By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Ten years ago we would have been singing the praises of the new Kia Borrego, a body-on-frame mid-sized sport utility vehicle. Not that we aren’t going to do a little singing today, but there’s no chance our song will make the Top 40 or that the following review will be relevant for many current SUV/crossover shoppers what with the sagging economy and the tumultuous gasoline price situation.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Overcoming the sales leadership of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla is about as close to impossible as anything in the automotive world.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Who knew a few years ago that little boxes on wheels would by the end of the decade be all the rage, at least in one corner of the automotive market — that automakers would start thinking “inside the box” in North America.

Granted, we’ve had the funky little square Scion xB on our shores since 2004, and the Europeans and Japanese have been driving squares with windows for years. But here in the good old US of A we’ve stuck to more shapely little creatures when it comes to sub-compact hatches and sedans.