Kia Motors America’s Record January, Adds K900 In Spring 2014
Kia Motors America is reporting record sales for January 2014. The Seoul, South Korea based company has been in the American market for 20 years now and have seen a growing brand loyalty. With 37,011 Kia vehicles sold, the company outdid their January 2013 numbers by just over 700 units.
Kia made a lot of noise last year, when they rolled out seven brand new lines or major overhauls to previous models. The best performing car for Kia is the Optima, whicView Posth is built in the U.S. But the 9,979 units sold of the mid-sized sedan were actually down from the first months numbers in 2013 of 11,252. Overall, Kia performed very well in 2013, even exceeding projections with a fourth quarter sales rise of 29 percent. Kia Motors America struggled last year, as the strength of the won in South Korea continues to cause exports to be expensive.
Sales dropped for the company 1.3 percent in the month of January, in spite of the outstanding American performance. In a statement released by the car manufacturer, they blamed the lower sales posting on the Lunar New Year holiday. “Fewer working days to make cars and an inability to meet some overseas orders affected last month’s numbers.” The Hyundai owned company expects to outpace Toyota in sales growth for 2014. However, the strength of the won versus the strength of the yen could cause those numbers to slip.
With a growing line up of vehicles and exceeding sales of 500,000 plus for two years in a row, Kia Motors America is hoping to make its biggest splash ever in 2014. Their aggressive marketing campaign has grown throughout the years. Touting major sponsorships with the NBA and LPGA, brand recognition is growing. The Super Bowl is always an excellent opportunity for car companies to reveal what they are doing and Kia took advantage this year. Featuring a commercial offering customers a chance to see real luxury, the motor company went all in on the K900 luxury sedan being offered this spring.
The commercial is just the beginning of a major media push for the Kia K900. Their aim is to redefine luxury. The K9, South Korea’s K900 counterpart, has already seen 600 units sold this month. Also coming on the market this year will be Kia’s first exploration into the electronic vehicle arena. The Soul EV will be revealed at this week’s Chicago Auto Show. It has already been awarded for its use of biodegradable plastics in the body design.
“We are proud that our Kia Soul EV has achieved both the auto industry’s and the world’s first UL Environmental claim validation for its bio-based organic carbon content for ten per cent of its interior materials,” said Jong-Dae Lim, VP of Kia’s Material Development Center. Kia Motors seems poised to continue growing and excelling in the American market.
