Kia launches Special Edition models of the Picanto and Sportage

The 2015 Kia Picanto Chilli – costs from £11,495

The Kia Sportage Axis and the Kia Picanto Chilli are a pair of special edition Kias designed to garner footfall and sales in summer-quiet showrooms.

Hot summer days and plenty to do other than turn up at car showrooms to grab new wheels means car makers, and dealers, need tactics to get buyers to make the effort.

So Kia has resorted to the tried and tested ‘Special Edition’ route to offer more than usual in the hope buyers will respond, with the Kia Sportage Axis and Picanto Chilli gong on sale today.

The Picanto Chilli – part of the Picanto ‘Originals’ frequently-changed special editions – comes with either a manual or automatic gearbox (£11,495 and £12,095 respectively), Kia’s 1.2 litre 84bhp petrol engine, a choice of colours – red, black and white – and unique interior trim.

Chilli means ‘hot’, so Kia have done what they can to make the Picanto look sporty with twin exhaust pipes and new bumpers, body-colour side sills, 15″ alloys, fake leather seat outers, aluminium pedals, gloss black trim and Sat Nav with 7″ touchscreen – the first time the Picanto has been fitted with Sat Nav.

The Kia Sportage Axis – costs from £20,995

The Kia Sportage Axis will only be a 1200 unit run which, say Kia, has been designed and styled to deliver a high-grade Sportage at a mid-range price and starts at £20,995.

The Sportage Axis comes in Arctic White – but if you want to spend an extra £525 you can also have Phantom Black, Fusion White or Dark Gun Metal – with a choice of the 1.6 litre petrol engine with 133bhp or the 1.7 litre diesel with 144bhp, but if you do opt for the diesel the Axuis willa ctually costs from £22,396.

Titivations for the Axis include roof rails, gloss black mesh grill, LED running lights and tail lights, auto lights, electric folding mirrors, black leather, light grey door inserts, heated seats, privacy glass, Infinity high-end sound, 7″ Touchscreen Sat Nav and reversing camera.

Both the Kia Sportage Axis and the Picanto Chilli are on sale from today (1 July 2015) at Kia’s UK dealers.