18 May 07
8: Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage (2004-)
Virtually identical under their different skins, the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage are a pair of cut-price, road-biased Korean-built SUVs. Neither is a revolutionary addition to the genre, nor are they especially refined or sophisticated, but they're unpretentious, useful, family-sized vehicles that are easy to drive and own.
Go for the 2.0-litre petrol engine, as the 2.7 V6 is a gas-guzzler and the diesel's not as economical as it should be. Most versions come with all the necessary kit, including air conditioning, as well as a part-time four-wheel drive system adequate for towing and light off-roading. Good value new and even better value secondhand, the Tucson and Sportage are cheap, but certainly not nasty.
Road Test: Hyundai Tucson (2004-)
Road Test: Kia Sportage (2004-)
