SAN FRANCISCO - Dictionary.com defines a bargain as "something offered or acquired at a price advantageous to the buyer." And it's a word we Americans love, as is well documented by the number of superstores dotting the landscape and our affinity for "supersizing" it. Lots more food for just a few additional pennies? You bet! And no worries about that expanding waistline - the gym down the street offers a membership for only $19.00 per month, and a whole new wardrobe can be bought at Wal-Mart for less than it costs to fill up your gas tank.

But what makes us really smile are the big-ticket bargains, and one of the best examples is the 2005 Kia Sportage. When Kia first stepped onto the North American stage more than ten years ago, it was a company that offered only two, poorly built vehicles, one of which was the Sportage SUV. However, over the years Kia added more models to its lineup, joined forces with fellow Korean automaker Hyundai, and implemented an outstanding 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty program for all of its cars and SUVs. Kia has come a long way, and nowhere is the company's improvement better exemplified than in the 2005 Sportage.