Kia Sportage
It was never going to be difficult for Kia to improve on its inaugural Sportage, which won hearts with the price conscious but lost points from just about everyone else. In short, the Sportage compact off-roader gave anyone who couldn't afford a Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V a more economical alternative, albeit notably flawed, with its annoying swing-arm spare tyre rack, sloppy suspension and cheap-looking cabin.
Enter the second-generation Sportage, a car with far more cohesive styling and it even has a Volvo-esque flavour to its rump. The changes are just as notable beneath the bolder skin, where the original's ladder frame chassis has been ditched in favour of a more car-like construction that brings with it independent suspension.
The Sportage is a mechanical twin-beneath-the-skin of the rival Hyundai Tucson, which means it picks up the Tucson's 2.7-litre V6 engine, good for 129kW of power. That's not bad among the small 4WD company the Sportage mixes in, although it's not class leading.
Still, the Sportage's V6 offers muscular performance if you're prepared to be aggressive with the accelerator. It gets vocal as revs rise but it accelerates smartly when required.
The four-speed automatic transmission - a manual is not available - is no Einstein, though, not always working in sync with the engine, especially on a rushed first-second change, where it seems to momentarily get caught at peak revs before slipping into the higher ratio. The auto is sometimes too eager to drop from fourth to third when it meets a gradient.
At 1.7 tonnes, the Sportage is heavier than small soft-road rivals. Given the engine has a modest 241Nm of torque (produced right up at 4000rpm) it highlights the need for the transmission to sometimes call for a lower gear. The weight hurts performance while also taking its toll on fuel consumption, which in the city can easily sneak over the claimed figure of 11.4 L/100km.
When it comes to driving dynamics, the Sportage is uninspiring. Yes, it's comfortable enough, but the suspension is prone to noisy drumming over potholes or repeated bumps. The body will also lean through corners when pushed although is unfussed when driven sedately.
However, with drive predominantly sent to the front wheels, a slippery surface can invoke some wheelspin before the traction control takes over or the rear wheels are brought into play.
Off-road, the Sportage will do more than most will expect, with decent ground clearance and bumpers that are out of nature's way. The 4WD system (which has only high-range ratios) will struggle with grip at the front-end before sending the drive rearward - with a thunk. Lock it in 4WD with a button on the dash, though, and it's a more mature machine.
Otherwise, the Sportage is mostly good news. The interior is surprisingly spacious, with generous rear leg room and seats trimmed in a dark, striped fabric.
The Sportage doesn't look cheap inside, apart from the very basic instrumentation greeting the driver.
No quibbles with the level of equipment, especially considering the super-friendly $31,990 drive-away price tag. Cruise control, air-conditioning, CD sound, foglights, power windows and alloy wheels are all part of the deal.
Ultimately the Sportage is a good, honest effort in a competitive market segment but one that relies on its attractive price tag and attractive packaging rather than its dynamic abilities.