Unless they will cripple it with 4 cyl it will be an awesome alternative:

 

I have actually already sat in the brand new 2010 Hyundai Tucson and I can tell ou that while aesthetically it may be a good looking car (if you are into bubbly looks and lots of creases), the interior is really nothing to brag about, uses same cheap plastics as the current Outlander and has more buttons to look at . From practical point of view, rear visibility is bad due to the D-pillar and slanted roof. Also, at the expense of aesthetics, car doesn't seem to be as big on the inside as it looks on the outside, this is a case of form over the function. And by looking at the pictures of the new Sportage, aesthetically looks promising but visibility due to the size of windows and that huge D-pillar, its another design exercise at the expense of functionality. Not trying to down Hyundai/Kia offerings but in most cases you can't have cutting-edge looks/roof/side lines AND space all at the same time. Their new products look good but are nothing that would completely outclass the current generation Outlander which came out at the end of 2006.

 

I'll agree with you to an extent. I set and test drove the new Hyundai Tucson, and if I compare maxed out Tucson to maxed out Outlander, first one is a really boring econo CUV inside and out. While Outlander also has bland interior, at least it looks and drives more fun. Sorento on other hand while being slightly more expensive inside and out felt like an expensive car and v6 with 280 horses was just an icing on the cake, but it felt just a little big for my taste, so if Sportage will be anything like Sorento, it will be a hit. Btw, if latest numbers don't lie Sorento already outsould Rav4 in recent sales.

 

Due to the treatment from mitsubishi HQ UK and my local dealer i have just brought a brand new kia sorento

you guys are lucky in the usa and canada the new outlander with the new front came out jan 2011 but due to the old outlander in the uk not selling we were only offered the new outlander 2 months ago.

mitsubishi have still not fixed the radio display which you still cannot see in sunlight.

So i picked up my new kia sorento kx-2 on the new number plate day 60 reg on the 1st sept.

the kia bigger wider and longer than the outlander which is getting a bit old now every time i touched the trim inside the outlander it left white marks i did not get leather the radio was crap bluetooth never worked. The dealer never washed my car, when it went back to the dealer with 150 miles on the clock they left muddy boot prints on the carpet. The dealer was rude.

My kia dealer been very nice to deal with at all times, the paint finish on the kia is of much higher quality so the inside and fit a finish is better. their are few bits of hard plastic to be found in both cars though.

puddy

 

I traded my 2007 Outlander XLS for the 2010 GT. I appreciate the extra horses, but I especially like the new front end, the back up camera, Real Time Traffic, and of course the new S-AWC System. I love the quartz brown color as well, that's just me. I like not passing my same car every 4 or 5 miles like the Highlander, Rav 4, and Kia Hyndai models. But that's just me. And I really doubt that anyone can touch the Rockford Fosgate 710 watt sound system. But that's just me. We test drove everything before we bought the 07, but did mostly internet research for the GT. I plan on keeping this one a long while (as I retire soon) and the warranty cannot be beat.

 

ALL THIS SAID, The Outlander is better looking, drives better, and is equipped uniquely. It stands out from the crowd and will keep you entertained much longer.

From a money standpoint, the Sorento offers MUCH BETTER incentives, but only if you have owner loyalty, competetive bonus, etc.

From a RESALE standpoint, the new base model 2011 KIA Sportage just received the highest residual value rating in the CUV market, tying Honda CRV, and BMW.

Just a few facts for ya.

Cheers.