The new Sportage is a very elegant yet some-what simple vehicle. We don't see big, blown out fenders or eye-sore etchings like we see on other vehicles such as the Hyundai i45 (Looks like the designers accidentally smudged the nose back so it looks like it's been in a crash) rather it's kept simple, sort of Euro like.

One thing we must applaud Kia for with their new Sportage is its attention to making it stand-out. These are things such as the DRL (Daytime Running Lights) that are illustrated into the Headlights and Foglights, this makes the car look like a beast! Yes, a Kia being a beast isn't really heard of but the Sportage is quite a contender for the title.

The Sportage offers a great automatic transmission, that is a 6-speed gearbox! Not a CVT which many have grown to hate. At least convential Automatics are somewhat 'manual' like where you can hear and feel the gear change whereas the CVT sounds like a boring old trumpeteer playing one note for an hour straight. Automatics are a symphony of sound!

With the Sportage, 4 choices are available. The Urban LX, Urban EX (Extra gizmos), EX and Limited. You won't find AWD on the 2 Urban models (hence the name urban) so if you're looking to save a few dollars, stick to the urban... but, if you're planning to head up the mountains, keep your eyes on the AWD models. With the Limited & EX models you'll find a reverse camera too, good if you have young ones.

You'll be safe for sure in the Sportage with not just 6 airbags, but a reverse camera, ESP (Stability Control) and reverse sensors. Yes, it's like a BMW but $50,000 cheaper.