Geneva Preview: 2011 Kia Sportage Unveiled Ahead of Official Debut

Kia has just released the first photos of its upcoming 2011 Sportage crossover, which will officially debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. With Kia’s new front grille and a muscular new body, the 2011 Sportage is all-new, inside, outside and under the hood.

With many design cues similar to the new Sorento, the smaller compact crossover Sportage has a more butch look. It also promises to be a big improvement over the outgoing model as we expect it will use the same engine featured in Hyundai’s new 2010 Tucson. That engine is a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder that makes 176-hp and 168 ft-lbs of torque, giving it roughly the same power and performance as the old optional V6 while at the same time delivering 20 percent better fuel economy than the old 4-cyl. In the Tucson, this engine gets a fuel economy rating of 23/31 mpg.

In international markets, the new Sportage will also be available with a new diesel engine.

Kia promises a compact crossover that will compete head-on with segment powerhouses like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, thanks in part to a longer and wider body that should deliver more passenger and cargo room..

AutoGuide will bring you live coverage of the 2011 Kia Sportage from the Geneva Auto Show starting March 1st.

Click here for AutoGuide’s live 2010 Geneva Auto Show coverage starting Monday, March 1st.

GALLERY: 2011 Kia Sportage

Official release after the jump:

World premiere for all-new Kia Sportage at Geneva Bold, athletic and sporty all-new Sportage to make its world premiere in March 2010 Marking a shift in design direction for the popular SUV

(Seoul) February 3, 2010 – The all-new Kia Sportage crossover will mark a dramatic shift in design direction for the brand’s popular SUV when it makes its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on 2 March.

Embodying Kia’s newfound visual dynamism, the new Sportage is a fresh, bold, athletic and sporty design that successfully blends the key features of an SUV – the commanding driving position and heightened sense of security and raised ground clearance – and envelopes them in a sleek and urban-friendly design with global appeal.

Longer, lower and wider than the previous generation model, the new Sportage will offer more space for people and cargo, with an improved ride quality thanks to a longer wheelbase.

The all-new Sportage crossover will be available at Kia dealerships later this year, with a range of highly competitive diesel and gasoline engines.

The world premiere of the new Sportage will take place on 2 March (8:45AM, CET) at the Kia Stand (No. 6441) in Hall 6 at the Geneva International Motor Show.