[Frustrated Fan]

I am a 4 times owner of Sportage. On 28 July 2022 I ordered a Sportage 4 PHEV. A couple of days after I wanted to up-grade my order to a GT Line S PHEV but the dealership said they could not upgrade the order. This was because KIA company have stopped taking orders for the GT line S PHEV due to great demand, long lead in time (1st quarter of 2023 I was told from July 2022 for the 4). Kia had also filled its quota for the UK.

This is the first time I have heard about this, nothing on the Kia website which continues to promote the GT Line S. The KIA chat people don't know anything and just refer me back to the dealer. I await call from KIA UK but am not holding my breath. I just want to verify what I have been told by the dealership or I will with have to accept the Sportage 4 on order or cancel the order that is still in the system.

I am looking for verification my upgrade request is not being fobbed off. Has anyone out there heard of the suspension of new orders? My next step will be to ask the public on Twitter and maybe suggest people look to other suppliers for their vehicles.

Thanks for reading of my frustration but simple questions seem beyond Kia's ability to answer.

 

[iooi]

Hi & Welcome.

I've moved to KCS section to see if they will respond.

But I would ring another dealer & see what they say. Could be your dealer does not want to cancel your order.

 

[Frustrated Fan]

Hi & Welcome.

I've moved to KCS section to see if they will respond.

But I would ring another dealer & see what they say. Could be your dealer does not want to cancel your order.

I phoned another dealer and got the same response. Seems engine is made in Ukraine and not enough semiconductors. Looks like I’m stuck with the Sportage 4. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[tickedon]

From other posts elsewhere, I understood Kia UK had stopped all new Sportage PHEV orders - not a GT Line S issue. But let us know what clarification you get.

 

[Back again]

I phoned another dealer and got the same response. Seems engine is made in Ukraine and not enough semiconductors. Looks like I’m stuck with the Sportage 4. Thanks for the suggestion.

Surely the "4" and GT Line S use the same engine.

 

[tickedon]

See twitter reply confirming it's PHEVs:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1555096199614562304

 

[attu61]

I know a while back they said they had met their quota for 2022 and I'd imagine they have trade restrictions to the number of cars that can be imported every year.
I did see somewhere that the PHEV cars had been put on hold for a while.
I think your doesn't want you to lose your order slot by changing over to a different spec.

 

[Aerofly]

@admin Could the title of this thread be changed please to include ‘PHEV’ to avoid confusion?

 

[tickedon]

I know a while back they said they had met their quota for 2022 and I'd imagine they have trade restrictions to the number of cars that can be imported every year.
I did see somewhere that the PHEV cars had been put on hold for a while.
I think your doesn't want you to lose your order slot by changing over to a different spec.

The UK doesn't impose any trade restrictions (beyond any custom duties that may be due) on car imports.

The way the car industry typically works is each country distributor agrees with the factory an allocation for that year, which targets for dealers are then based on. If they get the figures wrong, traditionally it would mean an under or over supply. The situation now is different as there simply aren't enough cars to go around.

 

[Frustrated Fan]

Surely the "4" and GT Line S use the same engine.

Yes, but more bells and whistles. I do not want the 2023 GT Line S which will be 7 inches longer and wider wheel base.

 

[dave1978]

From other posts elsewhere, I understood Kia UK had stopped all new Sportage PHEV orders - not a GT Line S issue. But let us know what clarification you get.

Seems as though about 60% of the worlds "chips" are made in Taiwan. If (when?) China makes a move on Taiwan, what's the betting the chip factory will be their first target?

 

[iooi]

The UK doesn't impose any trade restrictions (beyond any custom duties that may be due) on car imports.

The way the car industry typically works is each country distributor agrees with the factory an allocation for that year, which targets for dealers are then based on. If they get the figures wrong, traditionally it would mean an under or over supply. The situation now is different as there simply aren't enough cars to go around.

Manufactures have to meet emission targets across the range. Excede this & the fines are very heavy.

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news/2020/10/26/carmakers-co2-emissions-cut-gives-new-hope-in-avoiding-fines

Which is why so many MHEV are in the ranges, despite having very little actual benefit cost saving wise to owners.

 

[tickedon]

Manufactures have to meet emission targets across the range. Excede this & the fines are very heavy.

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news/2020/10/26/carmakers-co2-emissions-cut-gives-new-hope-in-avoiding-fines

Which is why so many MHEV are in the ranges, despite having very little actual benefit cost saving wise to owners.

Applies to manufacturers of a certain size when selling and registering vehicles here, regardless of whether the cars are imported or build here. It's not a trade restriction on what can be imported into the country.

 

[Uvox2]

Hi all,

Just a polite reminder to stay on topic please.

Thanks

 

[Uvox2]

I am looking for verification my upgrade request is not being fobbed off. Has anyone out there heard of the suspension of new orders? My next step will be to ask the public on Twitter and maybe suggest people look to other suppliers for their vehicles.

Thanks for reading of my frustration but simple questions seem beyond Kia's ability to answer.

See twitter reply confirming it's PHEVs:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1555096199614562304

It seems the OP now has the definitive answer straight from the horse's mouth as requested.

Paul

 

[dhb]

Yes, but more bells and whistles. I do not want the 2023 GT Line S which will be 7 inches longer and wider wheel base.

Where have you seen that the 2023 model is larger?

 

[Back again]

Where have you seen that the 2023 model is larger?

Think he is confusing it with the US models. The Sportage is a new model and Kia won't be updating it soon especially when they cannot make the existing ones.

 

[dhb]

Think he is confusing it with the US models. The Sportage is a new model and Kia won't be updating it soon especially when they cannot make the existing ones.

That's exactly what I was thinking myself.

 

[Newbie to Kia]

It’s all PHEVs that are suspended it seems from the Kia tweet, not just the GTLine S as per this thread title ?

 

[tickedon]

It’s all PHEVs that are suspended it seems from the Kia tweet, not just the GTLine S as per this thread title ?

Yes.