Kia Reaches 400 Dealers with St. Louis Opening
15 May 1998
Kia Reaches 400 Dealers with St. Louis OpeningKia 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.