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Kia Begins Year With Strong Sales

3 February 1999

Kia Begins Year With Strong Sales; Kia Reports Best Sportage Sales Month Ever

    IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 2 -- Reporting its second-best sales
month in the company's five-year history, Kia today announced sales of 9,461
vehicles for the month of January.  This figure is a 32 percent jump over last
year's January sales of 7,197 vehicles.  In addition, sales of the Sportage
sport-utility vehicle set an all-time record of 5,039 units.
    Kia now has nearly 500 dealerships in 49 states.  Kia Motors America is
the sales, marketing and service arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South
Korea.

                            MONTH OF JANUARY             YEAR-TO-DATE
                           1999          1998          1999        1998
    Model

    Sephia                4,120         5,644         4,120       5,644
    Sportage              5,039         1,553         5,039       1,553
    Sportage 2-Door
     Convertible            302           n/a           302         n/a
    Total                 9,461         7,197         9,461       7,197