1996 Kia Sportage 4X4

KiaKia's design intent in creating the Sportage was to wring out the negative "trucklike" attributes associated with sport/utilities, and to create a pure distillation of comfortable interior, smooth ride, and off-pavement potential. Entry-level customers expect to make certain concessions, but Kia has kept the compromises to a minimum. In fact, the Sportage delights with its tasteful surprises and good overall packaging, to provide a solid value in this increasingly competitive market segment.

Designed for the U.S. market, the Korean-built Sportage uses a Lotus-tuned independent front suspension and rear four-link setup with coil springs and dampers to provide a compliant, carlike ride that contradicts its truck-tough off-road image. Most sport/ute owners spend the vast majority of their time on pavement, where the Sportage is clearly in its element. However, for the occasional adventurous excursion, autolocking hubs allow the driver to conveniently shift into four-wheel drive while on the move.

Power comes from a 2.0-liter/130-horsepower inline-four engine, down from the previous year's 139 horsepower at 500 greater rpm. Mated to the five-speed manual in our test vehicle, the engine provided adequate motivation for navigating the urban jungle. Hard driving and a willingness to endure the DOHC engine's buzz at high rpm is necessary to achieve 0-60-mph times under 12 seconds. Right-foot restraint is rewarded with predictably calm acceleration and gentle engine noise. The shifter itself has more play in it than we're accustomed to, making the clich of "stirring through the gears" ring truer than we'd like.

Despite almost eight inches of ground clearance, the Sportage is fairly easy to enter. Once in, you're rewarded with a gently sweeping dash that would be at home in Kia's Sephia sedan. The front seats offer an exceptional view of the road and plenty of headroom. Rear passengers sit in close but relatively comfortable quarters. Behind the seats lurk 25.8 cubic feet of cargo space, which can be expanded to 55.4 cubic feet by folding forward the rear seatbacks.

The four-wheel-drive EX's $16,195 base price includes such niceties as power windows/locks/mirrors, rear ABS, a remote fuel-filler door release, a rear window defroster, cruise control, an electric remote tailgate opener, and aluminum-alloy wheels. Our test vehicle also had air conditioning, a roof rack, an exterior-mounted spare-tire carrier, and a premium AM/FM/cassette stereo with four speakers. Budget-conscious sport/ute buyers looking for a daily driver with four-wheel-drive capabilities should take the Kia Sportage for a spin.-Jeff Bartlett