I dream of a Honda Element. Some day (used, for sure). Others on here have mentioned that their cargo weight capacity is relatively low, but they are amazingly easy to clean after a day at the beach.

The only experience I have with the Kia Sportage is with the older ones, but they were prone to just undiagnosably dying. I imagine the newer ones are more reliable since Kia has become a better all-around company. I can tell you that my sister has a brand new Soul and LOOOOVVEESSSS it, particularly b/c it came with a lot more options than comparable vehicles.