PLANTING A STYLISH NEW CEE‘D
On the international front, December 2006 was a historic month for Kia Motors Corporation as the first Kia cee’d rolled off the production line at Kia’s Zilina, Slovakia assembly plant. Not only is the cee’d an all-new model showing off Kia’s new design direction, but it’s also the first Kia designed specifically for the highly competitive European market. And adding significance to the occasion is the fact that the first cee’d, a blue five-door hatchback, is also the first Kia ever built in Europe.
An event of this importance merits a celebration, and on hand to lead the festivities were Kia President and CEO Euisun Chung and Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President of Kia Motors Europe. Mr. Lievens declared the day “truly a fantastic landmark in Kia’s development as a major automotive company.” The cee’d marks a qualitative revolution for the Kia brand, marrying the highest standards of engineering with European aesthetics and style.
The Zilina, Slovakia manufacturing and assembly facility, an investment of 1 billion euros (slightly more than 1.3 billion USD), establishes new benchmarks for quality and productivity—manufacturing 100 cars per employee per year when the plant is fully operational. In addition, the plant will set new standards for protecting the environment while ultimately creating 10,000 jobs in the region.
RIO/RIO5 RANKED HIGHEST IN INITIAL QUALITY
For the second year in a row, the Kia Rio/Rio5 received top honors in the sub-compact segment according to the JD Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality Study. The J.D. Power IQS awards are particularly significant since they are based directly on feedback from new buyers.
The annual IQS report measures 228 vehicle attributes across eight categories, including the driving experience, engine and transmission, and a broad range of quality problem symptoms reported by vehicle owners. Winning the top award shows Kia’s commitment to quality and desire to provide value to its customers.
For more info, go to kia.com/press.
WHY, THANK YOU
MotorWeek, the popular television program on PBS, selected the 2007 Kia Sedona as “Best Minivan” in its 2007 Drivers’ Choice Awards. The awards were announced at the Chicago Auto Show in early February. MotorWeek evaluated over 150 cars and trucks for the 2007 Drivers’ Choice Awards, focusing on a blend of superior performance, technology, practicality and dollar value. The winning vehicles were subjected to road and track testing as well as in-depth comparisons to their competition.
“The second-generation Korean-branded design matches all the best features of its rivals, and then beats them in price and powertrain warranty,” said John Davis, the creator, host and executive producer of MotorWeek. “The leaps that Kia has made in perceived quality with each new vehicle are well-documented and Sedona is just the latest example. Minivans are the most versatile vehicles on the planet, and this one is tops.”
Two weeks later, the Sedona—along with Optima, Rio and Rio5, Spectra and Spectra5, Sportage and Sorrento—was named as a “Best Bet” by The Car Book 2007.
