Merry Christmas!

We want to take a second to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas!

Kia Loves The Salvation Army

One of our biggest goals at the dealership is to serve our community. During the holidays, we focus our efforts toward the Salvation Army. As if you could not tell from the giant kettle on the top of this blog, we take a kettle everywhere we go: in our showroom, to our FSU game displays, downtown to our Friday Night Blockparty Events, and every Friday to Wal-Mart!

Most recently, we hosted an event at the dealership in an effort to bring out our family members. We offered a 32" Flat Screen TV in an effort to encourage donations. We were blown away by the generosity of our family members! We are still accepting donations; The TV will be given away on the 19th of December; Come by the dealership with a new toy, new piece of clothing, new pair of shoes, or a canned good, and we will enter you to win that TV!

Not only did the radio station give away prizes on Saturday, we hosted Santa! Check out our facebook page for all of our happy family members with Santa!

Since there are over 800 kids in need in Tallahassee, as a dealership, we took over 30 children's names to put on our christmas tree. As of Saturday, all of the children's names have been taken off and accounted for.

On a final note, each of us can attest to asking for a bike for Christmas (and probably recieving it). This year, our General Manager, Melanie Lee purchased 150 bikes for children in need! We are so thanful to have someone so generous as our General Manager! As if Saturday was not successful enough, we had a surprise visit from Dan and Avalon Rocawich! They heard our advertisement and took it upon themselves to donate 25 bikes!

The BDC & ThE 2011 Sorento

Today is Thursday, so as promised, I am posting an article about one of our top-sellers!

The Sorento is easily one of our family members' favorite cars. Our general manager, Melanie Lee swears by hers. I am glad that Car and Driver agrees!


2011 Kia Sorento - Second Drive - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

Not only are we glad to have such a great vehicle on our lot, but here at Kia Autosport of Tallahassee, we are also glad to have such a great Internet Department!

When I first started working here, I kept hearing "BDC", "BDC". All I could think was "WHAT IS THE BDC & WHAT DO THEY DO??" So 6 months later, I finally decided to get an indepth definition of who they are! To all of my loyal readers, I'd like to introduce you to some of our most important family members...

"Hello, I'm Cindy, the BDC Supervisor. As a part of the BDC, I can say that we greatly appreciate your business, and we try to go above and beyond expectations when assisting our customers. When recomending a car, I always go to the 2011 Forte Koup. It is,in my own opinion, our most sporty and attractive car!"

"My name is Monica, and as a part of the Kia AutoSport family for over three years, we aim to provide customers with the information they need to make an informed buying decision. A year and half ago, I purchased my very own Kia Sorento. Being a previous Volvo, Honda, Isuzu and Toyota owner I can vow Kia is hands down the best vehicle on the market for the quality of vehicle you receive for an un-beatable price. The safety, comfort, performance and handling my Sorento offers is unlike any vehicle I have driven and has always guaranteed I arrivesafe and sound for my long 500miles drive home to visit my family. Kia AutoSport’s service team makes sure my Sorento is in tip-top shape to assure the maximal performance from my vehicle. The new 2011 Sorentos are so stunning; I may have to get in on the incredible lease programs we are offering right now. Call me, Monica Garcia, to find out how you can take advantage of this and many more offers and become a satisfied Kia owner just like me! Se habla Espanol =)”

The 2011 Kia Optima is here!!!!

Talk about a change...the 2011 Kia Optima has quickly become one of our favorite vehicles around the dealership. For those who have driven it, no one can deny the amount of horse power this model pocesses. I found a review in the LA Times, and I do not know if I agree with their assessment of the seat cushions, but I wanted to share a review.

Stay tuned for next week, there will be a guest blogger who shares their experience with the 2011 Kia Optima.

2011 Kia Optima drives toward top of its class

Kia Autosport Supports The Fight Against Breast Cancer

In 2009, an estimated 192,370 women in the United States were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and about 40,610 women were expected to die from the disease.

Breast Cancer is a disease that Kia Autosport is dedicated to fighting. We, as a family, are showing our support in several ways. I urge all of our dedicated readers to take a second and join us however you can.

All of our employees are wearing pink ribbons in an effort to show our support in the smallest way, but we know there is so much more we are capable of doing...

For the entire month of October, Kia Autosport will donate $50.00 to the American Cancer Society for every new or used Kia sold. Our goal is to sell 100 cars and write a check for $5,000! Melanie has informed me that when we make that goal, we will DOUBLE the amount. LETS MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

We are partnering with Cumulus Broadcasting all month to fight breast cancer. We are hosting an event on October 23rd that we hope to see everyone at! I'll blog again with more details on how to get involved, so i hope to see all of our family members there. Rumor has it, we'll have some goodies to give away!

Breast Cancer has effected all of us in some way, so for that reason, Kia Autosport knows just how important this fight is. We'd love to see ya'll help too!

And remember, breast cancer does not just affect women; In 2009, about 1,910 men in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer. If this is not a worthy cause, I do not know what is!

Meet Ryan Sprague!

We are so happy to support Ryan Sprague's latest endeavor. As if walking on to the FSU Football team wasn't enough, Ryan Sprague has written a book! "Grateful" was released three weeks ago, and ever since then Ryan has been with us at the Friday Night Block Party.


"Ryan Sprague takes you onto the field, into the huddle and inside the heart and mind of a Florida State football player, offering both the unique perspective of passionate walk-on and the life-long lessons and unforgettable memories of a national champion."

-Dave Glenn, ACC Sports Journal, ACCSports.com

Coming Soon: an interview with Ryan!

Do you have Friday night plans?

Everyone in Tallahassee knows what the weekends mean: FOOTBALL!

As if tailgating, celebrating, and cheering all day Saturday wasn't enough; here in Tallahassee, we like our football activities to start early...say, 5:00 on Friday.

Sure you could celebrate at some random restuarant's happyhour, but every true fan knows there is one place you go: Downtown. Ever since most of us Tallahassee locals and/or lifetime Seminole fans can remember, we've been going to the Friday Night Downtown Getdowns. Upon realizing that this was directed primarily towards families and children, ISP Sports began the "Adult Downtown Getdown."

This year, Kia Autosport is proud to be sponsoring the Friday night Blockparty; an adult centered event in Kleman Plaza. Last week we handed out re-usable grocery bags and entered people to WIN a 2010 Kia Forte. There is a live band, various restuarants, and plenty of adult beverages, so come spend your Friday night with us.

...And remember, Kia wants to see ya at the Blockparty!

It's The End of The Month Already?

One thing that I have learned is that the end of the month is the craziest time of the month. I basically spend my entire day in silence attempting to stay out of everyone else's way.

Its the time in which we all try to get the most done with out making anyone else mad. This sounds like an easy task, but trust me when I say, it really is not.

At Kia Autosport, any of us will say that the other was a part of our family, and as most of us know, being apart of a family means ups and downs. love and hate. Well, the end of the month brings a lot more hate than love.

I'm sure anyone and everyone who has worked at a car dealership (or any place of business that deals with bills) can understand this.

It's not so much the bills that cause everyone to run around like their hair on fire, its those people who don't PAY their bills.

Today I witnessed four, normally calm/cool/collected adult women (myself included) run around in an effort to find information on an individual who wrote a bad check. I doubt my bosses would appreciate me giving out the dirty details, but all I'm saying is that, this check was worth all of our time to find this person and all of their personal information necessary to file charges.

With that being said, I would hate for people to get the idea that we are out to send people to jail. On the contrary, we just like to uphold agreements.

My agreement to you, as Kia's PR/Marketing Intern, is that I will keep my faithful (and few) readers updated on what a day in the life at KIA is really like. or at least an edited version of it.

Slackin' off...

So, I have to apologize. I have been slacking off in the blogging department!

Theres been a lot going on recently, so I wanted to post a bit of a sneak peak on things to come.

We've been doing employee interviews on the Flip Cam; its been an interesting experience getting to know all the people around the dealership. We have some hillarious staff members who are so dedicated to our customers...its been such a pleasure to interview and film them. A few of the videos are already up on facebook, so if you're a fan of our page (and you should be if you're not!) check them out.

We are gearing up for Seminole football! Incase you did not know; Melanie Lee, our GM, is a HUGE football fan. For the first time ever, we are pairing up with ISP Sports for their blockparty. Make sure to come by and see us; I'm working on getting some goodies to give out!

We are already thinking of basketball season; we are working on our ad for the 2010-2011 season. I've got to admit that I am alittle stumped. Any ideas?

Last but not least, Bubba lost a bet:

Training for the 2011 SPORTAGE!

Today was an exciting day at the dealership; our sales team spent the morning with a KIA Motors rep. The rep was here to educate our team on the functions and features of the 2011 Sportage.

In an effort to be able to blog about the training, I sat in and snapped pictures & tried to take some notes. One thing that I took away from the training was that KIA is trying to pull in male customers to a car that has been dominated by female customers.

"The 2011 Sportage also has Duval CVVT, which is great because it adjusts the time of both the intake and exhaust valves. By doing so, it delivers an optimal performance and excellent fuel efficiency."

"My favorite part of training was learning about the Sportage's various comfort and convenience features; an example of this is its incomparable 31 MPG gas mileage."

According to the KIA rep, the 2011 Sportage is "dead sexy." the sales team decided that I absolutely needed to include this in the blog.

"KIA is using European styling in an effort to influence the interior and exterior of the new models!"

Keith "Tiger" Johnson Blogs...

This is the person who wrote this masterpiece...

It’s 3 AM. I wake up in a cold sweat. It happened again; I dreamt that I closed and delivered a vehicle for a customer in my sleep. I realized I was sleep walking and opened up the dealership for a midnight sale.

As you know, since my promotion, I am able to gain access to the dealership whenever I want. Of course, the others don’t know that when I made copies of all of the secret documents, I also made copies of the keys for the doors.

For those of you keeping count, I actually sold three. I have no recollection of how I did it, but I know three cars are missing. They paid cash. Two brand new, fresh off the truck Sportages and 1 fully loaded Sorento.

It is important to mention that I fell asleep with my shirt off, which is probably how I was able to make such a sale without being fully awake. They could not resist an awesome offer from such an awesome looking salesman. In case you don't know, my email is keithisawesomeKIA@gmail.com.

I began selling cars at the tender age of 4 months, and I have traveled to many countries to study the aspects and dynamics of selling cars. From walking 14 miles on rocky roads with two gallon buckets of water, to swimming with piranhas. I have mastered all techniques of selling.

I am a disciplined salesman and finally, in my 13th year of training in the Andes Mountains, I vowed never to take advantage of a patron with my dashing good looks. For that year in training, I had to wear a paper bag while selling cars with 3 wheels and half of engine.

Since they paid for the cars in pesos, I then had to convert the currency. To do this, I had to walk 17 miles to convert the to pure ounces of gold. After converting the money, I serviced the vehicle. I realized I could do more. I went on to feed the community wings that i prepared. I asked one of the local children to time me while I did this, and for those of you still reading, it was 33 minutes for each conversion, service, preparation, and service of food.

Now that I have mastered vehicle selling, I had to control my night walks. Although most could say that they give great deals, I gave 3 great deals...in my sleep. Come to Kia Autosport, but please, for your own good, do not make eye contact with me.

Guest Bloggers

So, I got to thinking, how can I make this blog more enjoyable and entertaining?

And then I walked onto the sales floor and saw the sales team. What if I had some guest bloggers? These guys know their stuff! Since I am new around here, I have to admit, I am still learning the ropes about KIA, the dealership, and selling cars.

The news to use is still important, and sharing my random PR and marketing adventures is still important, but in my effort to make KIA's sales teams more technologically savvy...I am going to ask (probably end up begging) them to blog. Don't forget to check out the facebook and twitter page. The sales team actually TAKES all of those pictures; yep, Melanie and I got them to take a 11 whole pictures.

So this is my mission for today...round up some guest bloggers! Wish me luck, I may need some good bribery ideas. I have a feeling I'll be buying some people lunch...

10 Reasons to do Business with Us

When Melanie asked our sales team to come up with their top 10 reasons customers should shop with us; we got TOO many to count.

As the new intern here, one of my first jobs was to compile and share them.

So here they are, The Top 10 Reasons to do Business with Us:



What are YOUR reasons to do Business with KIA Autosport?

Kia hands over vehicles to 2010 World Cup

Hyundai∙Kia Motors handed over the ground transportation for the tournament to FIFA in an Official Vehicle Handover Ceremony at Soccer City, South Africa today.

The fleet of vehicles include the buses that will transport all 32 participating teams during the competition. In total there will be 830 Hyundai∙Kia passenger cars/vans and 32 Hyundai Universe Express Noble luxury coaches at the disposal of FIFA officials, national teams, members of the organizing committee, referees and media representatives.

The provision of official vehicles is the last piece of the puzzle in ensuring that this long-waited event will be the most successful World Cup in history.FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Vàlcke
Mr. Sean Kim, Senior Vice-President of Hyundai Motor Company, and Mr. Soon-Nam Lee, Director of the Overseas Marketing Group for Kia Motors Corporation, symbolically presented an oversized car key to FIFA Secretary General, Jérôme Vàlcke and CEO of the FIFA Local Organising Committee, Dr. Danny Jordaan, in front of the full fleet display. Valcke commented: “The provision of official vehicles is the last piece of the puzzle in ensuring that this long-waited event will be the most successful World Cup in history.”

Forming the display was the Hyundai Universe Express Noble right-hand drive luxury coaches. The coaches have been specially manufactured and vibrantly decorated with national team colours for use during South Africa 2010.

Hyundai∙Kia is extremely proud of their strong association with FIFA, during which the company has demonstrated itself to be a reliable and effective partner by serving as the official automotive supplier to all FIFA-sanctioned events around the world. Hyundai∙Kia is currently one of FIFA Partners and has extended its strategic sponsorship agreement with FIFA and UEFA to cover international competitions hosted by the associations, including 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups as well as UEFA EURO 2012 and 2016.

Kia Forte Awarded Edmunds.com Consumers' Top Rated(R) Vehicle Award

Kia Forte Awarded Edmunds.com Consumers' Top Rated(R) Vehicle Award

Forte is Top-Rated Sedan by Consumers in 'Under $15,000' Category

- Kia compact sedan recognized for high owner satisfaction

- Forte lauded for style, abundant features and overall value
IRVINE, Calif., June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced the 2010 Kia Forte compact sedan has been named the top-rated sedan under $15,000 in the Edmunds.com Consumers' Top Rated®(1) vehicle awards for 2010. Forte earned strong marks for its excellent overall value, wealth of standard features, being one of the best-looking small cars on the market and most fun-to-drive vehicles in its class.

"As one of several new vehicles to roll out under Kia's exciting new design direction, accolades such as this Edmunds.com award, which provides feedback directly from owners, are evidence of Kia's commitment to consumers by offering vehicles with the content buyers want without breaking the pocketbook," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA. "Forte offers buyers a youthful and dynamically styled vehicle with an impressive array of standard safety features, and being honored as a top-rated sedan under $15,000 by consumers furthers its position as a top contender in its segment and a vehicle that offers the entire package."

Available in three trims, LX, EX and SX, pricing for the Forte sedan starts at $13,695 for the LX trim, while the EX begins at $15,995 and the SX starts at $17,495(2). In addition to competitive pricing, Forte also showcases a class-leading combination of standard safety features with active front headrests, advanced two-stage airbags, front seat-mounted and side curtain airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with an antilock brake system (ABS), brake assist (BAS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electronic stability control (ESC), a traction control system (TCS) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

All Forte models also come well-stocked with a long list of standard amenities, starting with a standard AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service(3). Also standard on all models is an auxiliary audio input jack and USB port for connecting personal MP3 players as well as Bluetooth®(4) wireless technology and connectivity with steering wheel-mounted controls, which enables hands-free operation for all compatible mobile phones.

To determine the winners of the 21 vehicle categories, Edmunds.com invited owners to use the Consumer Ratings and Reviews feature, where they are able to evaluate their new or used vehicles in eight different categories, including performance, comfort, fuel economy, driving impressions, interior design, exterior design, build quality and reliability. Top-rated vehicles are those that received the highest average rating from visitors as of April 28, 2010.

Kia Motors America in 2010

Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic, design-led transformation, which has been delivering dynamically styled vehicles in several important segments at exactly the right time, contributing to the brand's continued gains in U.S. market share. With four new vehicle introductions and several other key initiatives planned for 2010, Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, safety features and with new technology such as UVO powered by Microsoft®(5) infotainment system (expected to be available in select Kia models in the U.S. beginning in summer 2010). The launch of the 2011 Sorento CUV, the official vehicle of the NBA and the first vehicle to be assembled(6) at Kia's first U.S.-based manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia, further enhances the lineup, and is now in dealerships.

Hyundai-Kia hybrids use ‘breakthrough’ battery technologies

Hyundai-Kia hybrids use ‘breakthrough’ battery technologies
Namyang, South Korea — Globe and Mail Update
Published on Thursday, May. 13, 2010 11:43AM EDT

Last updated on Thursday, May. 13, 2010 12:32PM EDT


While they may be late coming to the hybrid party when they arrive later this year, Hyundai and Kia will bring fresh thinking and technology.

Gasoline-electric hybrid versions of the Hyundai Sonata are to roll into dealerships in the last quarter of 2010 and the Kia version – clothed in the next-generation Magentis – will follow a few months later. They will go head-to-head with existing mid-size hybrids like the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion, but will raise the bar on both the gasoline and electric side of the fuel-saving equation.

While they operate under separate design and marketing entities, Hyundai and Kia share engineering and development resources – lots of them. The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group has 10,000 scientists and engineers in the research and development department with a $4-billion operating budget. It has already produced thousands of gasoline-electric hybrids, including LPG-electric versions, hundreds of plug-in hybrids and dozens of third-generation, fuel-cell vehicles.


Shopping for a new vehicle?
Use Globe Drive's auto search function to compare specs and features, and check out the top new car searches of the month

View

.
Determined to leapfrog the Japanese, the first Hyundai and Kia hybrids coming to North America will include advances in engine, transmission and battery technologies. They will use a four-cylinder engine operating on the Atkinson cycle like the competition, but boast direct injection. Instead of the oft-criticized continuously variable transmission (CVT), the Sonata/Magentis will offer a conventional six-speed automatic. And where current hybrids use nickel-metal hydride batteries with lithium-ion units on the near horizon, the Sonata/Magentis pair will employ the first lithium-polymer batteries.

The two will use the usual tricks like tall gearing, low-rolling-resistance tires, low-drag aerodynamics and engine start/stop. But their proprietary hybrid system promises the biggest improvements, especially for highway mileage.

The system, which Hyundai will call Blue Drive and Kia ECOdrive, is a conventional parallel hybrid in that the car can operate on an 2.4-litre, 169-horsepower gasoline engine, an electric motor or both. But this one will use a lithium-polymer battery pack that weighs 43.6 kg compared to 56.3 kg for the nickel-metal-hydride unit in the Camry, which has almost identical energy capacity. It is also 50 per cent smaller and 10 per cent more efficient.

The “breakthrough” lightweight, compact 1.6-kilowatt-hour/270-volt lithium-polymer battery pack was developed with partner LG Chemical Limited, which will also provide batteries for the upcoming Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car. It will be paired with a 40-horsepower electric motor, driving the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine-motor pairing results in 209 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque (You can’t simply add the output of the engine and electric motor as their power peaks at different points).

A second, 11.5-horsepower, electric starter-generator will be employed to restart the engine and provide some recharging assist for the main battery pack.

The lithium-polymer batteries have 175 per cent greater volumetric efficiency allowing them to be smaller and lighter while producing the same power. They also hold their charge 20 per cent longer. Compared to lithium-ion batteries that the rest of the industry is about to introduce, the lithium-polymer units last longer, cost less to make and have a higher energy density according to Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group scientists. They also claim lithium-polymer offers “more thermal robustness” than the lithium-ion batteries used in cell phones and laptops. The Sonata/Magentis battery pack will have a warranty of 10 years or 244,000 km.

The principal overall difference between the Sonata/Magentis hybrids and others is that they have been developed to maximize highway mileage compared to those currently on the market, which emphasize city mileage.

The Sonata/Magentis hybrids will offer a 40 per cent increase in city mileage compared to models equipped with the normal 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, while also offering best-in-class highway mileage.

The Toyota/Ford systems use a CVT with integrated electric motor. The Sonata/Magentis use a six-speed automatic with an electric motor replacing the torque converter. The goal is 6.4 litres/100 km in the city and 6.0 on the highway, which would put them well ahead of the current mid-size hybrids.

The South Korean hybrids are also designed to travel at up to 100 km/h on battery power alone. The current champ is the Fusion Hybrid at 75 km/h.

The Sonata/Magentis also promise the best performance because of the combination of more power and less weight – they tip the scales at 120 kg less than the best of the current crop, the Fusion.

From Georgia comes Kia's latest ride

From Georgia comes Kia's latest ride

By Dave Hodges
DEMOCRAT BUSINESS EDITOR

January 30, 2010

Bathed in floodlights and adorned with red, white and blue balloons, the car appeared to have celebrity status even before you could get close enough to learn the whole story.

Melanie Lee, general manager of Kia AutoSport on West Tennessee Street, had the open house Thursday night to get that word out. The shiny 2011 Sorrento in "white sand beige" and leather seats came not from South Korea but West Point, Ga.
There, Kia Motors America invested $1 billion at the 2,200-acre site to build a plant that will turn out up to 300,000 vehicles a year, Lee said.
She is particularly excited about the Georgia product — her family also owns the Kia dealerships in Albany and Columbus. Having product made practically in their backyard is no doubt a source of pride and of interest to potential customers as well.
"I know having a vehicle manufactured in the United States will be huge," Lee said, adding that car shoppers often tell her they'd consider a Kia along with the American makes if it, too, were a domestic product.

Kia's California and Michigan centers are devoted to automotive design and research. West Point is the first production facility here, and it has generated about 2,500 jobs, plus another 7,500 for suppliers. Lee says two more models will be produced there as output grows.
For 2009, Kia reported its 15th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share, up 46 percent over 2008. Lee looks ahead with optimism. "We are very positive. We had a great January," she said. "Customers are putting us on their shopping list more and more these days, which is exciting to us."

A few feet from the Sorrento was a bright red Kia Soul, the sporty model that you may have seen four hamsters riding around in on TV. Lee says with a grin that Kia's Super Bowl commercial will follow that same theme, though she wouldn't divulge who'll be driving.
Guess we'll have to watch and find out.

Dave Hodges
Business Editor

http://www.free-press-release.com/news-kia-autosport-of-tallahassee-announces-launch-party-date-for-the-all-new-2011-kia-sorento-1264015469.html

http://www.free-press-release.com/news-kia-autosport-of-tallahassee-announces-launch-party-date-for-the-all-new-2011-kia-sorento-1264015469.html

EDMUNDS.COM NAMES 2010 KIA SOUL AND SEDONA “TOP RECOMMENDED” VEHICLES FOR 2010

IRVINE, Calif., January 19, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Adding to an already extensive list of prestigious honors and recognitions, the Kia Soul urban passenger vehicle and Sedona minivan each were named as “Top Recommended” vehicles for 2010 while Soul and the Forte compact sedan were listed among the top 10 “Consumers’ Favorite Cars for College Students” list by leading automotive research site Edmunds.com. Soul, Forte and Sedona each were highlighted for their individual abilities to aptly meet consumers’ needs in their respective segments and still offer an outstanding value.

“Soul and Forte provide buyers youthful and dynamically styled vehicles with an impressive array of standard safety features, high-tech features and extensive personalization options while Sedona presents excellent safety features, convenience and comfort,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing of Kia Motors America (KMA). “It is a testament to the Kia brand to have all three vehicles that embody Kia’s core philosophies of quality, value, safety and style honored by a trusted online automotive resource like Edmunds.com.”

Edmunds.com selected the Top Recommended vehicles as part of its 2010 New Car Buying Guide to assist consumers with the new car buying process. The final Top Recommended list was compiled from multiple categories, including Top Recommended Sedans, Trucks, SUVs, Wagons and Minivans, Diesels, Convertibles, Coupes and for Mobility Challenged Drivers.

The “Consumers’ Favorite Cars for College Students” list is part of a monthly initiative where Edmunds.com invites consumers to participate in surveys to vote on their favorite vehicles in different categories, including favorite luxury sedans, midsize family sedans, hybrids, off-roaders, convertibles, family haulers and economy cars. Like the Top Recommended vehicles, the results are published online to help assist car buyers with future purchasing decisions.

Available in four trims, Soul, Soul+, Soul! (exclaim) and Soul sport, Kia Motors’ affordable halo vehicle offers an attractive starting price below $14,0001. Four special edition Souls, based on the Soul+ trim, also are being released throughout the year, including Denim Soul, Ignition Soul and most recently Shadow Dragon Soul. Offering consumers even more ways to personalize Soul, each special edition comes with its own unique exterior color and packaging.

The uniquely styled Soul offers an extensive list of standard safety features, including front seat active headrests, dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and full-length side curtain airbags, an Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, an impact-absorbing steering column and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system also come standard.

Available in three trims, LX, EX and SX, pricing for the Forte sedan starts at $13,6951 for the LX trim, while the EX begins at $15,9951 and the SX starts at $17,4951. In addition to competitive pricing, Forte comes well-stocked with a long list of standard amenities, starting with a standard AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service2. Also standard on all models is an auxiliary audio input jack and USB port for connecting personal MP3 players as well as Bluetooth®3 wireless technology and connectivity with steering wheel-mounted controls, which enables hands-free operation for all compatible mobile phones.

The 2010 Sedona is available in three trims, base, LX and EX. Pricing for the Sedona starts at $21,2454, while moving up to the LX trim starts at $22,2454, and the EX models begin at $27,7454. A segment leader in value and safety, Sedona, named the “safest minivan ever tested” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), offers consumers invaluable protection provided by a wide range of standard safety features, including six standard airbags (dual advanced front and front seat-mounted side air bags, and full-length side curtain air bags for all three seating rows), active front headrests, a four-channel, four-sensor, Antilock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), which takes into account vehicle load and weight distribution and ensures the appropriate stopping force is used.

Kia Product Line
Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic, design-led transformation, which has been delivering dynamically styled vehicles in several important segments at exactly the right time, contributing to the brand’s continued gains in U.S. market share. The vehicle line features the stylish Forte compact sedan and all-new two-door Forte Koup, the highly personalizable Soul, functional Rondo CUV, award-winning Sedona minivan, purposeful Optima midsize sedan and versatile yet fuel-efficient Rio and Rio5 subcompacts. The launch of the all-new 2011 Sorento CUV, the official vehicle of the NBA and the first vehicle to be built at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia5, Kia’s first U.S.-based manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia, further enhances the lineup.

Kia Debuts 2010 Shadow Dragon Soul at Detroit Auto Show

Posted Today 01:00 PM by Steve Diehlman
Category: News, Detroit Auto Show

Kia used the 2010 Detroit auto show to unveil the Shadow Dragon Soul, the third of four designer-grade versions of its funky compact box.


Reminiscent of the Soul "Burner" concept shown at the 2008 Geneva motor show, the Shadow Dragon Soul's name stems largely from its exterior appearance. Designers have painted the car in gloss black, then applied matte black dragon graphics and stripes. If that weren't enough, a black finish was applied to the 18-inch aluminum wheels, bumper inserts, and the wing spoiler. Interior modifications are limited to the seats, which are trimmed in black leather.


Like the previous two Soul special editions (the Denim and Ignition), the Shadow Dragon Soul is built upon the Soul + model. A sunroof, fog lamps, moonroof, Bluetooth, USB audio port, and carpeted floor mats are all standard equipment. The Shadow Dragon is also equipped with the available Audio Upgrade Package, which adds a center speaker, a subwoofer, and speaker lamps that pulse to the music.

Micahel Sprague, Kia's vice-president of marketing, says the Shadow Dragon is "the most distinctive special-edition Soul" yet. If you agree, hurry to your Kia dealer. Shadow Dragon models equipped with a manual transmission start at $18,890.

Kia Motors America claims 15th year of increased market share

Kia Motors America claims 15th year of increased market share

Tire Business staff report

DETROIT (Jan. 12, 2010) — As U.S. auto makers, with the exception of Ford Motor Co., continue to struggle post-bankruptcy, Kia Motors America (KMA) said today that its market share in the U.S. has increased for the 15th consecutive year.

The car company, a subsidiary of Seoul, South Korea-based Kia Motors Corp., reported its market share gained more than 46 percent over 2008. Kia said that increase was fueled by a “record-selling 2009 that saw the brand surpass many popular nameplates.” KMA’s 2009 sales of 300,063 units represents a 9.8-percent improvement over the previous year, “despite the auto industry’s overall negative performance and the challenging economic conditions,” the firm said.

Helping KMA was the introduction of four all-new vehicles—the Soul, Forte, Forte Koup and 2011 Sorento—that “attracted new and more affluent customers to its showrooms and began changing perception of the brand with their combination of dramatic styling, fun-to-drive performance, advanced technology features and outstanding value,” according to the company.

Last November Kia Motors began production at its first manufacturing plant in the U.S., a 2,200-acre complex in West Point, Ga., where the car maker’s first U.S.-built vehicle, the Sorento, rolled off the production line at its Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia unit. The plant is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles at full capacity and employ 2,500 workers, with on-site and nearby suppliers creating 7,500 additional jobs in the region, Kia said.

The company added that Kia Motors is one of only three manufacturers to post a sales increase in 2009.

Kia AutoSport of Tallahassee sells it's First American Made 2011 Kia Sorento

Mandy and James Bamber become Tallahassee's first 2011 KIA Sorento Owners!!