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There have been a number of cases through the years when automakers have been deceptive. They’ve assorted from subtle to blatant. Typically time these artistic diversions need to do with SUVs and crossovers, as automakers consider increasingly more methods to promote to clients on this oversaturated section.
From time to time, for some cause, an automaker applies a “sport” badge to some SUV or crossover and it doesn’t imply what we assume it will imply. In our fanatic minds, we think about a particular suspension bundle, a extra highly effective engine, or on the very least, a extra aggressive beauty bundle. However from time to time, the “sport” badge merely means “smaller or extra compact than the unique mannequin.” I can consider seven examples from current years.
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The Captiva Sport was a wierd providing within the U.S. market with a sophisticated historical past. So Chevy sells a Captiva SUV in numerous elements of the world; it’s been round since 2006. It’s at present on its second era and appears like a cross between a Chevy Blazer and a Traverse. GM by no means offered the Captiva right here within the U.S.
Different elements of the world, primarily Central and South America, acquired a Captiva Sport that was based mostly on the Opel/Vauxhall Antara. Saturn obtained a model of the Antara that was offered right here as the second-era Vue that was solely round for two mannequin years — coincidentally, the final two years for the Saturn model, which folded in 2010.
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It wasn’t till the 2012 mannequin 12 months that we might get the Mexico-built Captiva Sport, basically the identical car because the Vue however with a number of variations. This mannequin was by no means offered at retail right here within the States. GM introduced over the Captiva Sport for fleet patrons, so that you solely ever noticed it at rental automotive businesses. This was executed to fill the hole left when the HHR was discontinued, which is bizarre.
Whereas patrons of the Vue acquired to decide on an non-obligatory 3.5-liter 250 horsepower V6 within the Vue Redline, there was nothing sporty in regards to the Captiva Sport. These fleet autos solely obtained a 2.4-liter I4 or a 3.0-liter V6 paired with a six-velocity auto. The Captiva Sport was discontinued in 2014 after GM realized, “Hey, we don’t want an imported crossover for fleet gross sales as a result of the Equinox has been right here the entire time!” Not lengthy after that, the Captiva Sport began to point out up on used heaps, and that’s how regular Americans started driving them.
Whereas not precisely the identical car because the bigger Captiva, the 2 did trip on the identical platform.
The Explorer Sport was made for over a decade, from 1991 to 2003, overlaying two generations. The primary era arrived with the unique Explorer. The second era differed a bit — round 2001, Ford switched the Explorer Sport to make use of the facia from the Explorer Sport Trac. “Sport” right here meant that this Explorer had two doorways. Tright here have been no sporting pretensions in regards to the Explorer Sport.
Energy got here from the boat-anchor 4.0-liter V6. And whereas the second-gen Explorer provided a 5.0-liter V8, you couldn’t get that engine within the Explorer Sport. A Mazda-made five-speed guide transmission was normal within the early years, however you have been fooling your self in the event you thought this may be any type of sporty car. At the very least Ford did lovers a stable in current years, giving us the current 400-hp Explorer ST.
The Santa Fe Sport was really similar to the common Santa Fe in each facet, simply with a shorter wheelbase. For a quick second on the finish of its life in 2018, it was offered alongside the brand new (and present) fourth-era Santa Fe. Not like the opposite SUVs and crossovers right here, Hyundai did give the Santa Fe a smidge of sportiness with that Sport badge. However it wasn’t intentional. Whereas the bigger Santa Fe had non-obligatory V6 energy, the Santa Fe Sport had a base 2.4-liter I4 or an non-obligatory turbocharged 240 hp 2.0-liter.
The Outlander Sport is the oldest car on this listing that’s nonetheless really on sale. In the event you go on Mitsubishi’s web site or end up in a fever dream and find yourself at one in every of their sellers, the car you’ll see on sale is essentially the same crossover (with a number of updates) that debuted for the 2010 mannequin 12 months. It has obtained 4 facelifts/refreshes because it’s been on sale.
Earlier than the current redesign, the Outlander Sport actually was only a smaller, extra compact model of the bigger Outlander. Each had previous bones, driving on the ancient GS platform. Any sporting intention this mannequin began out with has lengthy been deserted. Energy comes from a 2.0-liter I4 that’s paired to a CVT. There’s a bigger 2.4-liter model of the identical engine that’s normal on the so-called GT trim, however it’s nonetheless paired with a CVT.
The present non-sport Outlander rides on a platform jointly developed with Nissan (and shared with the Nissan Rogue). The unfortunately named Eclipse Cross was launched in 2018; regardless of being newer than the Outlander Sport, the Eclipse Cross nonetheless rides on the previous GS platform. S0 the Outlander Sport’s place in Mitsubishi’s lineup has type of turn into redundant, with so many crossovers so shut to one another in measurement. You need to surprise if the Outlander Sport’s days are numbered.
The Montero Sport might be the one SUV on this listing that was an precise SUV, which means it had some off-road chops. It was body-on-body with a 4WD system with a low vary like a correct Montero ought to have. It was offered world wide in numerous markets and beneath completely different names. And whereas it’s nonetheless on sale in a number of markets, the U.S. solely obtained the primary era, offered right here from 1996 to 2004. Engine decisions have been both a base 134 hp 2.4-liter I4 paired to a 5-speed guide or a 3.0-liter 173 hp V6 with a 4-speed auto. For some cause, the highest Restricted trim got here with an additional 27 hp. I did some digging and located that the 4WD fashions could possibly be had with the 5-speed guide, although I couldn’t discover out whether or not that was with the I4 or the V6.
Nissan only in the near past discontinued the Rogue Sport. One other a kind of “sport” fashions that carries the mannequin identify of its greater sibling however is a barely completely different car, the Rogue Sport was a Nissan Qashqai that the model delivered to the U.S. in 2017 for extra gross sales quantity. It did appear like a smaller, last-generation Nissan Rogue. However because the years went on issues modified. Nissan launched a smaller-than-Rogue-Sport Kicks crossover and the bigger Rogue obtained a much-needed redesign, transferring to a platform collectively developed with Renault/Mitsubishi. So the Rogue Sport grew to become type of pointless, and it was axed. What’s worse is the worth rose lately. It price greater than the Kicks and overlapped the bigger Rogue in greater trims.
And like all of the others on this listing, the badge mentioned “Sport” however it was devoid of sportiness. Energy got here from a 141 hp I4 paired with a CVT. This meant a zero to 60 mph time of finally.
The Outback Sport might be one of many least remembered autos on this listing. Whereas the common Outback was based mostly on the Legacy and offered to a extra mature crowd, Subaru needed to succeed in youthful patrons. That’s how the Outback Sport got here to be. It was offered on the primary three generations of the Impreza. Subaru threw on two-tone paint, gave it some mud flaps and a roof rack, bigger tires, and a barely greater floor clearance.
However at its core, it was nonetheless simply an Impreza hatch. Ultimately, Subaru determined to place extra effort right into a smaller-than-Outback providing for youthful patrons by changing the Outback Sport with the Crosstrek in 2012.
Hopefully, with most of those fashions gone, automakers get out of this behavior and understand sport doesn’t essentially imply smaller.