Kia offers a V6 engine in the Sportage that ends up costing no more than a four-cylinder model from Honda or Toyota. That's why Kia expects the V6-powered LX model to be the most popular model in the lineup.

Because of this we concentrated on trying out the V6 models during a day of driving over various roads along the California coast north of San Francisco. But first we were lucky enough to get our hands on a four-cylinder LX model with automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.

Driving up the hilly streets in downtown San Francisco we found the four-cylinder Sportage LX was fine as long as you pushed the gas pedal all the way to the floor and didn't mind listening to a high-revved four banger. The Sportmatic automatic transmission lets the driver shift manually when desired, allowing him or her to keep the engine revving in one gear. From a performance point of view the four-cylinder engine is fine if you drive solo and spend most of your time around town.

We found the ride on the rough sections of San Francisco streets commendable. The Sportage is no sports car, but the handling is competent. Like a car, the Sportage rides on a four-wheel independent suspension.

We were pleased to discover that the ride and handling of a 4WD Sportage EX was all but identical to that of the base 2WD LX model, so there is no ride/handling penalty for adding the V6 and 4WD components. What's more impressive is that the fuel consumption from the V6, which only drops by three miles to the gallon, according to the EPA figures.

The 4WD system is sophisticated enough to direct the power to the wheels with the best grip. We didn't get the opportunity to drive in any real off-road conditions, but think it should work well in all but the toughest rock climbing environments. In normal dry driving conditions the permanent 4WD system directs up to 99 percent of the power to the front wheels only. The center differential can be locked for really slippery conditions, splitting power 50/50 front to rear. We drove down one fairly rough dirt track and found the ride was considerably smoother than in a sports car we happened to drive on the same track.

Overall, we had no complaints about the steering feel or the braking characteristics especially considering this is an inexpensive SUV with good cargo and passenger carrying capabilities. True, it's not a sports sedan nor does it feel like a truck. In reality, the Sportage is a really good in-between vehicle that should satisfy the majority of people who need an easy-to-handle vehicle that does not take up too much space on the road or in the parking lot.