1999 Kia Sportage...Continued

The Kia Sportage comes in two body styles atop the Baja-tough ladder frame. The small, attractive 4-door has been on sale here since January of 1995, though at the time there were fewer than 100 dealers in the U.S. so you may not have noticed. Today there are 500 places to buy one, and with the winsome new two-door convertible available, the Sportage is likely to be getting a lot more attention. In fact, Kia's overall sales of 83,000 vehicles for '98 was a 50 percent increase over 1997 and the automaker now claims 9 percent of the small-sized SUV market, second in sales to Hondaās CRV.

From the B-pillar forward, the 4- and 2-door mini-utes are virtually identical, with a low, sloping hood, prominent bumper and rugged body-color grille. Behind the driver are the differences. The 4-door resembles a larger SUV whose rear was slightly chopped. The effect is similar to that of Toyota's RAV4, but without the chunkiness.

It's the 2-door convertible which turns heads and wins hearts. Not really a convertible in the familiar sense -- there is steel above the driver's head at all times -- only rear-seat passengers get to bask in the sun. But the effect of a convertible (including the minor hassle of raising and lowering the top) is present, and the partial enclosure is comforting on days which don't encourage going topless.

Both models are powered by a Mazda-derived dual overhead cam inline four-cylinder. At only 2.0-liter displacement, it makes an impressive 130 horsepower, but it needs to be worked -- the 127-foot-pound torque peak comes at a buzzy 4,000 rpm. Since the four-door 4x4 tips the scale at nearly 3,400 lbs, the engine is adequate but not thrilling. We liked it best with the Getrag-built 5-speed manual transmission which makes it fun, if not furiously fast. A larger V6 engine would fit nicely into the engine bay and our driving style, but until then we'll be content revving the four-cylinder shamelessly up to the redline.

Four-wheel-drive is of the part-time, dual-range type, which is not to be used on dry pavement. The Warn hubs are vacuum-operated and unlock without reversing. Unlike the front-wheel-drive competition from Honda and Toyota, the Sportage is driven by its rear wheels when in 2WD mode. The 4-door can be had in 4WD with automatic or standard shift, but the 2-door comes in only two configurations: 4WD 5-speed or 2WD autobox. Either Kia can tow 2000 lbs.

On-road handling is a bit better than what you'd expect for a tall vehicle of this size. Body roll is standard, but it is not significant or dangerous. Owing to its genuine off-road prowess, the ride is a bit more harsh than some of its passenger-car based competitors, however. Maneuvering around town is easy and fun with Sportage's tight turning circle. Strong braking comes from vented discs up front and 10-inch drums at the rear. ABS is a $490 option.

The biggest news in the pleasant interior is the standard driver's side knee airbag. It's the first such airbag in any vehicle. More conventional airbags are standard for both driver and front passenger, though side airbags are not available. Rear-seat passengers get 3-point belts in the outboard positions and a center lap belt. They'd best be comfortable in small spaces, however; in both models, rear seating is tight.

Cloth upholstery is standard, while leather is a $900 option on the up-model EX 4-door. Power door locks, windows, mirrors, two-speed wipers, tilt wheel, anti-theft system, and tachometer are standard on the base models. To earn the EX badge on the 4-door (and its A/C AM/FM/CD stereo, cruise control, and alloy wheels) expect to pay about $2300 more than the base model, which starts at an impressive $14,795. The 2-door automatic 4x2 is $13,995, while the 4x4 5-speed is $14,495. The long list of standard equipment and the low purchase price are Sportage's most attractive features, whether you're racing in the desert or just rallying to work.

For the record: The Terribleās Town 250, sanctioned by Nevada's Bureau of Land Management, was held in an environmentally-conscious manner with all vehicles traveling existing dirt track.