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Choosing an SUV depends a lot on what you want it to do. Right now, the market offers several compact sport-utilities with tough-truck looks, but hiding beneath their tough exteriors are the hearts and souls of passenger cars. Built on passenger-car platforms, with car-like unit-body construction, they usually feature a full-time four-wheel-drive system that's a real plus on snow-covered roads. But many of them lack real off-road capability. When the tough get going, they're better off staying in the parking lot.Kia Sportage isn't one of these. If the Sportage looks like a tough little truck, that's because that's exactly what it is. Kia's Sportage is built like a truck, on a separate ladder frame; and it uses a truck-like four-wheel-drive transfer case that locks the front and rear axles together for serious off-road slogging. Yet its passenger compartment is roomy, and it comes with a reasonable list of car-like appointments. All for a very affordable price. So if your destinations reach farther than just getting to the office after a blizzard, Sportage may be the small SUV for you. For 2001, Kia has added even more value to Sportage with its new Long Haul Warranty. The basic warranty now extends to five years or 60,000 miles, while the powertrain is warranted for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Rust-through is covered for five years or 100,000 miles; and all new Kias now come with five years of free roadside assistance, with no limit on mileage.
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