Following an historic year for Kia Motors America (KMA), including important milestones such as the company’s best-ever full-year sales of 356,268 units; a 16th consecutive year of market share growth to an all-time high of 3.1 percent; and the launch of the company’s first U.S.-built vehicle1 – the Sorento CUV – KMA now has been recognized as the “Most Improved Mainstream Brand” in the ALG Residual Value Awards brand rankings outlined in the latest ALG Industry Report , moving four spots from 14th place in 2010 to 10th in 2011. Driven by the wildly successful launches of the 2011 Sorento and Sportage and the all-new 2011 Optima – recently named the “Best of 2011” by Cars.com – this recognition indicates a continued rise in consumer confidence in the Kia brand and future improvements to brand value.
“We have introduced seven new models in the past two years and throughout this aggressive launch cycle we have maintained Kia’s commitment to offering stylish and fun-to-drive vehicles with the technology, convenience and safety features consumers desire, and this recognition from ALG is another example of the continued rise in consumer awareness and confidence in the Kia brand,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, communications & marketing, KMA. “We are committed to staying ahead of the curve and challenging the industry with our new product offerings, as evidenced by the launch of the all-new 2011 Optima and upcoming launches of our first-ever hybrid and turbocharged vehicles in the U.S..”
“Improvements in quality ratings and sales strategy have helped set the stage for stronger consumer confidence in the Kia brand,” said Eric Lyman, director, residual value solutions. “This strategy has allowed it to expand its presence in the mainstream market, and earn it the most improved mainstream brand in the ALG 2011 Residual Value Awards brand rankings.”
The 2011 Sportage compact CUV offers a class-leading residual value of 62 percent of the original manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for 36 months of ownership, while the all-new 2011 Optima offers a residual value of 52 percent, up 19 percentage points from the 2010 Optima and better than the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. Both vehicles express Kia Motors’ current design language while offering an impressive array of standard features, including an AM/FM/CD/MP3/Sat audio system with SIRIUS® Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service2 , an auxiliary and USB audio input jacks for connecting with MP3 players3 , and Bluetooth®3 wireless technology connectivity with steering wheel-mounted voice activation controls to enable hands-free operation for compatible mobile phones.
