Kelley Blue Book Names 2013 Kia Sportage One Of 10 Best Back-to-School Cars

Powerful and Versatile Compact Crossover Ranked Sixth Among Competitors

- Kia's Compact CUV is recognized for providing luxury and reliability at a "student-friendly price"

Powerful and Versatile Compact Crossover Ranked Sixth Among Competitors

- Kia's Compact CUV is recognized for providing luxury and reliability at a "student-friendly price"

IRVINE, CA--Aug. 8, 2013: The award-winning Kia Sportage recently was named by Kelley Blue Book as one of the 10 Best Back-to-School Cars of 2013. The sporty compact crossover ranked sixth among its competitors, standing apart from the crowd with aggressive styling and a hard-to-find combination of fun-to-drive performance and impressive fuel economy.

"Kelley Blue Book's recognition of Sportage as one of the 10 Best Back-to-School cars validates Kia's competitive presence within the ever-growing compact CUV segment," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of marketing & communications, KMA. "And given KMA's commitment to education – through partnerships with organizations such as the B.R.A.K.E.S. Teen Pro-Active Driving School and DonorsChoose.org, an online charity that makes it easy for 'citizen philanthropists' to support public school students and teachers – having Sportage named as a back-to-school favorite is an even greater honor."

The Best Back-to-School distinction is based on Kelley Blue Book editors' evaluations of vehicle attributes, including fuel economy, safety, style, versatility and value. Providing the key elements both students and their parents want in a vehicle, the 2013 Sportage comes equipped with Kia's UVO powered by Microsoft®1 voice-activated infotainment system, offered standard for the EX and SX trims, enabling drivers and passengers to speak via hands-free phone, access music from a variety of media sources and create custom music experiences all with voice-activation.

"Your hard-earned $20,000 buys a lot of car these days. Case in point, the stylish Kia Sportage offers up real SUV versatility, a bounty of standard features and a lengthy warranty at a very student-friendly price," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. "That it's recognized as a 2013 IIHS Top Safety Pick doesn't hurt, either."

The annual list published by Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com seeks to help college students and their parents make the most informed purchasing decisions when choosing the best car to meet their wants and needs. The Kia Soul topped the Best Back-to-School list in 2012, making the 2013 Sportage the second Kia vehicle to make an appearance on the Kelley Blue Book list two years running.

About the 2013 Sportage Starting with the base trim, Sportage offers numerous standard features, including 16-inch alloy wheels matched with 215/70R16 low-rolling-resistance silica tires, body-color door handles, body-color and electronically adjustable side mirrors and a six-speed manual transmission. Moving to the LX adds standard 17-inch alloy wheels, LED turn signals on the outside mirrors, keyless entry with folding key, six-speed electronically controlled Sportmatic® automatic transmission, solar glass, privacy glass, and LED accent lighting along the headlamps for a sportier, more upscale appearance. The popularly-equipped EX trim offers stylish 18-inch alloy wheels mated with 235/55R18 tires, high-performance dampers, LED daytime running lights, roof rails, a rear spoiler, fog lamps and chrome body trim and door handles. The top-of-the-line Sportage SX adds a powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI engine producing 260-horsepower, unique 18-inch alloy wheels, dual exhaust, sculpted side sill moldings and unique SX grille.