After years of lingering in the shadow of Hyundai, 2011 may be regarded as the year when sister brand Kia has finally emerged as an equally formidable world-class Korean emblem.
CAC/KIA sent a media contingent to the Rio launch in Adelaide, Australia.
Despite the fact that both brands are owned by the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group as well as share platforms and powertrains, the design direction Kia recently took enabled it to establish itself in the public mind.
Veering away from the shapely and super curvy design philosophy of its sister brand, Kia decided to embrace cleaner lines and more-organic styling.
Kudos to German-based chief designer Peter Schreyer who injected life to every brand new Kia—a unique design DNA that begins with an eye-catching tiger nose grille.
Welcome change
It was a welcome change that Columbian Autocar Corp. certainly appreciated as the distributor of the Kia brand in the Philippines suddenly enjoyed renewed energy able to sell 4,481 units as of November.
“People not only perceive Kia as a wise and practical choice but also a lifestyle statement,” said CAC president Ginia Domingo who reported that Kia’s stylish Picanto is enjoying an 89 percent sales increase while the bold and edgy Soul is basking on a 69 percent sales growth. Sharp-looking Sportage improved its sales by 56 percent.
SHARP-LOOKING Sportage improved its sales by 56 percent this year
Domingo also attributed Kia’s rising fame to the various sponsorships CAC entered into this year including the historic Le Tour De Filipinas 2011, a race that was included in the Asia Tour calendar of world governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale.
Azkals supporter
Last May, CAC also signed on with the Philippine Azkals as the football team’s official transport provider.
In its thrust to further strengthen its presence, CAC also kicked off its first-ever Kia Cup football invitational, attracting more than 50 teams in the men’s and ladies’ open divisions. Even key members of the Azkals as well as the Homeless World Cup street soccer team that CAC supports joined the tourney.
“To further establish the Kia brand, we are also tapping the power of the social media (https://www.facebook.com/kiainthephilippines). When we launched the all-new Picanto last May, we created a microsite to highlight the ‘My Best Pic’ campaign as well as help interested buyers find more information about the new model,” said Domingo.
Domingo added that this same fervor and passion continues win the recent introduction of the all-new Sportage, an award winning compact SUV (the much-coveted 2011 Red Dot Design Award and the iF Product Design Award 2011).