I’m no expert, but have you seen those cone-head babies?

I'M under the impression that the slightly unkind, although to be fair very descriptive term, 'conehead baby,' is used when the soft spots on a baby's head, called the fontanel, gets misshapen during childbirth.
It's quite normal and baby's head returns to it's un-coned form in a relatively short period thereafter.
My slightly childish sense of humour and my desire to poke fun, does however view the concept as very amusing!
What on earth you may ask, does this have to do with cars. Well car designers you see, are an interesting breed.
The Ford Model T was put together on the basis that the shape was the easiest and cheapest way of building a car.
In the 1950's cars were designed on the basis of what looked futuristic.
In the 1970's and 80's the designers were all sacked in an attempt to make a car that would travel for more than 100 metres before breaking down. Now though, the designers are back.
They're invariably named Fabio or Luciano, and have recently graduated from art college in Florence. They of course drink far too many caramel lattes each day and the result is that they're coming up with some very....hmmm, what's the word...interesting, shapes!
The Chrysler Crossfire is a case in point, some motoring journalists have suggested that from the front the car is a mean sportscar straight from the Mercedes stable, but view it side-on, and it looks like a dog doing it's business.
BMW got it all wrong in the early millennia years with their new angular shape. They were going for Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, and ended up with Buck Rodgers!
It should of course be pointed out that an 'interesting shape' does not always mean a terrible car. Now after all this cruelty and finger pointing, it's time to look at our test car in this month's review series, a 2011 Kia Sportage.
Kia New Zealand called last month, full of enthusiasm about the release of their new Sportage. We were asked whether we'd like to review the car and of course, a free car, a new car; yes we said, we'll have that.
So last Thursday a shiny new gunmetal gray Sportage was delivered to us.
Now the last Sportage was a bit of a ladies car, more a Rav4, than Hilux if you like. But at first sight it's obvious that Kia are following the rest of the car making world in having each model of car it makes look similar. Continuity of branding it's called.
It works too, the Sportage looks like a baby brother for the Sorento R and has a good chunky stance.
With big slab doors and smaller windows it seems to have a design edge hinting at the hotrod. It does have a squat back end and hence the inspiration
for the beginning of this article and yes side-on, it does look like the 'conehead baby', but it works.
Internally, it's a place to be. Great soft leather seats, reversing camera, smooth auto box and great stereo, it's got all the toys you want including my personal Mecca of car interiors at the moment, the push button start.
But most modern cars feel very similar on the inside and it's on the road were the differences in quality can be felt.
Hurling an older Sportage through some tight corners would have likely seen you ending up in the passenger seat, or worse still, the ditch at the side of the road. But this Kia is clearly a Sportage in name only.
It's got tons of grip and has very tight, but smooth suspension. You can throw it into a corner as only an utter hooligan would and it'll only sail round the bend saying 'is that all you've got, come on?'
It's quick too, with a 2.4litre petrol engine it'll nip up and down the gears in auto without you feeling so much as a jerk from the box. Alternatively, if you fancy having a bit of control yourself, then you can engage the tiptronic option. Rather than still changing gear when it decides it appropriate to do so, the car will hold the gear until you do, giving a nice sporty feel to the car.
You see, turns out it's not really fair my bashing of the car designers. They're breaking barriers and moving with the times, a good thing and an attribute I'm fond of.
Even though if this little Kia Sportage does have the look of the conehead baby, it certainly doesn't stop it being an excellent car, with a great feel, sound heritage and I tell you what, it won't break down.