2011 Sportage Priced Starting At $18,990

by Edward Niedermeyer

Published: July 22nd, 2010

With Ford and Honda running away with the compact crossover segment, a tight pack of competitors is gathering around the 100k annual unit mark (graph after the jump). Hyundai has already thrown its redesigned Sorento into this fearsome battle with promising results so far (20k units YTD), but Kia’s Sportage has been battling in this segment since before it was cool. Literally. As far as we can tell, it’s the oldest continuously-sold compact CUV nameplate in the US market… which makes you wonder what a continuously-evolved Chevy Tracker might have become. Anyway, after years of Tracker-like neglect, Sportage is coming back with a fresh set of Peter Schreyer-tailored duds. Not to mention a direct-injection, turbocharged engine option (“270-plus horsepower” according to the press release), Bluetooth, and the UVO hands-free system (think SYNC). As you can imagine, the price has gone up some…

Available in three trims – Base, LX and EX – pricing for the dynamic compact CUV will begin at $18,295 for the base trim, offering standard convenience features, including air conditioning, power windows, door locks and mirrors, SIRIUS® Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service, MP3 connectivity and Bluetooth® wireless technology. LX will start at $20,295 and will include standard outside mirrors with LED turn signal indicators and privacy glass. Moving up to the EX trim level offers a beginning price of $23,295 with standard features such as 18-inch alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

The crazy part? Adjusted for inflation, the $14,500 base MSRP of a 1995 Sportage actually comes out to $20,758 in 2010 dollars, meaning the base Sportage actually offers a of of inflation-adjusted value compared to its predecessors. But will it be enough to take on this brutal segment? Only time will tell…

#CompactCrossover #Kia #Marketing #NewCars #Pricing #Sportage

Edward Niedermeyer

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3 of 16 comments

Dolo54 on Jul 22, 2010

The Sportage I rented a couple years ago holds the title as the worst vehicle I've ever driven. 270hp is hilariously too much power for this pig. That thing felt like it was about to rollover on curves taken under the speed limit. Combined with zero steering feel, I wouldn't even think about going fast in that thing. I would like to imagine they fixed the handling, but with a narrow, short wheelbase and high center of gravity, I don't think there's much that can fix it. Plus the fumes coming off the cheap plastic interior were giving headaches to everyone in the car.

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- UnclePete on Jul 22, 2010
  
  CUVs are not one of my favorites, but Hertz has been serving a lot of them up to me lately. I had one of the outgoing Sportage models as a rental for a few days, and I didn't think it was too bad for an inexpensive CUV. Compared to the Saturn Outlook (another CUV I keep getting saddled with) it is a way nicer vehicle.
  
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Joeveto3 on Jul 22, 2010

I like this Sportage. I really liked the old, body-on-frame Sportage. It was crude, tippy, slow, but damn, I loved that little bugger. Kia's one to watch. I believe the Hyundai influence has done nothing but good, and Kia will soon outclass Honda and Toyota with the younger folks and even some older folks alike. The cars are fun to look at and full of value. They are cool. I think Kia is positioned to woo the same crowd Mitsubishi attracted, earlier in the decade. If those folks have any credit, Kia will sell a bunch.

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