| 1997 MILESTONES |
- Kia sells its 100,000th vehicle in the United States
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- Sephia completes a 200,000-mile test against Toyota Corolla. Engine teardown results show the Sephia with 81 percent of engine measurements within factory tolerance, while the Corolla has only 66 percent
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- Sportage is named a “Best Overall Value of the Year” by IntelliChoice
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- Four Wheeler magazine names Sportage one of the “Ten Best Buys in 4WD”
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- In its first attempt, Sportage wins Class 3 championship of SCORE Desert Championship Series, winning five of seven races and finishing every mile of every race
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- Annual sales: 55,325 vehicles
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