Kia’s double victory at Planet 4x4 Awards

For the second year running the Kia Sportage has been named Britain’s best value SUV in Planet 4x4’s annual awards. Not to be outdone, the Kia Sorento also picked up an award for best ‘Medium Off-Roader’.

Kia’s Sorento takes the title of best Medium Off-Roader, having beaten off competition from the Jeep Wrangler, Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Land Cruiser. With its value for money being of particular appeal, the Sorento – launched back in 2003 – was also praised for its “sprightly” on road ability as well as its sturdy off-roading skills.

The winning 2.0 CRDi XS Sportage was awarded the ‘Best Value’ award for doing everything well, for a reasonable price. With the inclusion of Kia’s award winning seven year warranty and starting price tag of £15,995, the facelifted Sportage can only further exceed the current, winning model.

Paul Philpott, Managing Director Kia Motors UK Ltd, commented: “We know that the Sportage is a quality offering in this marketplace, but to win for a second year when there are newer models out there, is really the icing on the cake.”

Planet 4x4 aims to provide readers with valuable information prior to purchasing a new vehicle. This years Planet 4x4 awards had a team of staff from the magazine assessing vehicles by putting them through their paces both on and off road, as well as subjecting them to a thorough static examination. Marks for the testing were weighted to take account of the importance placed on each by typical buyers. The criteria attracting the highest scores were value for money and practicality.