Kia Named UK Automotive Company Of the Year by Institute of Transport Management

WEYBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM – September 11, 2009: Kia Motors (UK) Limited has been named UK Automotive Company for 2010 by the Institute of Transport Management in recognition of “its innovative and dynamic efforts to lead the way towards a healthier industry, in both financial and environmental terms”.

Announcing the award immediately prior to the Frankfurt Motor Show where Kia will unveil a raft of new products, including diesel hybrids, the Institute’s Awards Committee said it was highly impressed by its research team’s data on Kia’s development of cost-efficient vehicles and environmentally sound manufacturing processes.

The ITM was founded in 1977 to increase the profile of the various industry sectors it encompasses and in 1980 embarked upon its first Awards programme. Since then the awards have sought to benefit its membership of more than 18,000 in a variety of ways, and ensure that the providers of excellent products and services are officially recognised and rewarded.

Mr Patrick Sheedy, Media & PR Director at the Institute said “The ‘UK Automotive Company 2010’ Award is one of the Institute’s major accolades, reflecting as it does the importance of this sector to the economy and the volume of our members who are involved in automotive trade”.

He added: “This is the second time the Institute has awarded this accolade to Kia and this success is indicative of the outstanding progress made by the company in the UK marketplace in such trying economic times.”

Kia Motor’s UK Managing Director, Michael Cole, commented: “We were delighted to receive such recognition from the Institute two years ago – but for that praise to be repeated so soon is overwhelming and clearly shows that the efforts of everyone within the Kia organisation are paying off as we seek to deliver excellent products at excellent prices with the minimum impact on the environment.

“I am convinced that we have been putting the right products in front of the public during a tough period and this is being widely recognised – so my sincere thanks to the Institute of Transport Management for endorsing that strategy!” he added.