THERE’S a treat in store for fans of the very latest Kia Sportage mid-range SUV, for the British arm of the company has managed to secure another 300 examples of the all new model in advance of its originally scheduled UK launch.
Kia originally announced that the stylish newcomer would not be available in right hand drive until November, but last month revealed that it had been able to secure 850 rhd examples which were being made available as the Sportage First Edition .
Problem was, they only came with the company’s two litre diesel engine and some punters were insistent on a petrol alternative.
Now, Kia says that to satisfy that demand additional factory production has been secured for 300 petrol engined versions of Kia’s the new crossover.
The Sportage First Edition 2.0 AWD is powered by Kia’s Theta-II two litre petrol engine and comes with a five-speed manual transmission delivering 161bhp @ 5,200rpm and 194Nm torque at 4,600rpm. The vehicle has a top speed of 113mph, accelerates from rest to 60mph in 10.3 seconds and achieves a combined cycle fuel consumption of 35.8 mpg. CO2 emissions are 188g/km.
Priced at £19,495, it comes with the exactly the same specification as its diesel counterpart, including leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, 18” alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, Bluetooth, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers and a colour rear parking camera system integrated into the rear view mirror.
Deliveries will begin in October and the full new Sportage line-up, including two wheel drive and lower capacity engine versions, will be available later in the year.