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Kia, which is now owned by Hyundai, continues the South Korean tradition of offering great value for the money. This proved to be the case with the new Kia Sportage we recently tested.

Kia engineers were starting with a clean slate and took full advantage of the opportunity it presented. What they set out to do was offer customers the best benefits of three different vehicles all in one stylish, compact package:

* The smooth ride, agile handling and suspension refinements of a family sedan.

* The Sportage nameplate's rugged styling, high driving position, easy cargo access and all-wheel-drive grip of an SUV.

* The cargo-carrying capability and seating versatility of a station wagon.

Peter M. Butterfield, president and CEO of Kia Motors America, explains it this way:

"The 2005 Kia Sportage is the latest example of Kia's continuing commitment to move beyond its traditional strength of high value by developing stylish, fun-to-drive vehicles that feature built-in comfort, roominess and a class-leading array of safety features. In particular, the all-new Sportage appeals to both sides of the brain: the practical and logical left side, and the adventurous and creative right side."

The new Sportagefeatures a wider track and more horsepower than its predecessor, and places a heavy emphasis on safety. The long list of standard safety features includes: six airbags (two advanced front airbags, two front-seat-mounted side airbags, and two full-length side-curtain airbags); four-wheel disc brakes with antilock brake system (ABS); traction control system (TCS); and electronic stability program (ESP).

Although Kia retains the famous Sportage name, everything else about the car has changed. In a segment that Kia pioneered with the earlier, truck-based, body-on-frame first-generation Sportage, the new Sportage is distinctly more car-like in the way it handles and performs. Power from the 2.7 liter V6 adequate, if not exactly startling. The powertrain, which includes a four-speed automatic transmission and on-demand four-wheel-drive, is smooth and responsive. In short, in the way it drives the Sportage is competent rather than exciting.

Fuel economy is a bit of a disappointment, though. The EPA rating is 19 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, which is certainly nothing to write home about from a small V6. Kia's engineers need to go back to work and figure out how to push those figures up a little bit.

Like all Kia vehicles, the 2005 Sportage is covered by Kia's comprehensive 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and five years of roadside assistance. This is the best warranty coverage you can get and marks another reason Kia vehicles are worth a serious look for anyone seeking an entry-level vehicle.

The window sticker on our test vehicle was $23,290, which included $590 in destination charges. The sole option was the $1,300 luxury package. This consists of body-keyed bumpers, leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, automatic headlamps, auto-dimming inside mirror with Homelink and AM/FM/cassette/CD sound system.

Great value. Great warranty. Go for it. R&D