Kia Sportage breaks cover, parks itself

The makeover of Korean car maker Kia took another step in Geneva overnight, with the unveiling of the new Sportage compact softroader.

Although at a glance it may look a lot like a little Lexus, or that it has a hint of Honda in its genes, the third generation Sportage is a new from the ground up model.

The exterior was styled in Los Angeles, the interior was designed in Frankfurt, while the Koreans added the finishing touches on home soil.

The five-seat Sportage is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor and has more room for occupants -- and luggage.

It also features self-parking technology, to date only seen locally on premium models from Volkswagen and Lexus.

A diesel variant that will be offered in Europe is said to provide class-leading economy of 5.5L/100km. It is not confirmed whether Australia will get this engine or not.

However, it is likely the Sportage will mirror the engine options of its twin under the skin, the Hyundai Tuscon (now known as the ix35).

That means we can expect a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol 2WD, a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol 4WD and a 4WD with a 2.0-litre turbo diesel.

Stability control and curtain airbags are expected to be standard fare across the new range, as is hill start assist, downhill assist and roll-over sensors (that ready the airbags in a roll-over).

"Despite the recent and ongoing global economic difficulties, Kia's market research indicates that demand for [compact softroaders] will grow steadily over the next five years as customers down-size their vehicles and new models focus attention on the segment," said Hyoung-Keun Lee, the president of Kia.

The new Sportage is due in Australia showrooms in the second half of 2010.

Price is yet to be confirmed but the current model starts from $24,990.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi