 I researched just about everything in this class, but kept coming back to the Sportage. In terms of value, it clearly beats everything. Nice design, inside and out. Power is decent, excellent safety features. Seriously consider the 6 cylinder over the 4; there's a huge difference. I do think that the steering and brakes could use some improvement, however. I had two problems right off the lot, the turn signal shaft and a belt needed to be replaced. Still, you get more than you pay for, and the Sportage is at least $4-5k less than its competitors if you can find something comparably equipped. How can you a beat a V6/AWD vehicle for around $20k?