Kia
Peter Schreyer must be one of the most adulated men in Korea right now. The German native styling guru has been completely immune to design failures ever since he joined Kia. Let us rephrase that: Schreyer is Kia. Just walk into a dealership and take a look at the Rio, Optima, Sportage and Sorento; there's not a single ugly duckling in there!
And it's not all about styling, although Kia interiors largely explain the success of these vehicles. It's also a matter of driving dynamics and modern technology. Everybody knows that Hyundai and Kia share a lot of mechanical components. Their differences can be seen and felt behind the wheel, with Kia models being sportier and more dynamic. We're obviously not saying that Hyundais aren't fun to drive either. As for technology, buyers are treated to AWD, hybrids, turbos, and all the gadgets they look for.
Sales have been rising steadily for a number of years now, and as long as Kia products remain this attractive, offering unparalleled value as well as excellent warranties and incentives, they will keep flying off dealer lots. Moreover, just like Hyundai, Kia is aggressively planning limited edition models.
Despite a tough and highly competitive market, nothing seems capable of stopping the Koreans.
Peter Schreyer must be one of the most adulated men in Korea right now. The German native styling guru has been completely immune to design failures ever since he joined Kia. Let us rephrase that: Schreyer is Kia. Just walk into a dealership and take a look at the Rio, Optima, Sportage and Sorento; there's not a single ugly duckling in there!
And it's not all about styling, although Kia interiors largely explain the success of these vehicles. It's also a matter of driving dynamics and modern technology. Everybody knows that Hyundai and Kia share a lot of mechanical components. Their differences can be seen and felt behind the wheel, with Kia models being sportier and more dynamic. We're obviously not saying that Hyundais aren't fun to drive either. As for technology, buyers are treated to AWD, hybrids, turbos, and all the gadgets they look for.
Sales have been rising steadily for a number of years now, and as long as Kia products remain this attractive, offering unparalleled value as well as excellent warranties and incentives, they will keep flying off dealer lots. Moreover, just like Hyundai, Kia is aggressively planning limited edition models.
Despite a tough and highly competitive market, nothing seems capable of stopping the Koreans.
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| 2011 Kia Sorento (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |