Hawkinson Kia
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2012 KIA SPORTAGE
2012 Kia Sportage Buying Advice
The 2012 Kia Sportage is the best compact crossover for you're shopping for your first SUV and want one that's flashy, affordable, and fast.
The 2012 Kia Sportage represents the sophomore season of an all-new Sportage design that bowed in model-year 2011. This will also be the first full model year for the turbocharged Kia Sportage SX. To the 2012 Sportage's aggressive styling, good handling, and competitive pricing, the SX adds 270-plus horsepower to put you at the wheel of one of the quickest ride in the class.
Should you wait for the 2012 Kia Sportage or buy a 2011 Kia Sportage? Little point in waiting, really. The Sportage SX was set to join the model-year 2011 roster in February 2011.
And the 2012 Sportage lineup isn't likely to change in any way worth waiting for. The exception might be addition of a super-fuel-miser model, but that's mere speculation and wouldn't quite be high on the check list of the optimistic urban males Kia says are Sportage's target audience. The automaker pictures these buyers settling into careers and ready for a vehicle "to help them navigate new roads ahead." Kia tabs this life stage "Adulthood 2.0," and it asserts the Sportage is that vehicle.
2012 Kia Sportage Changes
Styling: The 2012 Kia Sportage styling won't change. It'll keep a beltline that's fashionably high, a roofline modishly low, and a grille and headlamps that form a scowling expression. It's a look Kia admits appeals to men more than to women. We find the chiseled lines more appealing than the roiling-surf styling of Sportage's underskin twin, the Hyundai Tucson from Kia's parent company.
The 2012 Sportage will retain a relatively generous 103.9-inch wheelbase (distance between front and rear axles) so it'll easily accommodate four adults, five if the rear seaters get cozy. Sportage's overall length, however, is among the shortest in the class. That helps create an athletic stance and aids close-quarters maneuverability but reduces cargo volume to well below that of such competitors as the Honda CR-V.
The core 2012 Sportage lineup will return with Base, LX, EX, and SX models. Visual differences run to such things as additional exterior brightwork and larger wheels as you ascend the lineup. And hard to ignore is the half-necklace of LED daytime running lights. They've been exclusive to the Sportage EX model so far. Kia had not revealed Sportage SX styling in time for this review, but the LED running lights would seem appropriate for that model, too.
Sportage is a crossover because it blends SUV cues with car-type unibody construction.
This is in contrast to the heavier-duty design of truck-type body-on-frame SUVs such as the Toyota 4Runner.
Mechanical: The 2012 Kia Sportage will again be powered exclusively by four-cylinder engines and offer a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (AWD). Base, LX, and EX versions will return with a 2.4-liter rated at 172 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque. (Think of torque as the force behind acceleration, horsepower as the energy behind momentum.) Full specs on the Sportage SX weren't released in time for this review, but it'll use the same turbocharged 2.0-liter that's rated at 274 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque in the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T.
The 2012 Sportage Base model is intended as a price-leader and will likely remain limited to front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission.
All other 2012 Sportages will offer front- or all-wheel drive and come with a six-speed automatic transmission. The automatic's floor shifter can be toggled to approximate manual shifting, and the SX could add steering-wheel paddles that perform the same function. In standard crossover fashion, front-drive Sportages place the bulk of the drivetrain over the tires that also propel the car for decent wet-weather grip. Sportage's AWD system is also mostly crossover-typical.
It normally operates in front-wheel drive but automatically shuffles power to the rear wheels in slippery conditions, then returns to front drive when traction is restored.
Sportage isn't designed for off-roading, but does give the driver a dashboard button that locks in a 50/50 front/rear power split for extra low-speed bite.
And the system, which Kia dubs Dynamax AWD, also subtly aids dry-road handling by apportioning power front-to-rear to help reduce noseplow and fishtailing.
Features: The 2012 Kia Sportage walks the Hyundai/Kia line by including as standard lots of features that cost extra on rivals.
Thus, every 2012 Sportage will again come with alloy wheels, power windows, mirrors, and locks, illuminated glovebox, overhead console, and cruise control. A height-adjustable driver's seat, a 60/40 split/folding rear seat, and three 12-volt outlets also will again be standard.
These South Korean carmakers are leaders in providing popular infotainment connectivity as standard, too, so all 2012 Sportages will again be equipped with Bluetooth hands-free phone linking, satellite radio, and both a USB iPod interface and an audio auxiliary jack. All will come with steering-wheel buttons to control the Bluetooth, audio, and cruise systems. Also returning is an enhanced phone/audio connectivity system Kia calls UVO, for "Your Voice." Co-developed with Microsoft, UVO allows easy music downloading, storage, and playback from a variety of digital sources.
It also simplifies voice-command access to stored phone numbers. It does not include navigation functions or provide turn-by-turn directions. UVO probably will again be optional on the Sportage LX and standard on EX and likely on SX models. It hadn't been available in tandem with the conventional voice-activated navigation system.
That system, which includes a reverse camera and real-time traffic info, will likely return as an option for all but the 2012 Sportage Base model. Leather upholstery, keyless ignition, a dual-pane panoramic glass roof, and heated front seats will be back as 2012 Sportage options, depending on model.
Read more about the Sportage by clicking here .
Awards Sportage has won click here .
Call Hawkinson Kia at 708-720-8999 for a test drive.
The 2012 Kia Sportage is the best compact crossover for you're shopping for your first SUV and want one that's flashy, affordable, and fast.
The 2012 Kia Sportage represents the sophomore season of an all-new Sportage design that bowed in model-year 2011. This will also be the first full model year for the turbocharged Kia Sportage SX. To the 2012 Sportage's aggressive styling, good handling, and competitive pricing, the SX adds 270-plus horsepower to put you at the wheel of one of the quickest ride in the class.
Should you wait for the 2012 Kia Sportage or buy a 2011 Kia Sportage? Little point in waiting, really. The Sportage SX was set to join the model-year 2011 roster in February 2011.
And the 2012 Sportage lineup isn't likely to change in any way worth waiting for. The exception might be addition of a super-fuel-miser model, but that's mere speculation and wouldn't quite be high on the check list of the optimistic urban males Kia says are Sportage's target audience. The automaker pictures these buyers settling into careers and ready for a vehicle "to help them navigate new roads ahead." Kia tabs this life stage "Adulthood 2.0," and it asserts the Sportage is that vehicle.
2012 Kia Sportage Changes
Styling: The 2012 Kia Sportage styling won't change. It'll keep a beltline that's fashionably high, a roofline modishly low, and a grille and headlamps that form a scowling expression. It's a look Kia admits appeals to men more than to women. We find the chiseled lines more appealing than the roiling-surf styling of Sportage's underskin twin, the Hyundai Tucson from Kia's parent company.
The 2012 Sportage will retain a relatively generous 103.9-inch wheelbase (distance between front and rear axles) so it'll easily accommodate four adults, five if the rear seaters get cozy. Sportage's overall length, however, is among the shortest in the class. That helps create an athletic stance and aids close-quarters maneuverability but reduces cargo volume to well below that of such competitors as the Honda CR-V.
The core 2012 Sportage lineup will return with Base, LX, EX, and SX models. Visual differences run to such things as additional exterior brightwork and larger wheels as you ascend the lineup. And hard to ignore is the half-necklace of LED daytime running lights. They've been exclusive to the Sportage EX model so far. Kia had not revealed Sportage SX styling in time for this review, but the LED running lights would seem appropriate for that model, too.
Sportage is a crossover because it blends SUV cues with car-type unibody construction.
This is in contrast to the heavier-duty design of truck-type body-on-frame SUVs such as the Toyota 4Runner.
Mechanical: The 2012 Kia Sportage will again be powered exclusively by four-cylinder engines and offer a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (AWD). Base, LX, and EX versions will return with a 2.4-liter rated at 172 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque. (Think of torque as the force behind acceleration, horsepower as the energy behind momentum.) Full specs on the Sportage SX weren't released in time for this review, but it'll use the same turbocharged 2.0-liter that's rated at 274 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque in the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T.
The 2012 Sportage Base model is intended as a price-leader and will likely remain limited to front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission.
All other 2012 Sportages will offer front- or all-wheel drive and come with a six-speed automatic transmission. The automatic's floor shifter can be toggled to approximate manual shifting, and the SX could add steering-wheel paddles that perform the same function. In standard crossover fashion, front-drive Sportages place the bulk of the drivetrain over the tires that also propel the car for decent wet-weather grip. Sportage's AWD system is also mostly crossover-typical.
It normally operates in front-wheel drive but automatically shuffles power to the rear wheels in slippery conditions, then returns to front drive when traction is restored.
Sportage isn't designed for off-roading, but does give the driver a dashboard button that locks in a 50/50 front/rear power split for extra low-speed bite.
And the system, which Kia dubs Dynamax AWD, also subtly aids dry-road handling by apportioning power front-to-rear to help reduce noseplow and fishtailing.
Features: The 2012 Kia Sportage walks the Hyundai/Kia line by including as standard lots of features that cost extra on rivals.
Thus, every 2012 Sportage will again come with alloy wheels, power windows, mirrors, and locks, illuminated glovebox, overhead console, and cruise control. A height-adjustable driver's seat, a 60/40 split/folding rear seat, and three 12-volt outlets also will again be standard.
These South Korean carmakers are leaders in providing popular infotainment connectivity as standard, too, so all 2012 Sportages will again be equipped with Bluetooth hands-free phone linking, satellite radio, and both a USB iPod interface and an audio auxiliary jack. All will come with steering-wheel buttons to control the Bluetooth, audio, and cruise systems. Also returning is an enhanced phone/audio connectivity system Kia calls UVO, for "Your Voice." Co-developed with Microsoft, UVO allows easy music downloading, storage, and playback from a variety of digital sources.
It also simplifies voice-command access to stored phone numbers. It does not include navigation functions or provide turn-by-turn directions. UVO probably will again be optional on the Sportage LX and standard on EX and likely on SX models. It hadn't been available in tandem with the conventional voice-activated navigation system.
That system, which includes a reverse camera and real-time traffic info, will likely return as an option for all but the 2012 Sportage Base model. Leather upholstery, keyless ignition, a dual-pane panoramic glass roof, and heated front seats will be back as 2012 Sportage options, depending on model.
Read more about the Sportage by clicking here .
Awards Sportage has won click here .
Call Hawkinson Kia at 708-720-8999 for a test drive.