Kia Reaches 400 Dealers with St. Louis Opening
15 May 1998
Kia Reaches 400 Dealers with St. Louis Opening
Kia Continues with Successful Market-by-Market Launch Strategy
ST. LOUIS, May 15 -- Kia will surpass the 400-dealer mark
this month when eight dealerships begin selling cars in Missouri and the St.
Louis area.
These new dealership openings are part of Kia's planned expansion into the
Midwest in 1998. With the addition of the new dealers, Kia vehicles now are
on sale at more than 400 dealerships in 40 states.
Kia currently sells two vehicles -- the Sephia (pronounced Seh-FEE-uh)
compact sedan and the Sportage (SPORT-ij) sport-utility vehicle, with the
Sportage 2-Door Convertible due in showrooms next month. Sales have been
strong in other markets. In fact, Kia sales were up 53 percent in 1997 over
1996 and, so far this year, sales are up 212 percent over 1997.
"St. Louis is the perfect market for our vehicles," explained Dick Macedo,
Kia's vice president of marketing and sales. "Consumers in St. Louis have
told us that they need a car that's reliable yet packed fall of value. The
Sephia has more standard equipment than many competitors, yet its starting
price begins well below that of other compact sedans. Our Sportage is a fun
alternative to sedans and turns heads wherever it goes."
Kia began business in the U.S. in August 1993, when it put 2,000 Sephias
in a test fleet with Budget Rent-A-Car. Using a market-by-market strategy,
championed by Greg Warner, Kia began placing vehicles in strategic locations
eventually becoming a nationwide network. After starting in the West and
Southwest, Kia dealers featured prominently on the East Coast, in parts of
Pennsylvania and New York. Kia plans to continue its launch in New England,
and, finally, move to the Midwestern states. Kia expects to have dealerships
nationwide by the end of 1998.
"We only choose dealerships that demonstrate a commitment to maintaining
customer satisfaction. Our mission is to provide affordable, value-laden
vehicles, but our goal is to serve our customers," Macedo said. "We want
dealers who are able to put the customer first."
Kia's customer-driven philosophy is backed by dependable, reliable
vehicles that have completed real-world testing with flying colors. The
Sephia, which stood up well to the abuses of rental car drivers, pizza
delivery guys and driving school students, is an affordably priced, well-
equipped compact sedan with a manufacturer's suggested retail price beginning
at $9,995. The 1998 model features a powerful 1.8-liter, 16-valve, dual
overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine and dual airbags.
The Sportage was named a "Best Overall Value of the Year" from
IntelliChoice, Inc., an independent consumer research firm both in 1997 and
1998. In addition, the Sportage was named a best buy among compact sport-
utility vehicles according to Men's Journal 1997 Buyer's Guide, one of Four
Wheeler magazine's top 10 best buys for 1996 and the "Best of What's New" by
Popular Science in 1995.
The Sportage is a rugged sport-utility vehicle designed with passenger
comfort in mind. Able to support an active lifestyle, the Sportage has a
2.0-liter, 16-valve, DOHC engine and a driver-side airbag system, which
features the world's first knee airbag. The Sportage is available in 4x4 and
4x2 models. Prices for the 1998 Sportage begin at $14,895.
To support its customer first philosophy, Kia has established several
policies that set it apart from other manufacturers. All Kia vehicles come
with very competitive warranties: a three-year/36,000-mile basic limited
vehicle warranty and five-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain coverage. All
owners are covered by Kia Extra-Mile Care, a program that includes 24-hour
roadside assistance, for the term of the basic limited warranty. Kia will
contact customers no less than seven times during the first two years of
ownership, including surveys following the initial purchase and first service
to make sure they're happy with the service they received.
Kia Motors America is the U.S. sales, marketing and service arm of Kia
Motors Corp., in Seoul, South Korea.
ST. LOUIS-AREA DEALERSHIPS
Auffenberg Kia Lou Fusz Kia
129 Auto Court 10749 Manchester Road
O'Fallon, IL 62269 Kirkwood, MO 63122
618-624-2277 314-822-4004
James Auffenberg, Jr. Lou Fusz, Jr.
Lou Fusz Kia West Marty Cancilla Kia
15970 Manchester Road 1180 North Highway 67
Ellisville, MO 63011 Florissant, MO 63033
314-394-4000 314-831-3300
Louis J. Fusz, Jr. Martin A. Cancilla
Zeiser Kia
4801 South Service Road
St. Peters, MO 63376
314-926-2110
Gerald W. Zeiser
OTHER MISSOURI DEALERSHIPS
John Youngblood Kia
3505 S. Campbell
Springfield, MO 65807
417-882-3838
John Youngblood
Head Kia
1204 Madison Street
Columbia, MO 65203
573-442-9200
Stuart Head
Jack Miller Kia
2900 Burlington
North Kansas City, MO 64116
816-474-2900
Jack Miller
SOURCE Kia Motors America, Inc.