Kia Comes to Cornhusker State!
17 August 1998
Kia Comes to Cornhusker State! Newest Dealership Opens in Omaha
OMAHA, Aug. 17 -- Kia continues its successful
market-by-market launch strategy as it opens its first Nebraska dealership
here this week. Kia dealerships will total 428 in 42 states with the opening
of Kia of Omaha (402-331-9100) at 4040 S. 84th Street. Ron Rhoden is the
dealer.
Kia currently sells three vehicles -- the Sephia (pronounced Seh-FEE-uh)
compact sedan, the Sportage (SPORT-ij) sport utility vehicle and the Sportage
2-Door Convertible, which made its showroom debut in July. 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 more than 97 percent over 1997.
"Omaha is a fine market for our vehicles," explained Dick Macedo, Kia's
executive vice president of marketing and sales. "Consumers in Omaha have
told us that they need a car that's reliable yet packed-full 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,
Kia began placing vehicles in strategic locations, eventually becoming a
nationwide network. After starting in the West, Southwest and Southeast, Kia
dealers featured prominently on the East Coast. Kia finished its launch of
New England this spring and, finally, moved 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 10 best buys for 1996, 1997 and 1998 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.
The Sportage 2-Door Convertible combines the rugged off-road capabilities
of the Sportage with the joy of open-air motoring. It rides on a shortened
version of the Sportage's ladder frame, and it uses the same time-tested
2.0-liter, 16-valve, 130-horsepower, four-cylinder engine. Like the four-door
Sportage, it features a long list of safety items including a unique knee
airbag.
The Sportage 2-Door Convertible is offered in two configurations:
4x2 with automatic transmission and 4x4 with manual transmission. The
manufacturer's suggested list price for the 4x2 is $13,995 and the MSRP for
the 4x4 is $14,495. In the Kia tradition, both prices are significantly lower
than those for similar vehicles from Japanese nameplates.
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.
