With its all-new 2011 Sportage crossover, Kia continues to improve and refine its already impressive vehicle lineup. Kia, having made tremendous strides in quality over the last decade, now focuses its considerable engineering talents on improving their products' performance and sophistication. To that end the 2011 Sportage is new from the ground up, riding on a platform that's longer, wider, and lower than the outgoing version.

The new Sportage's classy sheet metal reflects Kia's emerging design theme. With its lower stance the 2011 Sportage looks more aggressive than its rather tall, narrow predecessor. The front fascia shares a number of design elements, most notably the grille, with the larger Sedona SUV. The Sportage's flanks are distinguished by a high beltline that sweeps upward toward the back, culminating in a truncated three-quarter treatment that bears a passing resemblance to Audi's Q5. The 2011 Sportage manages to stand out in an increasingly similar-looking field of small SUVs.

Under the skin the 2011 Sportage rides on a car-based unitized chassis. Both front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive variants are available, the latter featuring Kia's new Dynamax AWD system that uses a central clutch to shift power from the front to the rear as necessary. The four-wheel independent suspension setup consists of a fairly conventional MacPherson strut design in front with a multi-link arrangement out back. Combined with the lowered ride height, buyers should expect the Sportage's suspension to deliver a comfortable ride and confident, if not exactly sporty, handling.

Beneath the 2011 Sportage's sculpted hood lies a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, borrowed from the larger Sorento. With a quiet, refined demeanor and modern all-aluminum construction, the inline four negates the need for a V6 engine, something that was offered in the outgoing model. While Kia aims to offer a smaller, direct-injection four-banger in the near future, the current 2.4-liter should prove plenty zippy with 176 hp and 168 lb-ft of torque. Fuel mileage is par for the course, with the front-drive Sportage returning 22 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway. For 2011 Sportage buyers can choose from a six-speed manual transmission (available only in the lowest trim level) or a six-speed automatic with “Sportmatic” shift control. Both transmissions feature well-defined shift points and serve up smooth gear changes.

Inside, Kia has graced the 2011 Sportage with a very stylish, well-executed cabin. The dashboard has a modern shape and is rendered in high-quality plastic. The controls are clearly marked and fall easily to hand. With its longer wheelbase the Sportage offers decent room for five passengers, though the overall space falls just short of the class leaders. The chair-height seats are comfortable and feature a wide range of adjustment, though the pattern on the cloth upholstery looks a bit curious. The cargo compartment offers 26.1 cubic feet of room, expandable to 54.6 cubic feet when the 60/40-split folding rear seats are stowed.

Kia offers the 2011 Sportage in three trim levels. The Sportage Base gets the manual gearbox along with standard power accessories, an AM/FM/CD stereo with Bluetooth phone integration, 16-inch alloy wheels, and a trip computer. The midlevel Sportage LX trim gains an automatic transmission, remote keyless entry, tinted windows, and body-color exterior trim. Stepping up to the top-dog EX trim nets buyers dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a power driver's seat, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Options include a back-up warning system, GPS navigation, leather seats (available only in the EX), and funky color-coded interior trim in blue and orange.

The 2011 Sportage has safety covered with six standard airbags, antilock brakes and electronic traction/stability control. With so many standard passive safety features, it's no surprise that the 2011 Sportage garnered the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's top crash-test rating of Good. In addition the IIHS also named the Sportage as a Top Safety Pick for 2011.

Kia's commitment to becoming a leading car manufacturer is clearly displayed in the 2011 Sportage's modern design and top-notch build quality. When introduced in 1996, the Sportage was a crude, truck-like throwback to vehicles like the ill-fated Suzuki Samurai. Now, the fourth-generation Sportage is a visible manifestation of the ever-increasing sophistication of Kia's products and a worthy competitor for the small crossover buyer's hard-earned dollars.