or continue to produce V8s if Kia was to put all that raw material in the new models.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
But Greg is right from a buyers point of view!
And people do really care about that kind of stuff!
I have been a kia seller for a few weeks this summer, to jump in for the real guy…
In times of globalization and internet price-comparison-sites where you can ask for every little detail, people aren’t as much focused on a single brand anymore. They compare, take a look at the real-life car, and then want to individualize.
From a customer satisfactory point of view, kia has to offer a wider range of availiable options – engines and equipment – to get new buyers and keep the existing ones attracted.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:47 am
That dude Greg needs a Hug……..Kia has the best line up ever…well designed, good looking cars, something that kia had been missing all along. For us car buffs, it will never gonna be left well enough alone, but Greg is reaching…..
October 30th, 2009 at 4:38 am
Honestly, Bryan, there is no US-spec Forte that we would currently buy. If we would have gotten even SOME of the Korean spec features in the Forte, we would have traded the Optima months ago. The only Kia that could possibly satisfy our needs is the Borrego. We would happily pay $22,000 for a Forte with features we want. Great, the loaded SX Forte only costs $19k. So, great, the Forte is cheap, but where are the options. There are not many SX features that are different than the LX model!! It’s not Kia corporate’s fault, they are providing the features. It is Kia America’s fault.
October 30th, 2009 at 5:52 am
Forte, you got a point.
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I wonder if they are testing the Next Gen Rio yet. Get some spy pics please?
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Why is it that I have a feeling that the Rio will get a Direct Injected or non Direct Injection of the 1.4L Gamma engine, while Hyundai gets the 1.6L Gamma with Direct injection, Turbos, and Hybrids?
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The Accent is going to be a little larger than it is currently, so they definately wont be calling it a B-Segment car anymore. I wonder will the Rio Grow up to C-Segment too?
October 30th, 2009 at 5:55 am
The Rio Sedan should look like a Cadenza, and the Hatch should look like a Venza. I also wonder if the Rio will get a Name change?
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Menza, Stenza, Genza, Denza, Anybody?
October 30th, 2009 at 5:57 am
Not Venza, I mean Venga. Maybe they will call it the Jenga, LOL.
November 20th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I like the new Sportage’s wheels from this slant-angle not very good look at them.