2005 Kia Sportage Preview

Also, massive 15-inch ventilated front disc brakes and 9-inch drums in the rear take care of standard stopping duties.

According to the press material, the Sportage will feature an "ergonomically designed center fascia with driver-friendly control placement." (Photo: Kia Canada)

Power actuation comes at no charge, but ABS and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) is optional. With the ABS system the rear brakes become solid discs for improved braking performance. Additional safety features include traction control system (TCS), plus dual front, curtain and side airbags, as well as electronic stability program (ESP).

Hopefully making the airbags irrelevant is a fully-independent MacPherson strut suspension system up front and a dual-link setup in the rear. Adding adhesion are standard 16-inch wheels with 215/65R 16 tires in the front and 235/60R16s in back.

Kia also boasts that its new Sportage features greater convenience than its rivals, by stowing its spare tire horizontally under the cargo floor, instead of vertically inside the cargo area or attached to the rear door. The new SUV's rear hatch is also said to be multifunctional, as it rises upward to allow easier access than side-swinging doors in confined areas and includes a convenient "flip-up" rear window.

From a driver's perspective, it features an "ergonomically designed center fascia with driver-friendly control placement," or so the

The new Sportage's rear hatch is said to be multifunctional, as it rises upward and includes a "flip-up" rear window. (Photo: Kia Canada)

automaker's press release states, with a variety of seating (or sleeping) configurations including front seats that lay fully flat. Its "fold and dive" rear seats reportedly increase cargo capacity, while the rear seatbacks are split folding to accommodate more than two occupants while hauling longer items.

The new Sportage, which shares general architecture with the upcoming Hyundai Tucson, will start rolling off the production line in early September, with the first allotment going to Europe and what Kia refers to as general markets. Canada will have to wait a little over a month later for its first run of Sportages, as production will start at the end of October.