The work that Kia has put into revitalising its range over the last few years has been quite phenomenal, after all, it wasn’t that long ago that Kia was still regarded as a budget option by many and a brand who’s shortcomings were somewhat masked by their low prices. And then, in 2010 and seemingly out of nowhere, the Mk 3 Sportage landed on the forecourts of this green and pleasant land. I think it’s safe to say that as the Sportage has become more and more popular, we are in danger of forgetting how fresh looking and revolutionary the Mark 3 was. To redress the balance, the previous incarnation of the Sportage was awarded the Used Car AM award which can be read about at http://motormartin.com/2016/02/19/news-sportage-wins-coveted-used-car-am-award/, and well deserved it was too.
And yet, only a few months after launch, the all-new Mark 4 Kia Sportage, clearly cross with the Mark 3, has been crowned with another significant accolade, Diesel Car Magazine Car of the Year. Alongside this prestigious award, the popular Sportage was also named Best Medium sized SUV.
The all-new fourth generation Sportage has been especially well received by the general motoring press on film and print, indeed Anthony Yates, a motoring journalist of some repute, writing on https://roadandrubber.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/first-blog-post/ concludes that: The Kia Sportage is one of the best compact SUV/crossover on the market you can buy right now and is currently Kia’s best-selling model in the UK to date. The new Sportage now in its all-new, fourth-generation guise means there have been major advances in fuel efficiency, comfort, connectivity, convenience and safety in the new model. Is it any wonder then that awards are swiftly arriving at the gates to Kia HQ?
Kia themselves have shared with MotorMartin that the awards were due to how the new Sportage bettered the competition due to its excellent specification levels, even on low grade vehicles, including Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio and satellite navigation. This coupled with its dynamic handling and distinctive design, made this family crossover a clear choice for the top spot.
The Sportage also impressed with its competitive prices, from only £17,995 or £139 a month, placing it as a very easy purchase decision for customers. The lead-in 1.7 CRDi 6-speed manual version starts at £19,745. Teamed with Kia’s industry leading 7 Year Warranty, the Sportage also brings significant peace of mind. ‘Real life’ motoring anyone?
Kia have also shared with MotorMartin that their new crossover, which was introduced to the UK market on 5 February this year, has already seen unprecedented sales success, with over 14,000 customers placing orders in just four months.
Not far behind the Sportage in Diesel Car’s Top 50 cars was Kia’s family hatchback the cee’d, which came in at number 21, beating industry staples such as the Mazda 3 and Audi A3. Also claiming a top 50 place was Kia’s range topping large SUV, the Sorento.
Editor and publisher of Diesel Car Ian Robertson commented to MotorMartin regarding Kia’s win: “The Sportage won the top spot because of its generous equipment levels, keen prices and excellent road manners, which means that the Sportage leapfrogs the competition to sit at the very top of the class.”
Paul Philpott, President and Chief Executive of Kia Motors (UK) Limited also shared with MotorMartin that: “We are delighted and honoured to get this tremendous accolade from Diesel Car. Clearly new Sportage is a big winner with customers and Diesel Car’s endorsement only reinforces the car’s success.”
For more information, images and videos on the all-new Sportage please visit, http://www.all-newsportageuklaunch.co.uk/ it could be well worth it!
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