Kia Sportage Claims Diesel Car Award for Best Crossover

The 2011 Kia Sportage has been named “Best Crossover” in the annual Car of the Year issue of Diesel car. This is the fifth such title won by Kia’s compact SUV in the UK in less than a year. Having just been launched last July, the Kia model has already wracked up a number of awards, including the prestigious red dot Design award in Germany and numerous magazine and industry awards from Korea to the United States.

Diesel Car Editor Ian Robertson said the awards showed that ”there has been a lot of new talent arriving on the motoring scene in the past 12 months despite the difficult market conditions!”

“Winning Diesel Car titles is becoming something of a habit for Kia and it is one we hope to continue. Sportage has attracted a huge number of new people to the Kia brand – judging by some of the models that have been traded against it at dealerships up and down the country. I hope that after the launch of our all new Rio later this year with an outstandingly economical and clean three-cylinder 1.1 diesel engine and the knock-out Optima due before the end of 2011 that we shall be picking up more recognition from Ian next year!” said Kia Motors (UK) Ltd., Managing Director, Michael Cole.

Among the other accolades received by the Sportage, CarBuyer made Sportage its inaugural Car of the Year at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Fleet News named it the Best Crossover of 2011, Total Off Road Magazine made Sportage its Best Junior SUV and the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers awarded it the Best SUV and Car of the Year titles in November of last year.

The Sportage is available in Britain with four engine options and in both two and four wheel drive, with prices starting at £17,020 on the road.