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Kia Motors Co. Sportage drives away with Compact SUV of the Year Award

Dubai, UAE - 19 December, 2010: Kia Motor 's Sportage has triumphed as Compact SUV of the Year at the CAR Middle East Awards 2010. The Sportage was also runner-up in the SUV of the Year category while Kia 's Optima was crowned runner-up in the Family Car of the Year division.

The prestigious awards ceremony, held at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, on 15 December 2010, handed out 21 awards and saw several influential leaders from the region's motor industry in attendance.

Speaking about the win, Mohammed Khader, the General Manager at Al Majid Motors - Kia said said: "We are so excited about winning this award. The new Sportage is renowned for its stylish and modern design, state-of-the-art technology and excellent performance. This is one of the reasons why the car drove away with a prestigious car award in Chile on 13 December as well as the Car of the Year Award in Slovakia on 14 December. Kia Motors Co. also won a Manufacturer of the Year Award shared with our sister company Hyundai. We are proud of Sportage and the fact that it continues to win the hearts of customers across the Middle East."Mr. Khader continued: "The Middle East is an important market for Kia and we continue to see vast growth and success across the region. We would like to thank CAR Middle East for this opportunity and we look forward to taking part in the awards again next year."The 2011 KIA Sportage features a brand new body shell and engine, distinctive styling and a range of luxury elements. Longer, lower and wider than the previous generation model, the 2011 Sportage is instantly recognisable by its 'tiger' face which incorporates Peter Schreyer's modern signature grille design that now links all new Kia models.

Kia 's new-and-improved 2.4-litre or 2.0-litre Theta II engine is fitted with the latest electronics and low-friction components and features a build that's substantially lighter than the previous models. Boasting increased power, boosted durability, enhanced refinement and lower fuel consumption and emissions, the four-cylinder, 2,359 cc power unit features weight-saving all-aluminium construction with a cast aluminium block, cylinder head and sump. Maximum rpm can be raised by 200 to 6,000 with maximum power output being 177 ps (166 for the 2.0-litre version), with 227 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm.

Kia Motor 's is serious about investing in R&D programmes directed at enhancing active and passive vehicle safety to deliver the highest levels of occupant protection. The sturdy new 2011 Sportage is no exception and comes fitted with six airbags strategically placed on both front and back seats.

Additional active safety technologies can be fitted to the new Sportage. These include: ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and two new systems; HAC (Hill Start Assist Control) and DBC (Downhill Brake Control). HAC prevents slip-back during stop-start driving-up inclines, while DBC ensures safer travel down steep slopes by maintaining a steady 8 kph (5 mph) speed.

The second-generation Sportage was introduced in 2004 and indicated a massive step forward for Kia . Over the next six years, the second-generation model attracted thousands of customers, achieving global sales of more than 860,000 units, including more than 172,000 units in 2009.

-Ends-

Kia Motors
Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai- Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands. Nearly 1.5 million vehicles a year are produced in 13 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 172 countries. Kia today has over 40,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$14.5 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World Cup -- as well as a EUROTOP partner of UEFA. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.

About Al Majid Motors
Al Majid Motors Co. (www.kia-uae.com) is the sole distributor for Kia vehicles in the UAE. AMMC is a member of Juma Al Majid Group, one of the most reputed business groups in the Arabian Gulf. AMMC currently sells Kia vehicles in UAE through a network of 8 showrooms, 2 dealers and 3 more new showrooms expected to be added soon. AMMC currently have 5.8% market share in the UAE. To attend the ever growing KIA customers in UAE, AMMC has a total fleet of 12 service centres and 15 parts centres. Al Majid Motors Co is celebrating its 18th year of operation in UAE.

For further information please contact:
Khalil Majdalawi
Cicero & Bernay Public Relations
Tel: +971 4 334 2966
Fax: +971 4 334 2977
Mobile : +971 50 7322410
Email: khalil@cbpr.ae
Web: www.cbpr.ae

© Press Release 2010