Auto News 5

When pump prices soar and the economy dives, full-sized pickup truck sales plummet. With jobs and mortgages in jeopardy, who needs an expensive gas guzzler's fat monthly payments? This calamity and the bankruptcy experienced by two out of Detroit's (formerly) Big Three would normally send truck engineers straight to early retirement. Ford, however, never got that memo. A thorough overall for the 2011 F-150 pickups kept right on truckin'. In the teeth of troubled times, the class leader kept its head high and prospects bright for the post apocalypse.

I'm somewhat taken aback that this Sportage runs right up against the $30,000 mark, but I'm still very impressed with it. The exterior styling is a vast improvement over the previous Sportage; I parked next to an older model in the parking garage and the two vehicles didn't look related in any way. The interior is also a huge upgrade, with nicely designed instruments and much better materials. Our test car had pretty much every amenity that a crossover buyer would want, including 4WD, a very nice navigation system, satellite radio, heated seats and outside mirrors, and more. This Sportage is just the latest sign that Kia is producing vehicles that can compete against the best vehicles in the segment.