Kia Motors America And DonorsChoose.org Form Partnership To Benefit More Than 125,000 Public School Students Nationwide In 2012

Fast-Growing Automaker's Donation and Double Your Impact Campaign will Generate more than Two Million Dollars for School Supplies and Educational Resources this Year

Press Release: Kia Motors America – Tue, Aug 28, 2012 4:03 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DonorsChoose.org, the online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need, announced today that Kia Motors America (KMA) has made a $1 million commitment to public schools as part of the citizen philanthropy organization's first-ever national partnership with an automotive brand. Kia's donation launches a Double Your Impact campaign with DonorsChoose.org, designed to fund 50 percent of classroom projects near Kia's network of more than 755 retail showrooms across the country as well as the company's U.S. headquarters in southern California and assembly plant in southwest Georgia. By matching community donations, KMA will bring more than $2 million of classroom projects to life and the offer is available until all funding is applied to classroom projects.

To view the multimedia content associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/57176-kia-corporate-social-responsibility
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120828/MM61697)
"Kia Motors is the fastest growing car company in the U.S. over the last five years[1], and one of our company's core values – 'Globality' – teaches us to strive to become a respected global corporate citizen, which drives our company to contribute to a better future," said Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of KMA and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia. "Kia is committed to making a difference and is proud to be the first automotive brand to establish a national philanthropic partnership with DonorsChoose.org to help provide school supplies for children most in need, while supporting all of the communities across the country that we call home."

Public schools in these areas nationwide are encouraged to post projects in need of funding with a total value of $600 on www.donorschoose.org. The goal is to fulfill needs and foster innovation in public schools. Kia will match all donations made to these public and charter school classrooms by citizen philanthropists until funds have been exhausted.

"DonorsChoose.org engages the community in public schools by giving people a simple, accountable and personal way to address educational inequity," said Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org. "Our new partnership with Kia Motors will deliver badly needed resources to more than 125,000 public school students across America."

Classroom projects that will be funded include requests for books, microscopes, field trips, and musical instruments among others. Anyone can visit DonorsChoose.org to find a classroom project that inspires them. Once the project reaches its funding goal, donors receive photos of the project taking place, a thank you letter from the teacher and a cost report showing how each dollar was spent.

About DonorsChoose.org
Founded in 2000, more than 238,000 public school teachers have used DonorsChoose.org (www.donorschoose.org) to secure funding for $120 million in books, art supplies, technology, and other resources that their students need to learn. Through DonorsChoose.org, individuals from all walks of life have helped 6.8 million students.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 755 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA. In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies in the in the U.S.[1] Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, advanced safety features and new technologies.
Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its website – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

[1] Based on 5-year cumulative growth between 12-month retail sales for periods ending July 2007 and July 2012 of all U.S. automotive brands.

source: http://finance.yahoo.com/

Kia Motors America Partners With HerHighway In A Nationwide Drive To Raise Awareness Of Breast Cancer

Kia Provides Vehicles for Drive Breast Cancer Awareness Event
By Kia Motors America

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 18, 2012 --

• 10 city, across-the-nation drive event will conclude in New York City to kick off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October
• Kia's vehicle fleet plays host to breast cancer survivors, influential women journalists/bloggers and female motorsports drivers

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) announced today that it has partnered with HerHighway.com, an online site empowering women with bumper-to-bumper automobile knowledge, to supply Kia vehicles for "Drive Breast Cancer Awareness," an across-the-nation drive event, which aims to raise public awareness around breast cancer.  The eight-day cross-country road trip will start in Los Angeles on September 25 and finish in New York City on October 2, which marks the start of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

More than 100 women will participate, including breast cancer survivors, journalists, bloggers and race car drivers Shea Holbrook, Ashley Van Dyke and Melanie Troxel.  The vehicles that KMA is providing for the drive include the 2013 Kia Sportage EX, 2013 Kia Soul! (Exclaim) and 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid.  Along the way, the drivers will make pit stops at various locations to talk about the event and to raise awareness about breast cancer.  The public can also follow the drivers via Twitter with the #HerHighway and #Kia hashtags.

"Kia is deeply committed to supporting HerHighway and the 'Drive Breast Cancer Awareness' event which delivers much-needed awareness towards a disease that affects approximately one in eight women in the United States," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, KMA.  "Kia vehicles such as the Sportage, Optima and Soul are perfect vehicles for a cross-country road trip, and it is our privilege to provide these vehicles that will help HerHighway get the word out about breast cancer."

The "Drive Breast Cancer Awareness" campaign started in 2011 when its founder Christina Selter, HerHighway's Editor-in-Chief, was diagnosed with possible ALCL, a rare form of liquid breast cancer.  Since her diagnosis, Selter's goal has been to bring potentially life-saving information about breast cancer to women across the country through this drive.  A few weeks after the conclusion of the event, Selter will undergo a full Capsulectomy.

Kia's Unprecedented Growth  Kia Motors is one of the world's fastest moving global automotive brands; from 2009-2011 Kia launched more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker, and under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer earned a reputation as an industry leader in automotive styling.  Kia Motors America's full line of fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive cars and CUVs has earned critical acclaim and dramatically increased consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand.  In 2011, KMA recorded its 17th consecutive year of market share growth, thanks in part to the largest increase of any major brand in perceived quality1 and the industry's highest brand loyalty ranking2.  Kia's U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia – KMMG – is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and builds two of the company's best-selling vehicles in the U.S. – the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan*.  Kia's value and technology-laden lineup also includes the Sportage compact CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Optima Hybrid, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and Sedona minivan.

About Kia Motors America Kia Motors America is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 755 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA. In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S3. Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, advanced safety features and new technologies.
Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its website – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.
About HerHighway HerHighway is a team of female automotive and lifestyle experts on a mission to empower women with bumper-to-bumper automobile knowledge and everything along the way.   HerHighway's bumper-to-bumper automotive reviews, tips and feature articles created expressly for women…by women.  That's what makes us such a refreshing detour in a male-dominated world.  HerHighway's Editor in Chief Christina Selter, is a nationally-recognized automotive and safety expert, she has been featured in more than 2,000 national and local newscasts, international press conferences and automobile trade shows around the country. She created the Drive Breast Cancer Awareness not only to create awareness of this terrible disease, but to pay homage to those that have fought and lost.

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX Trims and certain LX Trims only) and GDI Turbo are built in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.
[1]  Source: Automotive Lease Guide Spring 2011 Perceived Quality Study.
[2] Source: Experian Automotive Q2 2011 market analysis.
[3]  Based on 5-year cumulative growth between 12-month retail sales for periods ending July 2007 and August 2012 of all U.S. automotive brands.

SOURCE Kia Motors America

Kia Procee'd fully shown ahead of Paris

The new Kia Procee'd is shown in full ahead of its Paris motror show debut

The new Kia Procee'd will reach the UK in the spring PrevNext

by Mark Tisshaw. 17 September 2012.

Kia has fully revealed its new Kia Procee'd ahead of the Paris motor show.

The new three-door line-up will spawn a performance version with around 200bhp; this will reach the UK in June next year. This model is the next stage in Kia's desire to become a brand with the performance credentials to back up its design flair.

Cee'd product manager, Vladislav Alexiev told Autocar the firm was "ready for the next step" should the warm Procee'd be well received by markets. More performance and niche, style-led models such as a production version of the acclaimed Kia GT concept are on the cards.

Standard versions of the new Procee'd, revealed ahead of the Paris motor show, will launch in the UK in the spring. Initial engine options will include 1.6 petrol and diesel units taken from the Cee'd five-door line-up.

The warm hatch will be powered by a turbocharged 1.6 petrol, which is predicted to have strong low-end torque as well as headline power of around 200bhp.

The performance model will have bespoke chassis settings, and a unique look inside and out, which will include 18in alloy wheels. Testing on UK roads has taken place.

The Procee'd sits 10mm lower than the standard Cee'd five-door and is the same width and length, and shares the same wheelbase. The rear suspension is a multi-link design.

The stylish design of the Procee'd features a slimmer grille to the five-door, and a revised design for the fog lights and lower bumper at the front. It is rakish in profile, and a distinctive kink kicks up from the bottom of the slim glasshouse. The roofline and tailgate are sloping and, combined with the wide rear haunches, give the Procee'd a low, muscular stance.

On the subject of further expansion after the warm hatch, Alexiev said: "We're ready for the next step but are careful and listen to the markets and what is expected from the brand. Our designers are always pushing, but we must keep establishing the brand with cars like the Procee'd to give it the credentials to do different things. We are very interested to hear the feedback."

The Procee'd is tipped to take between 12 and 14 per cent of all Cee'd sales. In the UK, it is likely to be comparatively priced to the five door but with different levels of equipment for even greater differentiation.

Source: Autocar.com

2013 Kia Rio SX Hatchback to Offer Manual Transmission

It’s long been true that only the base, stripped-out trim levels of many cars offer a manual transmission. That was certainly true of the Kia Rio, which offered a six-speed manual solely on LX models. Now, however, Kia has responded to customer interest and launched a limited run of 2013 Rio SX hatchbacks equipped with manual transmissions.

By offering its six-speed manual transmission alongside a six-speed automatic on the Rio SX hatchback, Kia says it’s catering to driving enthusiasts who want the fun of changing gear themselves, but still want a long list of standard equipment. The car was also inspired by the fact that Kia has been promoting the Rio LX hatchback as the basis for its B-Spec race car. Customers who buy a Rio LX can then purchase a $14,000 kit to transform the hatchback into a race car.

“Our customers and the automotive press have been asking for the Rio 5-door SX with a manual transmission, and we’ve listened,” Kia Motors America director of product planning Orth Hedrick said in a statement. “We’ll continue to evaluate consumer demand and consider bringing other high-spec manuals to market.”

Standard equipment for the 2013 Kia Rio SX manual hatchback includes push-button start, touch-screen navigation, a backup camera, 17-inch allow wheels, LED running lights, sport suspension, satellite radio, and special “sporty” black cloth upholstery. Compare that to the only other Kia Rio available with a manual transmission: the LX trim has 16-inch steel wheels and a four-speaker audio system, but lacks things like cruise control, a telescopic steering wheel, power windows, and power door locks. Under the hood is the same 138-hp, 1.6-liter inline-four engine as any other version of the Kia Rio, which returns 30/40 mpg (city/highway).

Kia will build fewer than 500 examples of the 2013 Rio SX manual. The car starts at $18,650 (after a $750 destination charge).

Kia isn’t the only company to make manual transmissions available on higher trim levels of its small cars. Ford recently decided to add a stick-shift option to the top-spec Titanium versions of its Focus, in response to strong customer demand. We say: long live the manual transmission!

Source: Kia

Kia introduces all-new Quoris luxury sedan

Sun, 09 September 2012

Middle East and Africa preview event organised in Muscat — By A Staff Reporter — MUSCAT — A special event was held in Muscat recently to mark the Middle East and Africa preview of the all-new Kia Quoris luxury flagship sedan. The top management team from Kia Motor Corporation, Seoul consisting of Jae Yong Chung, Director - Middle East and Africa/Asia Pacific Operations, Peter Schreyer, Kia's renowned Chief Design Officer, Soon-Nam Lee, Director - Overseas Marketing Group, and Moon-Yong Chung, President of Kia’s Middle East and Africa regional headquarters were in Muscat for this exclusive launch event that was hosted for the Middle East and Africa market.

More than 70 delegates from over ten countries across the region participated in this event. During this event, a detailed presentation regarding the new model was shared by the KMC team and the all new Kia Quoris was unveiled with special effects. The participants in this event also had an opportunity to test drive the all new Kia Quoris. The all-new Kia Quoris luxury flagship will power the Kia brand into an entirely new segment of the global automotive market. The first modern rear-wheel drive Kia tops the global model range and is a true landmark vehicle for the company, combining stylish design with luxurious comfort, engaging driving dynamics and advanced high-tech features. This model would be available in Oman from November 2012.

“Quoris is our first rear-wheel drive large sedan for more than a decade and sets new standards for advanced design, new technologies and driving performance”, comments Thomas Oh, Kia Executive Vice-President and COO of the International Business Division. The name ‘Quoris’ conveys solidity, luxury and high technology, all resonating together as a chorus. The name is derived from the English words ‘core’ and ‘quality’ and hints at the attributes within the very heart the new flagship.

“Quoris is all about elegant simplicity, balanced proportions and simple surfaces.” says Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer. “The class-leading long wheelbase, the prestige distance, large wheels, sharply upright short overhangs and a long sweeping shoulder line all work together in harmony to give Quoris a sporty, athletic proportion and a confident stance quintessential to a premium large rear-wheel drive vehicle.” V6 power and eight-speed transmission: Quoris is available in Middle East markets powered by an upgraded 290 ps Lambda V6 3.8-litre MPI engine.

Every Quoris comes with Kia’s all-new eight-speed automatic transmission. The wide spread of gear ratios guarantees brisk acceleration and high-speed refinement, while shift-by-wire (SBW) technology with a joystick control delivers fast, smooth gear changes. Rear-wheel drive characteristics: Together with the ultra-stiff bodyshell, Quoris’s electronically controlled air suspension with five-link front and rear suspension geometry gives the new flagship first-class ride and handling characteristics.

Three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sport) enable the driver to choose a preferred set-up of suspension, steering, engine and transmission that is ideal for various road conditions or driving styles. Advanced smart cruise control (ASCC): Quoris is fitted with Kia’s first radar-based advanced smart cruise control (ASCC). This system continuously monitors traffic conditions and speed in order to maintain a pre-determined safe distance from the vehicle ahead.

Advanced vehicle safety management (AVSM): Integrating the control of various vehicle monitoring systems, including the electronic stability control (ESC) and multiple warning systems and can alert the driver, depending on the anticipated level of a collision risk. Detecting a risk of a collision, AVSM warns the driver via a loud audible alarm, and a visual warning on both the head up display (HUD) and TFT LCD cluster.

Class-leading blind spot detection with lane change assistance: The blind spot detection (BSD) gives the driver a warning when a vehicle comes into the blind spot zone along each side of the Quoris. The lane change assistance (LCA) system alerts the driver to vehicles approaching from the rear at high speeds. Around view monitor system: This system, offers a true 360-degree all-around view in eight different viewing modes, displayed on the audio video navigation (AVN) monitor. It provides a virtual ‘top’ view in motion, so the driver can easily have a full grasp of all his or her surroundings, maximizing safety for the car occupants as well as pedestrians.

New standards in comfort and convenience: Every Quoris driver will appreciate the remarkable clarity of the all-new 12.3-inch wide thin film transistor (TFT) LCD cluster. The high-definition cluster features Kia’s ‘two cylinder’ instrument design with precise graphics and delivers a wide range of information with immense clarity. Quoris is also equipped with a HUD (head-up display) which presents a variety of information discretely in the driver’s sight line, enabling it to be assimilated without distracting from the road ahead.

To assist Quoris drivers the new sedan is equipped with PGS (parking guide system). The system features automatic steering control by an on-board computer to safely perform parallel parking. Exceptionally spacious interior beneath large glass sunroof: As well as providing high-tech protection for its occupants, every Quoris enables them to enjoy a sophisticated, refined and luxurious interior. Both the front seats are powered, heated and ventilated. The driver’s seat features 16-way adjustment and memory settings, while the passenger seat has 10-way adjustment. The regular rear seat has three-stage heating of the cushion and backrest, with manually adjustable lumbar support and a folding center armrest.

A special ‘VIP’ option will offer twin heated and ventilated rear seats with a reclining backrest, sliding cushion and lower leg support for the ‘nearside’ seat, together with a front passenger seat that slides forwards when unoccupied. Premium Lexicon audio system and multi-media rear seat entertainment: The in-vehicle infotainment system available for Quoris is remarkable. The touchscreen on the dashboard allows the driver to take advantage of state-of-the-art functions and services, while the backseat display supports a variety of video formats to entertain passengers. A rich multi-media with premium sound and high-definition displays on dual 9.2-inch monitors mounted in the back of each front seat is provided. The folding center armrest for the rear seats incorporates a complete set of controls for the multi-media system.

Quoris features a premium audio system from Lexicon by Harman, the renowned creator of truly concert-hall standards of sound reproduction. A 12-channel digital amplifier is mounted in the trunk, two speakers are fitted in each front door, three are fitted in each rear door, four are located in the dashboard center, with two surround-sound speakers and an inverted sub-woofer. Kia Motors

Corporation — a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart — was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. Over 2.5 million Kia vehicles a year are produced in 15 manufacturing and assembly operations in ten countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 149 countries. Kia today has over 47,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of US$39 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World Cup™. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan – "The Power to Surprise" – represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting and inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.