Kia has finally replaced the Sportage, the model that put the Korean company on the map in the U.S. back in the mid-'90s. However, the all-new Kia Sportage is entirely different from the previous model as it is based off a car platform instead of being a traditional body-on-frame truck-based model as in the past.
Although the Sportage is derived from the Hyundai Tucson it has different styling and Kia has tuned the suspension so it delivers slightly sportier, crisper driving characteristics.
The added performance from the V6 engine offers the best bang for the buck and if you can afford the extra $1,200 for a model with 4WD that is the best value of all. Even with a V6 the Sportage ends up being considerably less expensive than the similar sized Honda CR-V and the smaller Toyota RAV4, both of which are only available with four-cylinder engines.
Even more important is that the Sportage offers more safety features as standard equipment than other vehicles selling in this price range.