Kia to Open Nine Dealerships in Michigan
28 December 1998
Kia to Open Nine Dealerships in Michigan; Car Company Nears Completion of U.S. Launch
DETROIT, Dec. 26 -- Kia is about to wrap up its successful
market-by-market launch strategy in America by opening nine dealerships in the
state of Michigan next week. Five dealerships will open in the Detroit area,
three in the Grand Rapids area and one in the Lansing area.
Kia now has more than 465 dealerships in 48 states that currently sell
three models: 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 58 percent over 1997.
"We believe our vehicles will sell well in Michigan," explained Dick
Macedo, Kia's executive vice president of marketing and sales. "Consumers in
the state 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
dealerships in North Dakota and Hawaii will be the very last to open in the
next few weeks.
"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 1999 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 1999 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 sturdy 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 Retail 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.
DETROIT-AREA DEALERSHIPS
Dick Scott Kia Jeffrey Kia
684 West Ann Arbor Road 30800 Gratiot
Plymouth, MI 48170 Roseville, MI 48066
734-451-2110 810-296-1300
Richard L. Scott Jeffrey Tamaroff
Glassman Kia Mel Farr Kia Ferndale
28000 Telegraph Road 10550 W. Eight Mile Road
Southfield, MI 48034 Ferndale, MI 48220
248-584-0370 248-333-3300
George Glassman Mel Farr, Sr.
Goodman Kia
3120 Washtenaw Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-971-8100
Robert H. Goodman
GRAND RAPIDS-AREA DEALERSHIPS
Dale Baker Kia Keller Kia
1515 28th Street SW 3385 Alpine Avenue NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49509 Grand Rapids, MI 49544
616-249-2000 616-784-6600
Dale Baker Robert D. Keller
Don Seelye Kia
P.O. Box 19820
Kalamazoo, MI 49019
616-375-3820
Michael Seelye
LANSING-AREA DEALERSHIP
Story Kia
3165 East Michigan Avenue
East Lansing, MI 48912
517-351-0400
Leo C. Jerome