17/06/2008 01:15. The smaller Sportage and the larger Sorento - the latter our focus today - are built the traditional truck way, with ladder frames, separate bodies and rear-wheel drive, rather than with a unitized-body frame and front-drive. Four-wheel or all-wheel drive usually cost extra on both traditional and crossover SUVs, and that includes the Sorento.

Refreshed for the 2007 model year, the five-passenger Sorento starts at $21,695 with freight and standard rear drive, $24,895 with four-wheel drive.

Both rear-wheel and four-wheel-drive Sorentos are available in higher "EX" equipment level that have the same 3.8-liter, 262-hp. V-6 engine as last year. The cheaper "LX" level gets a new 242-hp. 3.3-liter... // Concord Monitor