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2017 Kia Sportage Wins Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com Best Buy Award For Small SUV/Crossover


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IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 15, 2016 -- Kia Motors America's (KMA) longest running nameplate in its fourth-generation, the Sportage, wins the Best Buy of the Year Award among small SUVs/crossovers on behalf of Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com.  The all-new 2017 Sportage earned a spot on Kelley Blue Book's list of 12 winners after an extensive yearlong data collection process, vehicle testing and evaluation of hundreds of 2017 model-year vehicles.  

"The all-new 2017 Sportage has improved in all the right areas, from its expressive styling and functional interior to its refined performance," said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning KMA. "To be recognized by the experts at Kelley Blue Book as a Best Buy among some of the toughest competition demonstrates the all-new Sportage is a breed apart from the CUV segment."

With its distinct European styling, innovative packaging, turbocharged engine and feature-rich interior, sales of IIHS Top Safety Pick + have been on a sharply upward trajectory, with year-over-year sales up 59.3 percent.

"The new-for-2017 Kia Sportage offers versatility, ease-of-use and laudable utility in a fun-to-drive package," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book.  "Its value-price and the length and comprehensiveness of its warranty were also keys to its 2017 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award win in the red-hot Small SUV/Crossover category."

The Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards provide a significant service to consumers by identifying the top 2017 model-year vehicles.  More than 300 new-car models were tested and evaluated in order to determine the finalists and, ultimately, the winners.

About the 2017 Sportage

The all-new 2017 Sportage wraps a contemporary design around a structure that is both stiffer and more spacious than ever before. Advanced driver assistance technologies, significant suspension and steering improvements, and available intelligent AWD improve the Sportage's driving dynamics while premium materials create a class-up experience in an otherwise utilitarian segment. The 2.0-liter inline-four turbo found on the FWD SX Turbo makes 240 horsepower (237 on AWD models) and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, while LX and EX trims use a normally aspirated 2.4-liter engine that produces 181 horsepower and 175 lb.-ft. of torque. Like the outgoing model, the all-new Sportage is built at Kia's production facility in Gwangju, Korea.

About Kia Motors America 

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2015, surpassing the 600,000 unit mark for the first time in company history. Kia offers a complete line of vehicles in the U.S., including the rear-drive K900[1] flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle[2], Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona minivan, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States. Kia's North American manufacturing operations include plants in West Point, Georgia*, and the municipality of Pesqueria in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts

[1] K900 available in select trims and in select markets with limited availability.

[2] Soul EV in select markets with limited availability.