WHAT WE'RE DRIVING

Kia's 2020 Seltos SX is an urbanely-styled compact SUV that looks like it's simultaneously trying to give Land Rover's new Defender and Subaru's Forester a run for their money. Packed with technology in a fashion similar to which Japanese automakers became renowned in the 1980s, nobody looking at it would believe how lovely this thing rides.

For a shade less than $30,000, the Seltos has a 1.6-L turbocharged and direct-injected 4-cylinder engine, a 7-speed (wet) dual-clutch automated-manual transmission, torque-vectoring all-wheel drive and even LED headlights. An expansive suite of advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) technology and top-line electronics include a vivid 10-in central touchscreen. The only trade-off is the vividly low-rent touchable plastics.