Auto news and reviews from Car Buyer's Notebook.com: Kia Archives

August 12, 2008

Kia Brings 'Borrego Experience' to Boston for Fisherman's Feast

BOSTON -- Kia's Borrego Experience comes to Boston's Fisherman's Feast Aug. 14 - 17 in the next leg of its six-month national tour.

Visitors to the Kia Borrego Experience exhibit can check out the new Kia Borrego before it's in showrooms; enjoy a luxury oasis featuring a "Cool Zone" to beat the heat; and taste free samples in the Gourmet for Less cafe with cooking demonstrations prepared by nationally acclaimed chef, Rich Mead. Those who take test drives will receive a free $20 gift card.

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August 2, 2008

Kia Announces Record July Sales, Up 2.5%

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced its best July ever with record sales of 28,021 units, an increase of 5.0 percent over the same period last year, and year-to-date sales of 185,640 units, an increase of 2.5 percent over the same period last year.

Sportage had its best month of the year with 4,035 units, a 6.2 percent increase over the same period last year, while Spectra had strong sales of 5,910 units.

Continue reading "Kia Announces Record July Sales, Up 2.5%"

August 1, 2008

Kia Motors America Announces New Vice President of Marketing

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America, Inc. (KMA) today announced Michael Sprague will be joining the company as vice president, marketing, effective August 11, 2008.

In his new role with Kia, Sprague will direct and manage all aspects of the marketing department, including brand marketing, advertising, retail marketing, sponsorships, CRM, product planning and public relations.

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July 16, 2008

Borrego Kia's Latest Entry in Midsize SUV Category

CLE ELUM, Wash. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) continues to broaden its product line-up with the arrival of the all-new seven-passenger Borrego midsize SUV.

Proving you don't have to sacrifice sophistication, convenience, quality or size for impressive value, Borrego enters the North American market offering unmatched power capabilities and luxury at an unbeatable price.

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July 2, 2008

Kia Tours American Cities With New Borrego Experience

PHILADELPHIA -- Fresh from a stop in Washington, D.C., Kia's Borrego Experience is coming to Philadelphia on July 3rd and 4th for an Independence Day celebration.

As official vehicle sponsor of the Sunoco Welcome America Festival, the 2008 Kia Borrego luxury SUV will tow all floats in the July 4th parade.

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July 1, 2008

Kia Announces Best June Sales Ever, Up 7.6%

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced its best June ever with record sales of 28,292 units, an increase of 7.6 percent over the same period last year, and year-to-date sales of 157,619 units, an increase of 2.1 percent over the same period last year.

For the just completed quarter, the company reported sales of 89,405 units.

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Redesigned Subaru Forester Becomes Top-Rated Small SUV

YONKERS, N.Y. -- The redesigned Subaru Forester emerged as Consumer Reports' new top-rated small sport-utility vehicle, following testing of seven SUVs for the August issue. The Toyota RAV4 had previously been top-ranked by CR in that category.

The Forester 2.5XT Limited achieved an "Excellent" overall score in CR's battery of more than 50 tests at its Auto Test Center in East Haddam, CT.

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June 30, 2008

Study: Kia Web Site Ranks Highest in Usefulness

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America's consumer Web site was recognized as the highest ranked automobile manufacturer Web site in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation Study - Wave 2 released today.

Kia Motors ranked highest overall among manufacturer Web sites in terms of usability, comprising speed, navigation, appearance and information/content.

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Kia Sorento Awarded Top Ranking in Ideal Vehicle Awards

IRVINE, Calif. -- The 2008 Kia Sorento has been given the top ranking in the midsize SUV segment in AutoPacific, Inc.'s 2008 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA).

These awards are considered quantitative gauges that measure how closely a vehicle matches to an owner's expectations. Sorento received a higher rating than the Jeep Liberty, Nissan Xterra, Dodge Nitro and HUMMER H3.

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June 24, 2008

Kia Celebrates Grand Opening of U.S. HQ, Design Center

IRVINE, Calif. -- Today, Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of Kia Motors America (KMA) and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG), was joined by local and state representatives for the grand opening ceremony of the new 21.7-acre Kia U.S. corporate campus in Irvine, Calif.

The $130-million investment includes the Kia Motors America Corporate Headquarters and state-of-the-art Kia Design Center America (KDCA).

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June 23, 2008

Kia Motors Offers Exclusive 2008 Vans Warped Tour Bonus Cash

IRVINE, Calif. -- As the Official Vehicle of the 2008 Vans Warped Tour, Kia Motors will offer an exclusive opportunity at each tour stop for concertgoers to save big on a new Kia vehicle. The Warped Tour Bonus Cash coupon* will be available only at the Kia Soul Lounge.

Concertgoers can take the coupon to participating local area Kia retailers after the concert to save $400 on the purchase of any new Kia vehicle, in addition to other incentives in effect at the time the coupon is redeemed.

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June 22, 2008

Kia Soul Goes Undercover at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour

IRVINE, Calif. -- The eagerly awaited Kia Soul will tease concertgoers this summer with a sneak-peek appearance during the 2008 Vans Warped Tour.

As part of Kia Motors' exclusive vehicle sponsorship of the tour, a specially-designed lightly camouflaged preproduction Soul will be on display at the Kia Soul Lounge at every Vans Warped Tour stop.

Continue reading "Kia Soul Goes Undercover at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour"

June 13, 2008

Kia Partners With Cobalt for New Dealer Website Program

SEATTLE -- Cobalt, the leading provider of digital marketing services to the retail automotive industry, today announced that it has entered into a partnership with Kia Motors America (KMA) as the solely endorsed website provider for all Kia dealer websites.

Kia Motors of America selected Cobalt for Kia's iPower Website Services program, a new phase of Integrated Marketing Services for Kia dealers.

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June 7, 2008

Kia Loses New Jersey Class Action Suit

PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan Searles, LLC announces that a New Jersey jury has rendered a verdict against KIA Motors America, Inc. in the amount of $6,029,250 on behalf of a class of 8,039 New Jersey consumers.

The case is entitled Regina Little v. KIA Motors America, Inc., No. UNN-L-800-01 (Law Division Aug. 20, 2003), pending in the Superior Court of New Jersey in Union County.

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June 5, 2008

Top Selling Minivans in the Unites States for May 2008

The minivan segment saw sales drop 16.6% in May, with Chrysler holding on to two of the top three spots, thanks in part to their gas rebate plan.

Of particular note was the 80% drop in Hyundai Entourage sales, that one can only hope was due to a supply problem -- point being, this is a bad time to be getting into the minivan business, as Volkswagen is about to find out.

The top 8 best selling minivans in the United States for May 2008:

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June 3, 2008

Kia Announces Best Month Ever, May Sales Up 9%

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced its best sales month ever for the second consecutive month with record May sales of 31,047 units, an increase of nine percent over the same period last year, and year-to-date sales of 129,327 units.

May's record sales were led by Spectra and Optima, which both had their best months ever with 9,407 and 8,197 units sold respectively, increases of 10.5 and 120.8 percent over same period last year. Rio also continued with strong sales in its best month of the year at 4,474 units, a 28.6 percent increase over the same period last year.

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May 29, 2008

Kia Sorento Receives Top Ranking in Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

IRVINE, Calif. -- The 2008 Kia Sorento is the top ranking midsize SUV in AutoPacific, Inc.'s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA), an industry benchmark for objectively measuring owner satisfaction of new vehicles.

In this competitive segment, Sorento received a higher rating than the Hummer H3, Jeep Liberty, Dodge Nitro and Nissan Xterra.

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Cadillac Tops 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

TUSTIN, Calif. -- A study released today by noted automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. summarizes the results of its 2008 model year vehicle satisfaction research. AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) is an industry benchmark for objectively measuring how satisfied an owner is with their new passenger car or light truck.

In a year that promises to be the toughest in a decade, owner-based awards like AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award will help customers make their purchase decisions.

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May 27, 2008

Kia to focus on small cars at Georgia plant

Kia officials have announced they will focus on building small cars at the plant they are building in West Point, Georgia. Kia is planning to build the Sorento SUV at the plant starting in 2009, but has scrapped plans to make a pickup truck, according to Automotive News. There is also the possibility Kia may build a similar Hyundai at the plant.

Kia has not announced which car they will build there, but could it be the new Soul vehicle?

Related: Kia bringing Soul to the U.S.

Kia bringing Soul to the U.S.

Kia plans to make the Soul concept a reality, bringing it to the United States sometime in 2009.

The five-seat elegant box will come with a 2-liter four-cylinder and have front-wheel drive.

Kia is also developing the Soul for the Chinese market and will build that version at a plant in China -- which leaves open the possibility that a Chinese made car will be sold in the United State faster than anyone expects.

May 19, 2008

Kia Sponsors 2008 NBA Performance Awards

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA), the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA, congratulates the winners of the four season-end awards that are part of the NBA Performance Awards presented by Kia Motors for the 2007-08 season: Sixth Man Award winner, Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs; Defensive Player of the Year, Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics; Most Improved Player, Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic; and Most Valuable Player, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers.

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May 12, 2008

2008 Fuel Economy Guide Available for Download

The EPA has issued a comprehensive PDF guide to fuel economy of all 2008 vehicles, which you can download by right-clicking here.

In today's gas market, buyers are more sensitive than ever about buying cars that get good mileage, and more important, they want the government ratings to be as accurate as possible -- nobody wants to buy a vehicle that gets 10% worse mileage in the real world than the sticker rating.

To address this situation, the EPA has started using an updated test to assign more accurate MPG ratings to new vehicles, and you can learn about that by watching the video in this post.

May 6, 2008

Microsoft and Hyundai-Kia Developing In-Car Infotainment

SEOUL, South Korea -- Today, Microsoft Corp. and Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group (HKAG) entered into a long-term agreement to co-develop the next generation of in-car infotainment systems.

Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, and Mongku Chung, chairman of HKAG, were present as Martin Thall, general manager of Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit, and Hyun Soon Lee, president and chief technology officer of HKAG, signed the agreement in Seoul.

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May 4, 2008

Top twenty best selling small cars for April 2008

Americans rediscovered cars in April 2008, with small cars in particular accounting for nearly one in five of all vehicles sold in an otherwise down month.

Toyota had four vehicles in the top twenty, General Motors had three; Nissan, Hyundai and Kia had two apiece. And Dodge has a hit with the Caliber, which made the list at number 9.

With people paying nearly $4 per gallon of gas nationwide, it appears that the free market has achieved what environmentalists have been clamoring about for years -- to conserve fuel by buying smaller vehicles.

The top twenty best selling small cars for April 2008:

Continue reading "Top twenty best selling small cars for April 2008"

May 2, 2008

Kia Announces Record April Sales Up 15.6%

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced its best sales month ever with record April sales of 30,066 units, a 15.6-percent increase over the same period last year, and year-to-date sales of 98,280 total units.

Kia's April growth was led by Spectra and Optima, up 4.8 percent and 89.3 percent respectively over the previous month. Rondo sales increased 118.3 percent over the same period last year with 2,583 unit sales.

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April 18, 2008

Kia Sedona Named a Top 10 Best Value

IRVINE, Calif. -- The 2008 Kia Sedona was named the minivan of choice on GAYOT.com's annual list of the "Top 10 Best Value Automobiles." GAYOT.com highlights its standard features, spacious cabin, functional interior and competitive price as the Sedona's winning points.

"Sedona garnering a 'top 10' award further displays Kia's dedication to providing consumers, especially families, with top quality vehicles without the premium sticker price," said Tom Loveless, vice president, sales of Kia Motors America (KMA).

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April 17, 2008

Metro Kia Technician to Represent USt at Skills Competition in Seoul

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) announced Cranston, R.I. resident William T. Shaughnessy, 36, an automotive technician at Metro Kia in Johnston, R.I., will represent the United States and KMA at the 2008 Kia Skill World Cup in Seoul, April 17-25.

Shaughnessy recently competed in a field of 16 of the best Kia technicians from around the country at the 2008 Kia Skill National Cup at Kia's Irvine corporate headquarters. The top four earned the right to battle against the best Kia technicians from more than 40 countries at the World Cup.

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Jake Sweeney Kia Technician to Represent US at Competition in Seoul

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) announced Ryland Heights, Ky. resident Richard C. Middendorf, Jr., 42, an automotive technician at Jake Sweeney Kia in Florence, Ky., will represent the United States and KMA at the 2008 Kia Skill World Cup in Seoul, April 17-25.

Middendorf recently competed in a field of 16 of the best Kia technicians from around the country at the 2008 Kia Skill National Cup at Kia's Irvine corporate headquarters where he took first place. The top four earned the right to battle against the best Kia technicians from more than 40 countries at the World Cup.

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Paramount Kia Technician to Represent US at Competition in Seoul

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) announced Hickory, N.C. resident Seth Heffney, 22, an automotive technician at Paramount Kia in Hickory, will represent the United States and KMA at the 2008 Kia Skill World Cup in Seoul, April 17-25.

Heffney recently competed in a field of 16 of the best Kia technicians from around the country at the 2008 Kia Skill National Cup at Kia's Irvine corporate headquarters where he placed third. The top four earned the right to battle against the best Kia technicians from more than 40 countries at the World Cup.

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Capitol Kia Technician to Represent US at Competition in Seoul

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) announced Milton, Wis. resident Michael L. Cole, 25, an automotive technician at Capitol Kia in Madison, Wis., will represent the United States and KMA at the 2008 Kia Skill World Cup in Seoul, April 17-25.

Cole recently competed in a field of 16 of the best Kia technicians from around the country at the 2008 Kia Skill National Cup at Kia's Irvine corporate headquarters where he placed second. The top four earned the right to battle against the best Kia technicians from more than 40 countries at the World Cup.

Continue reading "Capitol Kia Technician to Represent US at Competition in Seoul"

April 6, 2008

Kia Lease Deals for April

Kia is offering the following lease deals for April:

2008 Sportage Lease -- $199/month for 36 months, $2,299 due at lease signing.

2008 Optima Lease -- $199/month for 36 months. $1,999 due at lease signing.

Continue reading "Kia Lease Deals for April"

April 4, 2008

April Kia Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

Kia is offering up to a $1,000 rebate on the 2008 Sportage SUV, $1,500 on the Kia Spectra and $1,500 on the Kia Sorento.

Program ends 4/7/08.

If you would like to research current auto rebates for all make and models for sale in the United States, check out CurrentAutoRebates.com, a fabulous service that allows you to check up on all rebate programs through a handy PDF report. The service is free and available now!

April 1, 2008

Kia Announces March Sales Down 10%

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced March sales of 24,871 units and year-to-date sales of 68,214 units.

Spectra and Rio had their best selling months of the year with 8,022 and 3,514 units sold respectively.

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March 24, 2008

2009 Kia Optima

The 2009 Kia Optima, shown here at the NY Auto Show, gets a horsepower boost for the redesign -- the 4 cylinder engine gets 13 more horsepower to 175 hp, while the V6 will produce 190 hp.

A navigation system will be available for the first time in the EX trim level, and the new SX trim will include sporty elements such as an electro-luminescent meter cluster, upgraded interior appointment and sport turned suspension, as well as 17-inch wheels.

March 22, 2008

Kia Establishes Relationship with Popular Youth-Oriented Music Tour

NEW YORK -- Kia Motors America today announced an exclusive automotive partnership with the 2008 Vans Warped Tour -- America's longest-running touring festival.

Kia will sponsor a VIP lounge atmosphere throughout the tour where fans can meet-and-greet their favorite music artists and enter a sweepstakes to win a new Kia vehicle.

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March 20, 2008

Kia Debuts 2009 Optima at New York Auto Show

NEW YORK -- Kia Motors America today globally unveiled the 2009 Optima midsize sedan at the New York International Auto Show.

On sale in early fall, the refreshed Optima offers a completely modified exterior, presenting a more aggressive, dynamic style than before, and is outfitted with a new engine that provides more power and better fuel economy.

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Kia Debuts KOUP Concept at 2008 New York Auto Show

NEW YORK -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today globally debuted the KOUP concept at the 2008 New York International Auto Show during a press conference at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The simple yet bold and aggressive KOUP exterior is complemented by its realistic and sleek interior design. Originating from the Kia Motors America Design Center in Irvine, Calif., the KOUP concept embodies Kia's philosophy of "Exciting and Enabling" with its balanced proportions and fluid design set to evoke an emotional driving experience.

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March 12, 2008

New crash tests of SUVs: Nissan Murano is Top Safety Pick

ARLINGTON, VA — The best overall performer in front, side, and rear tests of nine 4-door midsize SUV models is the redesigned 2009 Nissan Murano, which earns the Top Safety Pick award. The tests were recently conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler 4-door, and Kia Sorento, all 2008 models, are the worst performers in the side test. The Liberty, also sold as the Dodge Nitro, and Wrangler earn the second lowest rating of marginal for protection in side crashes. The Sorento earns the lowest rating of poor.

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Seven Kia Models Given 'Best Bet' Distinction

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) has broken its all-time sales record, inked a major sponsorship deal as the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA and launched its all-new Borrego midsize SUV.

KMA also is proud to announce seven models, including the Optima, Rio, Rondo, Sedona, Sorento, Spectra and Spectra5 have achieved The Car Book "Best Bet" distinction. Rio and Optima are recipients of the award for the third consecutive year, while the Spectra, Spectra5 and Sorento have achieved this award for the second year in a row.

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March 3, 2008

Kia Announces February Sales Down 6%

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced February sales of 21,988 units and year-to-date sales of 43,343 units.

Rio and Spectra sold 2,875 units and 5,133 units respectively, both increases over the same period last year.

Continue reading "Kia Announces February Sales Down 6%"

March 2, 2008

March Kia Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

Kia is offering up to a $1,500 rebate on the Sedona minivan, $1,000 rebate on the Sportage SUV, $1,000 on the Kia Spectra and $1,000 on the Kia Sorento.

Program ends 3/31/08.

In addition, the Current Auto Rebates document features links to have a local dealer contact you about the vehicle you are interested in -- this is the best way to stay in control of the vehicle buying process, as dealers are essentially competing for your business.

February 20, 2008

KIA Rondo Named to Best Family Cars 2008 List

IRVINE, Calif. -- The 2008 Kia Rondo was named a "Best Value" by Parents Magazine and Edmunds.com in their annual list of Best Family Cars. Parents cited the optional third row, allowing seating for seven, as just one of the reasons the Rondo is a good choice for families.

"The best thing about Parents Magazine's recognition is that real parents who drive Rondos everyday with their families are the ones who recognized Rondo for its safety features, great value and amenities," said Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG).

Continue reading "KIA Rondo Named to Best Family Cars 2008 List"

February 18, 2008

Kia Increases NBA Team Presence in 16 NBA Markets

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA), the "Official Automotive Partner of the NBA," this season further expanded its NBA team partnerships to 16 teams -- more than half of the NBA league.

The basketball program represents Kia's largest U.S. sports marketing effort to date, and is the company's first-ever direct involvement with franchises from one of the four major sports leagues in the United States.

Continue reading "Kia Increases NBA Team Presence in 16 NBA Markets"

February 11, 2008

Kia Announces Management Changes

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America, Inc. (KMA) today announced Len Hunt has left the company.

Byung Mo Ahn, president of Kia Motors Corporation has been appointed group president and CEO and will now oversee all aspects and daily operations of both KMA and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG).

In addition, Ian Beavis, vice president marketing, has also left the company.

Continue reading "Kia Announces Management Changes"

February 5, 2008

Best Selling Minivans in the U.S. -- January 2008

The best selling minivans in the United States for January 2008 are led by Toyota, in first place, with the Chrysler Town & Country coming in at #2, Honda Odyssey at #3 and the Dodge Grand Caravan at #4.

Chevy came in fifth and Kia put up respectable numbers for the #5 position, with Nissan falling to #6 and Hyundai barely registering at #8.

The best selling minivans in the U.S. for January '08 are as follows:

Continue reading "Best Selling Minivans in the U.S. -- January 2008"

Kia Announces Byung Mo Ahn Named Chairman, Group CEO

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America announced Byung Mo Ahn, president of Kia Motors Corporation, was named, as of February 5, 2008, to the newly created position of chairman and group CEO for KMA and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG), the automotive plant currently under construction in West Point, Ga.

Ahn will oversee Kia Motor operations in the United States including those of KMA and KMMG. Ahn was appointed to this position due to the importance of the United States market to the automotive industry and in terms of Kia's global operations. He will be based at KMA's corporate campus in Irvine, Calif.

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February 3, 2008

Updated: Kia Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

Kia is offering up to a $1,000 rebate on the 2008 Sportage SUV, $1,000 on the Kia Spectra and $1,000 on the Kia Sorento.

Program ends 3/3/08.

Since rebate programs from different manufacturers can change a couple times a month, we urge you to sign up for free updates at this page, to ensure you'll always have the latest info with which to make an informed purchase.

The service is free and available now!

February 2, 2008

Current Auto Rebates Has All the Updated Rebates!

With auto sales down 4.3% in January 2008, many automakers are increasing the rebate and incentive offers they have on the hoods of their vehicles.

Yet keeping track of all the rebate programs can be difficult work, which is why we began publishing Current Auto Rebates, the Internet's first document that lists every rebate program for every vehicle for same in the United States.

This 13-page PDF makes it easy for you to look up rebates on any model you're interested in, and even allows you to contact your local dealer who will give you a free price quote on the ride of your choice.

Since rebate programs can change several times per month, you may want to sign up for free updates to the publication -- when we update the document you'll get an email from us letting you know a refreshed version is available for you to download.

And if someone you know is currently shopping for a new vehicle, you may want to download a copy and email it to them -- they'll thank you for doing so!

February 1, 2008

Kia Announces January Sales Down 5%

IRVINE, Calif. -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced January sales of 21,355 units, down 5% from the same month last year. Leading the way for the brand were Rio, Optima, Spectra and Rondo, which all saw increases over the same period last year.

"It is a tough economic climate but fuel efficient vehicles like Rio and Spectra continue to sell well even as gas prices remain high," said Len Hunt, president and CEO of KMA. "We saw a good start in what is typically a slow month and in what is predicted to be a tough year in the auto industry."

Continue reading "Kia Announces January Sales Down 5%"

January 30, 2008

With Home Prices Dropping, Car Prices Are Sure to Follow

It's accepted wisdom now that overall auto sales will drop in 2008. This is seen as a function of the housing bust, during which as much as 20% of new car purchases were funded by residential real estate profit, home equity cashouts and the general euphoria in real estate related industries.

Now that home prices are dropping -- and will continue to do so until they fall in line with median income -- we believe the average new vehicle transaction price will drop as well. If houses can fall 10%-30% in value, why not cars?

In November we ran a story from Comerica Bank stating the average transaction price of a new vehicle was $29,024. Our projection is this number will fall below $25,000, perhaps in 2009 if not this year, for several reasons:

1. Less money to spend. The option of taking cash out of a home to finance a new purchase is gone. The psychology of spending "free money" to buy a luxe ride will give way to folks actually having to make the payment out of their own pocket. And with many people paying even more for housing due to adjustable rates, they will choose cheaper rides.

2. Gas prices. While $3 a gallon gas isn't as draconian as five bucks, it will have an effect over time. People are already choosing more efficient crossovers and smaller SUVs over the big buses, and V8s are going out of favor. Look for more people to choose V6s in cars and for four-cylinders to pick up in popularity.

3. Negative equity. A greater percentage of folks are upside down in their cars, and have been rolling their balances into new loan agreements. To catch up, their new purchases will have to be cheaper and it's going to take years to eat away at the balance.

4. New frugality. In a tough economy, the value of money becomes more dear. People will start thinking twice about how much money they spend. They will choose cheaper cars, perhaps with more options, but the luxe-marques are in for a rough ride.

5. New wage structures. The Detroit car companies have made big headlines with their new labor deals, that allow them to replace higher paid union workers with new hires at a lower wage scale. The higher wages translated into higher sticker prices; the lower wages will allow for slimmer price hikes and even reductions.

6. Battle for fewer consumers. Don't let the tough talk fool you. As fewer cars are sold throughout 2008, the rebate war will kick into full swing -- and spiffs will help bring down the average transaction price.

This last reason is why we launched Current Auto Rebates, a site that publishes all the rebates for every model in a single PDF file, to make bargain hunting that much easier.

January 26, 2008

2008 Kia Sportage Rebates Available at Current Auto Rebates.com

The 2008 Kia Sportage has a $1,000 rebate available; program ends 2/4/08. The 2008 Kia Sportage base price -- $15,900.

Click here to get your free 2008 Kia Sportage price quote!