Teresa’s View

You may not have noticed that the Sportage had left the party back in 2002, but after a two-year absence, the original cute-ute is back. Kia pulled the compact SUV they’d sold here since 1995, and used the time to rebuild the Sportage from the ground up. The only thing that remains the same is the name.

The all-new Sportage re-enters the market longer, wider, taller and more powerful. It’s now built on a sedan chassis rather than a more rugged truck-based frame, and as such, provides a smoother, more refined ride.

The larger dimensions translate into best-in-class second-row headroom, legroom and overall interior volume, making the Sportage a pleasant combination of smart styling and practical utility.

So why, you may ask, did Kia feel the need to start over? Well, as the second model introduced to the U.S. market, the Sportage had quality issues and an interior packed with cheap appointments. Add that to the fact it was criminally underpowered and let’s just say there were too many problems to overcome. Kia designers rightly decided they needed a do-over instead of a makeover. The result is a measurably improved vehicle.

What Is It?: The four-door Sportage comes in a choice of two trims – the EX and LX – and two engine selections: a 140-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline four cylinder power plant or the 173-hp, 2.7-liter V-6 baby with an automatic transmission. Prices start at $16K. Front-wheel drive is standard. Four-wheel drive is optional.

Gadget Rating: 7 out of 10. Standard features include air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo system, rear window wiper and power windows, mirrors and door locks. Buttons and knobs have a more substantial feel to them than previous iterations.

Safety: Kia is big into safety. Every Sportage gets front and side airbags, head curtain airbags, ABS, traction and stability control. Crash tests are not available.

Grocery Sack Test: The rear seats cleverly fold for a flat-load floor; however, total cargo capacity is still less than the competition.

The Competition: That would be the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Jeep Liberty and Toyota RAV4. Tough group.

Trivia: Kia is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

Cheat Sheet: Kia is owned by Hyundai.

So, Where Are Ya From?: The Sportage is assembled in South Korea.