Canada and Kia must have a very special relationship becasue they get all the hottest Kia models! A year ago Canadians got a tarted up special edition of the Forte Koup, and now the Korean company is introducing a turbo version of the new generation Sportage for that market.

2011 Kia Sportage Turbo is based on the SX trim and has a 2.0 liter four-cylinder Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) unit equipped with an intercooler to deliver power of a V6 with fuel efficiency of a four-cylinder. The advanced ‘Twin Scroll’ turbo design greatly reduces turbo spool-up lag time and achieves a desirable early and flat torque curve.

This is the same engine they put in the 2011 Sonata Turbo and in that it makes 274 hp and 269 lb/ft of torque. It must be the same in the Sportage, maybe they trade some of the horsepower for more low rpm torque. It’s paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Also added is a new feature called ‘Neutral Control (NC)’ that effectively shifts the transmission into Neutral while stuck in traffic (in ‘D range’ and with brakes applied >2 seconds) that improves fuel economy. ‘Neutral Control (NC)’ works in conjunction with another feature called ‘Hill Assist Control (HAC)’ that prevents any rollback.

As mentioned the Sportage Turbo is based on the SX trim which means its standard equipments include Smart Key Push Button Start, Panoramic Sunroof, 18″ Alloy wheels, Driver Ventilated Seat, UVO Infotainment System powered by Microsoft®, Premium Sound (7 speakers), Rear Spoiler, Deluxe Door Scuff, SX Leather Seating and Auto Dimming Mirror with Homelink.

Pricing for the 2011 Kia Sportage Turbo is $36,995 CAD.

“The addition of the SX package to the all-new 2011 Sportage further enhances our positive momentum on the vehicle while introducing a whole new dimension to both design and power including exception fuel economy”, said Robert Staffieri, Marketing Director of Kia Canada Inc. “The Sportage SX completes our powertrain offering for Canadians and the 2.0L Turbo GDI provides a high level of world-class technology. The Sportage is the first vehicle in Canada to debut this all-new flagship engine.”