Score one for the less heralded SUV of Kia Motors of America, the Kia Sportage as it bagged the AutoPacific Inc.’s 2009 Ideal Vehicle Award. These awards are handed out depending on how a vehicle matches the car owner’s expectations and apparent the Kia Sportage was able to achieve such a feat.

“We take great pride in knowing our owners are satisfied with their vehicles and Sportage’s recognition as an ideal vehicle is a tremendous compliment,” said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, Kia Motors America (KMA). “This second AutoPacific award directly reflects the satisfaction of smart, discerning Sportage owners, and this type of consumer feedback validates Kia’s commitment to providing high levels of quality, style, safety and practicality in all of our vehicles.”

Among the features that feted the Kia Sportage this award included the following:

• Passenger and Cargo Space
• Off-Road Capabilities
• Fuel Economy
• Six Airbags with full-length side curtain airbags
• SIRIUS Satellite Radio with three months complimentary service and USB and auxiliary input jacks
• 2.0-liter engine delivers impressive fuel economy at 20 mpg (city) and 25 mpg (highway)

(Source) Press

Tags: autopacific, auxiliary input, cargo space, complimentary service, consumer feedback, curtain airbags, fuel economy, input jacks, KIA, kia motors america, kia sportage, liter engine, michael sprague, mpg city, practicality, quality style, road capabilities, satellite radio, score one

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Kia Motors adds another award to its repertoire of vehicles as the 2010 Kia Soul has been named as the “Grooviest Interior” on the Ward’s AutoWorld “Interior of the Year” list. Recently launched in Miami and on sale now in dealerships nationwide, Soul was one of only 11 vehicles honored for offering great looks and great value along with extensive safety features, comfort and convenience features.

“We are extremely pleased with Ward’s recognition of the Soul as a youthful, aesthetically pleasing vehicle that offers consumers tremendous value,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing of KMA. “As we continue to focus heavily on design, both with the Soul and our upcoming 2010 Kia Forte, we are confident that consumers will recognize our continued commitment to providing stylish vehicles with an emphasis on value, safety and quality.”

Available in four trims (Soul, Soul+, Soul! and Soul sport) and with a base price of $13,300, Soul offers consumers a highly personalizable vehicle with an equally “groovy” yet user-friendly and practical interior space. With design elements influenced by the car’s audio system, Soul offers an uncluttered dashboard with a three-dial instrument cluster, LCD illumination and floating center stack design that provides access to the AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities and three months complimentary service.

Standard USB and auxiliary input jacks also are in the center console with full iPod and MP3 controllability via the audio head unit and steering wheel controls achieved with an optional accessory iPod cable.

Passengers also will be treated to unique patterns and style regardless of trim. The Soul+ trim offers funky black cloth seats with “glowing” Soul logo inserts while the Soul! trim comes with a distinctive sand-black interior with houndstooth-patterned inserts. The Soul sport presents a bold red-black interior trim with red-trimmed cloth seats and metal-finish interior accents. Further enhancing the personal lounge feel, an Audio Upgrade Package (optional for Soul+, standard for Soul! and Soul sport) offers speaker lights that pulse to the beat of the music or simply add mood lighting to the interior cabin.

(Source) Press

Tags: autoworld, auxiliary input, input jacks, instrument cluster, interior space, kia motors, steering wheel, stylish vehicles

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