Kia to launch a new special and limited edition Sportage - The Axis.

• Special-edition model to be built in a run of only 1,200
• High-value package for a mid-range price
• SUV styling flourishes with a luxury leather interior 
• Choice of two engines and four paint finishes  
• On sale from 1 July, priced from £20,995 OTR

Exclusivity is guaranteed with the new Kia Sportage Axis Edition, a limited-run model of which only 1,200 will be made. The Sportage ‘Axis Edition’ has been styled and equipped to provide retail and fleet customers with many of the features of a high-grade Sportage for a mid-range price, starting from just £20,995 on the road – on sale from 1 July.

It will be available with a choice of two efficient powertrains and four paint colours. The engines on offer are the 1.6-litre GDi direct-injection petrol unit developing 133bhp and 165Nm of torque, or the advanced 1.7-litre common-rail turbodiesel which develops 114bhp and 260Nm. Both are front-wheel-drive models featuring a six-speed manual transmission linked to Kia’s Intelligent Stop & Go (ISG) engine stop-start system to save fuel and eliminate emissions when idling in traffic.  

The standard colour is solid Arctic White, but buyers are able to opt for one of three metallic finishes – Phantom Black, Fusion White or Dark Gun Metal – for a price of £525. 

SUV finishing touches

The Sportage ‘Axis Edition’ models sit between trim grades ‘2’ and ‘3’ in the range, but include many of the features found even higher in the line-up plus a number of SUV finishing touches, including roof rails as standard. The black gloss arrow mesh radiator grille with chrome surround, LED daytime running lamps and rear LED combination lamps and the roof-mounted ‘shark’s fin’ antenna deliver a premium look. Automatic headlight control is included in the lighting package, and the ‘Axis Edition’ models are fitted with electric folding door mirrors with LED indicators.

The sumptuous interior is upholstered in unique black leather with contrasting grey Dinamica^® microfiber inserts. 

This is complemented by the light grey door inserts unique to the ‘Axis Edition’ models. The front and outer rear seats incorporate heater elements. The premium look of the interior is enhanced by black headlining, black B and C pillar coverings and black sun visors, grab handles and map light switches. Privacy glass and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror are other luxury flourishes fitted as standard. ‘Axis Edition’ logos are applied to the outer C pillars. 

Lavish specification

The lavish specification includes a seven-speaker Infinity®high-end sound system incorporating a subwoofer and external amp. This includes an AM/FM radio, CD player, USB and AUX sockets and iPod connectivity. Bluetooth music streaming and hands-free phone operation are also supported, with voice control in any of ten languages. 

The Axis Edition models also come with a seven-inch touchscreen satellite navigation system including full UK postcode recognition and European mapping for 44 countries. The system includes TMC traffic messaging with a detour function, motorway junction views, lane guidance and a speed limit alert. It allows the driver to input quick, short and economy routes. A reversing camera with views displayed in the touchscreen is an additional useful feature built into the system.        

The ‘Axis Edition’ models are fitted with the same 17-inch light alloy wheels and 225/60 R17 tyres found on Sportage ‘2’ and ‘KX-2’ grades.

Europe-focused powertrains

The 1.6-litre GDi (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine is from the Gamma family. GDi makes it possible to increase power and torque levels while reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. Typically, a GDi engine will deliver seven per cent more torque at low engine revolutions and 12 per cent more torque at high rpm than a conventional engine of similar capacity – and with a fuel economy improvement of around ten per cent.

It develops 133bhp at 6,300rpm and 165Nm of torque (122lb/ft) at 4,850rpm.  It is an aluminium 1,591cc 16-valve twin-cam unit with variable valve timing on both the inlet and exhaust valves, and featuring a high 11.0:1 compression ratio. 

A fine mist of petrol is injected directly into each of the four cylinders at up to 135 bar in minutely precise quantities and with millisecond timing to ensure the Sportage uses only as much fuel as it needs, exactly when it needs it.  The result is highly efficient combustion that ensures excellent performance with low fuel consumption and emissions – the 1.6-litre GDi Sportage with ISG has a combined fuel economy of 44.1mpg and CO₂ emissions of only 149g/km.  It accelerates from 0-60mph in 10.7 seconds and has a maximum speed of 111mph

The 1.7-litre turbodiesel is part of the U2 family engineered and designed at Kia's research and development facility in Germany.  Developing 114bhp at 4,000rpm and 260Nm (192lb/ft) of torque at 1,250 - 2,750rpm, it has been crafted for optimum driveability in European conditions. More than 90 per cent of maximum torque is available from just 2,000rpm. Performance is similar to that of the 1.6-litre petrol version, with a maximum speed of 107mph and 0-60mph acceleration in 11.9 seconds, while combined fuel economy is 54.4mpg and CO₂ emissions are a remarkably low 135g/km.

As with every Kia, the Sportage Axis Edition models come with a unique-in-the-UK seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, subject to certain wear and tear conditions. It is fully transferable should the car be sold before the time or mileage limits have been reached.

Sportage Axis Edition – pricing

Model	OTR price
1.6 GDi ISG	£20,995
1.7 CRDi ISG	£22,395

Sportage Axis Edition – performance, economy and emissions

Model	Power bhp	Torque Nm	0–60 sec	Max speed mph	Average mpg	CO2 g/km
1.6 GDi  ISG	133	165	10.7	111	44.1	149
1.7 CRDi ISG	114	260	11.9	107	54.4	135

GENEVA - Toyota launches three distinctive new cars at Geneva.

Toyota takes the wraps off new versions of its British-built Auris and Avensis at the Geneva motor show on Tuesday 3 March and reveals the new 1.2T turbo petrol engine that will make its debut in Auris this year.

It also presents the production-ready Mirai fuel cell saloon that will be introduced in the UK and other selected European markets later in 2015.

New Auris

The Auris range of hatchbacks and Touring Sports wagons has been extensively revised for 2015 to increase its appeal to a wider range of customers. The engine line-up in particular has been redrawn with the introduction of the new 1.2T turbo petrol unit and a new 1.6-litre D-4D diesel. The established 1.4 D-4D diesel has been substantially upgraded to give improved emissions and fuel economy.

Auris remains unique in its class in being available with full hybrid, petrol and diesel powertrains. Where hybrid is concerned, the smooth, refined, reliable and highly efficient Toyota system has sealed its status as a mainstream rather than niche choice, powering more than 50 per cent of all new Auris sold in western Europe in 2014.

All Auris powertrains now meet Euro 6 emissions standards.

Auris further gains refreshed exterior and interior styling. In the cabin the focus is on higher levels of ensory quality, using premium quality trims and finishes. Additional measures to reduce NVH levels have been taken and detail adjustments to steering and suspension have improved handling, comfort and driver involvement.

New Avensis

The new Avensis – saloon and Touring Sports – has been conceived as a model that can meet the demands of private buyers for more prestige and luxury and fleet/business users’ priorities for extra sportiness and style.

Toyota’s programme of improvements thus focuses on five main areas: styling, sensory quality, safety, equipment/value for money and driving pleasure/running costs.

Avensis benefits from new exterior styling, including the adoption of new LED lamp technology, while the cabin is all-new, with higher levels of quality and comfort and new colour-ways. Where safety is concerned, Avensis adopts the new Toyota Safety Sense package across the range.

A new equipment grade structure promises class-leading equipment levels and wider use of advanced technologies, including a new eight-inch multimedia screen.

Like Auris, the engine line-up becomes fully Euro 6 compliant, with two new D-4D diesel units and significant improvements to the efficiency of the established Valvematic petrol engines.

1.2 turbo petrol engine

Toyota’s all-new, direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine makes its debut in new Auris, part of a programme of 14 new engine introductions Toyota is making globally between April 2014 and the end of this year.

The four-cylinder unit, like the 1.0-litre engine that powers new Aygo, is able to switch between different operating cycles to achieve optimum efficiency or performance, according to driving conditions.

Compact and lightweight, it produces 114bhp and 185Nm of torque, giving 0 – 62mph acceleration in 10.1 seconds. Provisional (pre-homologation) data indicate combined cycle fuel economy of 60.1mpg with 109g/km CO₂ emissions.

Mirai fuel cell saloon

Mirai, Toyota’s ground-breaking hydrogen fuel cell saloon, is being shown in Europe for the first time in full production guise. Its arrival follows its market launch in Japan late last year and precedes its staged introduction in the UK and other selected European markets from around September this year.