For the fourth time in five years, the Kia Sportage was selected as one of Four Wheeler magazine’s “10 Best Buys in 4WD.” Based on an extensive review of subcompact, four-door sport-utility vehicles, Four Wheeler chose the Sportage as its overall winner and considered it a better buy than Chevy Tracker, Suzuki Grand Vitara and Suzuki Vitara.

Four Wheeler praised the Sportage for its “back-to-basics, simple-is-better approach” and noted the Sportage has a distinct advantage in towing capacity and cargo capacity. Those things contributed to the Sportage winning the same award it won in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The magazine wrote that “this category has probably made the most significant strides in the last five or ten years in design and build quality of any in the world of four-wheel drive.”

Since its introduction in 1995, the Sportage has received several other honors. In 1997 and 1998, IntelliChoice named it a Best Overall Value of the Year; the Men’s Journal 1997 Buyer’s Guide named it a “Best Buy” among compact sport-utility vehicles; and Popular Science gave it a “Best of What’s New” award in 1995.

Kia Motors America is the U.S. sales, marketing and service arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Auto Excellence Awards - The Benefits of Entering

Gain the recognition you deserve! The Just Auto Excellence Awards celebrate innovation, leadership, and impact. By entering, you showcase your achievements, elevate your industry profile, and position yourself among top leaders driving automotive industry advancements. Don’t miss your chance to stand out—submit your entry today!

Nominate Now