Experience the Kia Rio via Interactive Apps

In today’s digital era, the traditional car brochure just doesn’t cut it anymore. Not only is paper so passé and static, it’s also not very green. Aside from encouraging an actual test drive, Kia has been pioneering new and stimulating ways to experience its vehicles from the convenience of your mobile or computing devices.

 

Today on Kia-Buzz we’re going to be spotlighting some informative and amusing apps for the All-new Kia Rio.

All-new Kia Rio iPad App:

 

This app’s CGI intro looks like a scene from Inception, and earns it some extra cool points in our book. In addition, it has absolutely everything you need to know about the Kia Rio. Not only can you find the most detailed technical specs such as size, weight and fuel consumption, but you can also look at all things Rio, including commercials and a detailed profile of its designer Peter Schreyer, Chief Design Officer at Kia. Feel free to spin it around for a 360-degree view, experiment with exterior styling options and tryout some interactive features.

See the full gallery on Posterous

There are too many features to list in this blog post, but don’t take our word for it. Download the app for yourself and take it for a test spin by simply searching for “Kia Rio” on the Apple App Store.

Rio Beat Star Facebook App:

Rio Beat Star– Don’t get us started on how addictive this game has become at Kia’s Global Headquarters. Our boss had to tell us to chill out one day, but we later busted him playing it himself.

Rio Beat Star is a rhythm game that you control through your keyboard and quick hand-eye coordination. If you want to score big points, we recommend playing different game modes available in the options menu. Be sure to tryout the “hidden” mode. It’s by far the hardest mode that requires extraordinary timing and fast fingers.

Be sure to look out for our furry friends from the 20^th Century Fox animation Rio: The Movie who occasionally pop out to say hello. To encourage the spirit of competition, the game keeps track of your score allowing you to see how you stack up against other players from across the globe. Try it out and see how you rank!

 

What kind of Kia apps do you want to see in the future?

 

Courtesy of Kia Buzz

We'd like to welcome the author of this review to the Van Griffith Kia family, we are happy to have you!

"I wanted a fun car. I have spent the last 20 years in a van and was ready for a sporty smaller car. I spoke with Brad several times and he worked out a deal for our new Kia 5 door Forte. I love the little car and was amazed that my husband did too! The team at Van Griffith was all very friendly and easy to work with. We are proud to be a part of the Van Griffith family. I would send friends and family their way. The drive to Granbury was well worth it!"-hart376063

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Kia Motors Dreams Up Super Bowl Commercial Starring Supermodel Adriana Lima, Rock Legends Motlet Crue and MMA Fighter Chuck Liddell

“Mr. Sandman” Brings a Dream to an Unsuspecting Couple in 60-Second Spot to Introduce New 2012 Optima Limited; Kia is First to Premiere Super Bowl Ad in Movie Theaters

• “Drive the Dream” campaign’s soundtrack includes The Chordettes’ recording of “Mr. Sandman” and Mötley Crüe’s “Kickstart My Heart”
• Noam Murro, director of the upcoming Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures’ “300” prequel, helms fast-growing automaker’s Super Bowl ad for second consecutive year

IRVINE, Calif., January 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Dreams have been a topic of speculation and interest throughout history, and Kia Motors America (KMA) is tapping into the idea of dreams revealing true desires in a new 60-second commercial set to air during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLVI. In the spot, titled “Drive the Dream,” the new 2012 Optima Limited races through a Gen X couple’s wildest thoughts as they sleep, including: Victoria’s Secret® Angel Adriana Lima waving the checkered flag at a speedway; an in-your-face Mötley Crüe concert; mixed martial arts legend Chuck Liddell battling in the ring; a heroine and hunk on horseback in a romance novel setting; champion bull rider Judd Leffew taming a bucking rhinoceros; and a fairy tale ending.

Kia returns to the big game for the third straight year with a fully integrated marketing campaign incorporating TV, cinema, digital, print, social media and in-dealership components. In a Super Bowl advertising first, the complete “Drive the Dream” ad will premiere on February 2 on more than 18,000 movie screens nationwide in National CineMedia’s FirstLook pre-show program before airing in the game. Kia also will run 15-second teaser ads featuring Adriana Lima on TV and in cinema beginning on January 27, while also leveraging the Twitter and Facebook channels of the spot's celebrity cast. A special expanded version of the ad will be available at YouTube.com/Kia beginning on February 2.

“With more than 100 million people watching the Super Bowl broadcast and millions more viewing content online around the world, Kia will once again deliver a memorable, one-of-a-kind campaign that entertains people before, during and after the game and leaves them wanting to see the Optima Limited fantasy again and again,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. “We selected an eclectic group of celebrities and personalities for ‘Drive the Dream’ to enable us to tap into a diverse body of fan bases and leverage each talent’s expansive social media footprint.”

Created by David&Goliath, “Drive the Dream” opens with the familiar notes of The Chordettes’ “Mr. Sandman” as a real-life Mr. Sandman enters the bedroom of an unsuspecting young couple who are asleep. After being sprinkled with “Sweet Dreams” dust, the woman smiles and envisions herself on a horse with a romance novel-like hunk in a beautiful green meadow. Meanwhile, Mr. Sandman accidentally stumbles and spills his entire night’s dust supply on the man, launching an extreme dream sequence that begins with the roaring guitars of Mötley Crüe’s “Kickstart My Heart” and Adriana Lima waving a checkered flag as he blasts around a race track at night in a Snow White Pearl Optima Limited with thousands of bikini-clad fans cheering him on from the stands.

As he circles the track with Lima looking on adoringly, the dreaming driver receives nods of approval from the band as bursts of flames and fireworks surround their stage as well as Chuck Liddell, champion bull rider Judd Leffew, and a pair of lumberjacks sawing a massive submarine sandwich.

“Mötley Crüe had a blast doing the Kia commercial,” said bassist Nikki Sixx. “A hot model, a fast car, a pro fighter, pyrotechnics and rock n' roll...What's not to love?”

Much to the disbelief of Lima and drummer Tommy Lee, the high-octane dream turns into a fairy tale when the husband makes a conscious decision to drive the Optima Limited off the race track and into his wife’s fantasy to win her back from Prince Charming.

“After working with Kia for the Super Bowl last year I was drawn to work with the fast-growing brand again by the idea of exploring people’s ultimate fantasies in a fun and lighthearted way, and I am certain we have created a spot people will be talking about after the game,” said director, Noam Murro.

As part of the “Drive the Dream” campaign, beginning on Thursday, February 2 consumers can download a $25 pre-paid test drive voucher¹ at Kia.com that is redeemable after eligible consumers visit a Kia dealership and complete a test drive of any Optima model.

New for 2012², the Optima Limited adds a new level refinement to the premium technology, convenience and performance features found on Kia’s award-winning turbocharged Optima SX. In addition to head-turning design, class-leading horsepower and fuel efficiency and a class-exclusive panoramic sunroof, the Optima Limited offers elegant touches that modern drivers would expect to find in the car of their dreams, such as: unique design 18-inch wheels, high-grade Nappa leather seating, LED accent lights, chrome exterior accents and sporty red brake calipers.

Kia Motors is the 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 quality³ and the industry’s highest brand loyalty ranking⁴. 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 the company’s two best-selling vehicles in the U.S. – the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan⁵. Kia’s value and technology-laden 2012 model year 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, all-new 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." In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S. 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

KIA Builds 1,000,000 Cars in Slovakia

Kia Motors produced a record 252,000 cars at its Zilina, Slovakia factory last year - a 10 per cent increase over 2010. The plant also achieved a 12 per cent year-on-year increase in engine production, with more than 359,000 petrol and diesel engines rolling off the production lines in 2011.

In just over five years since production started Kia Motors Manufacturing Slovakia has built its 1,000,000^th car a white, diesel-engined cee'd SW.

Immediately handed over to a Slovakian children's charity - the Red Nose Clowndoctors - the cee'd is also the 600,000^th version of the Zilina factory's first car. The factory now also produces Sportage and Venga.

"Kia Motors Slovakia has achieved an important milestone in its history with the production of the millionth car. We decided to donate it to an organisation which will bring pleasure to children during their stay in hospitals," said Eek-Hee Lee, President and CEO of Kia Motors Slovakia. 

Kia Motors Slovakia recorded a 10% year-on-year increase in car production and a 12% year-on-year increase in engine production during 2011, when it produced more than 252,000 cars and 359,000 engines. The factory plans to produce around 285,000 cars this year.

Sportage production in 2011 topped 101,000 units, representing 40% of the overall production. A total of 103,000 cee'd models were produced, or 41% of the total production and 11,000 Kia Venga models. The remainder of 2011 production, 36,000  units, were Hyundai ix35 manufactured up to June 2011.

Kia Motors Slovakia launched a third shift this year and increased the number of employees to 3,900. The company is currently preparing for production of the second generation of the cee'd model during the second quarter.

With the opening of a second engine shop last year, maximum engine production at Zilina has increased to 450,000 per year. To meet increasing demand and the transferred production of Venga, Kia currently employs more than 3,900 people at Zilina and is planning to raise output in Slovakia even further, aiming to produce  285,000 vehicles this year.

Courtesy of Honest John

Thank you Bruce for letting us know how we're doing!

"I had an excellent experience purchasing a new Kia Soul. They offered a good price and quick service. I would recommend these guys and next time I am in the market for a Kia they will be getting the call. Thanks guys!!!"- bruce.martin

 

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Contact At Once! and Kia Motors America Enable 500th Dealership with Advanced Dealer Chat Solution

Contact At Once!, the leading dealer chat provider to the automotive industry, and Kia Motors America today announced the achievement of a milestone – enablement of the 500th Kia dealership with dealer-to-buyer chat capabilities, which allows for a real-time personal communication between a prospective Kia customer and a Kia dealership sales representative. Kia holds the distinction of being the first OEM to define and implement a comprehensive chat strategy for its dealer network. Kia uses chat to increase by 25 percent the number of online car shoppers that schedule appointments with dealerships while visiting tier one, tier two, and tier three websites as well as third party automotive websites.

“Utilizing Contact At Once! with 500 Kia dealerships speaks to KMA’s commitment to customer satisfaction and is a reflection of the value the Kia brand provides consumers with a host of standard technology, safety, and convenience features in all its vehicles,” said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing & communications, KMA. “The use of dealer-to-buyer chat capabilities provides Kia dealers another way to connect with new, younger, more online oriented and more affluent customers who have been taking an interest in our attractive, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles such as the Optima, Sorento and Soul.”

In November 2011 alone, each Kia dealer accepted an average of 93 inbound chat requests from online shoppers. This number includes chats that originated on Kia.com, regional Kia sites, as well as shoppers on dealership-specific websites.

“Kia sustained record growth in 2011 and we have been honored to provide the brand with enabling technology,” said John Hanger, CEO, Contact At Once! “It has been rewarding to see more car shoppers connecting with Kia as the brand deployed our solution.”

The Contact At Once! chat solution is in use in thousands of dealerships across North America. Shoppers can connect with dealers via icons or photo-enhanced greetings placed on OEM and dealer websites as they navigate the Internet. The Contact At Once! dealer chat solution is centered on real-time personal communication between a car shopper and a dealership sales person.

Once added, Contact At Once! software displays a presence-aware chat icon whenever a dealership representative is online and available. Dealers can easily answer chat requests anytime from their laptops or PCs, or via their smartphones and mobile devices using a free mobile chat app provided by Contact At Once!

 

About Contact At Once!
Contact At Once! is the leading automotive chat software provider and operator of the industry’s only dealer chat network connecting more than 9,000 auto dealers with the websites car shoppers visit most often. Adding Contact At Once! dealer chat software to a website typically increases a dealership’s sales conversations by at least 25 percent. Named to the Inc. 500 as one of America’s fastest growing businesses, Contact At Once! is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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." In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S. 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.

Courtesy of PR Web

Check out the special offers going on at Van Griffith Kia!

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2009 Kia Borrego LX at Van Griffith Kia

We have a great selection of pre-owned vehicles including this 2009 Kia Borrego LX. Click here for details and to take a virtual walk-a-round http://bit.ly/zf9mLp

Taking “Green” to the Next Level

What’s your idea of a “green” car? Good fuel economy? Low carbon emissions? Neon green paint job? ;-) Let’s add two more factors to the list: energy usage during a vehicle’s manufacturing and percentage of recyclable parts when it’s time for a car to hit the salvage yard. Kia has continued to raise the bar for years in order to protect the environment as a truly eco-friendly company.

For instance, all Kia factories have been reducing the amount of water used for production by 27 percent over the past seven years. Since 2005, we’ve been recycling heat from the manufacturing process to steadily decrease the amount of greenhouse gases emitted. These innovative green processes have been reinforced by Kia’s commitment to set higher standards on reducing pollutants beyond government requirements.

Our US Georgia plant in particular has a “Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) Environmental Policy Statement,” which was put in place to reaffirm environment-friendliness as a core value. It emphasizes:

•     Compliance with legal and other environmental requirements

•     Continuous improvement of environmental programs and performance

•     Pollution prevention, waste minimization, and resource conservation

•     Reduction of environmental impacts

 

Figure 1. Kia Georgia Plant

The Georgia plant isn’t alone. Our plant in Zilina, Slovakia has been using advanced technologies for minimal impact on the environment. This factory was recognized in 2008 as an “environmentally-friendly” facility, earning the ISO 14001 International Certificate of Environmental Management.

 

Figure 2. Kia Zilina Plant

In addition, domestic plants in Sohari and Hwasung South Korea have implemented a “zero landfill waste” policy for the last two years. Last year, the top three Korean plants: Sohari, Hwasung and Gwangju, recycled almost 94 percent of waste from their production.

 

 

Figure 3. Kia Sohari Plant 

 

Figure 4. Kia Hwasung Plant    

 

Figure 5. Kia Gwangju Plant

 

Courtesy of Kia Buzz

Huge Demo Sale at Van Griffith Kia!

Hey Fans! Don't forget about our huge demo sale still going on. Click here to view our sale inventory http://bit.ly/sWE2wa and call Brad first to make sure we still have your Kia in stock (817) 439-6923.

Kia Brand "Bicycle 2012" Commercial

From our humble beginning making bicycles to our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia, Kia has come a long way in the last 60 years. Check out our Bicycle 2012 commercial to see what we're talking about.

Kia’s Rio Movie Remix Reaches 10 Million Views on YouTube!

Hey Kia fans! Thanks to your love and support our ‘Rio Movie Remix’ video has reached over 10 million views on YouTube!

Our recent ‘Rio Loves Rio!’ post highlighted all the cool features of our subcompact car with the help of our tropical friends from the hit 20^th Century Fox animation ‘Rio:The Movie.’ For those of you who didn’t catch the ‘Rio Movie Remix’ video, you can check it out below.

Courtesy of Kia Buzz

We truly appreciate all our customers and are very grateful for their wonderful feedback!

"I was impressed with everything through the lease of my car. Michael Garr the salesman was very friendly, helpful, informative and did not make us feel pressured in any way. He went out of his way to help us reach our end goal of leasing the new car." -clintkia2012

 

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Check out this great offer on a new 2012 Kia Sorento

Take advantage of this great offer! Save thousands on this beautiful 2012 Kia Sorento. Our huge demo sale ends on January 31st so click here to get started on finding your way behind the wheel of this Sorento http://bit.ly/ytbAci

 

We would like to thank the author of this review for their kind words and congratulate them on buying their first new car!

"They are great people to do business with and I would recommend them to all my friends and family. This was my first new car buying experience and I loved it. They will go above and beyond to take care of you. I enjoyed being able to look for a car without any pressure. I have also learned that if I ever have any problem to go straight to them not another KIA dealership. I had a blowout and made the mistake of having it towed to the nearest dealership, will never do that again. Bob took care of me and had everything fixed." - hardeesl

 

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KIA IVI concept at CES 2012

KIA welcomes innovation in their vehicles, and their newer models certainly reflect a forward-looking design. Good technology needs to be incorporated as well, and the IVI concept that you see above (and in the picture gallery after the jump) stands for In Vehicle Infotainment concept, sporting a 10.1″ display that is located on top of the dashboard, while there is a brother to keep it company – a 11.6″ widescreen located within the console area. The vehicle of choice here is the KIA Naimo EV crossover where the IVI concept intends to hook up to devices such as smartphones and tablets, delivering a full connection to various apps and services such as social networks, news feeds and other interesting websites.

Augmented reality navigation is also thrown into the mix, and there is a driver state monitoring system to make sure you are alerted just in case you start to doze off. Night vision mode is also included in order to increase the safety levels when you drive around in pitch black darkness. Last but not least, a HMI (human-machine interface) haptic steering wheel switch is there to help you manage both displays – the learning curve seems to be rather steep compared to a standard vehicle of today, but only time will tell if the IVI concept can take off or not.

Courtesy of Ubergizmo

2012 Kia Optima On Sale At Van Griffith Kia

Don't miss out on these great offers! Check out this 2012 Kia Optima as part of our huge demo sale! Click here to see these great savings http://bit.ly/wMbFnR

2012 CES: Kia debuts second-gen UVO with eServices, Smartphone App

Kia Motors took to Las Vegas this week instead of focusing its efforts in Detroit to introduce its second generation of its UVO voice-command infotainment system. In its newest iteration, it will feature in-car telematics and vehicle diagnostics services called eServices that is designed to integrate with a free smartphone app.

“UVO was a breakthrough for Kia, and signaled the brand’s ambitious plans to become an in-vehicle technology leader by enabling drivers and passengers to use all of their personal technologies more safely and easily, while creating additional entertainment experiences,” said UVO head Henry Bzeih in a statement. “With smartphone penetration nearing 50 percent in the U.S., UVO eServices extends our award-winning system’s abilities far beyond the original offerings by utilizing one of the industry’s first app-based approaches for telematics.  The development focus for UVO eServices was to deliver the connectivity, services, and notifications valued by vehicle owners while also adding safety features, diagnostic information and innovations such as our parked vehicle locator to create user-friendly experiences that exceed people’s expectations.”

Kia’s second-gen system takes what was a minimalistic approach to infotainment and adds car-to-person communication that relays the car's vi tals in an easier-to-understand package. At the Consumer Electronics Show, Kia showed its new UVO in a 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid sedan. Other new features include:

• eServices guide: Places a phone call to an interactive voice response system to provide instructions.
• Care Care Web: Online via a computer or smartphone, vehicle owners can check their car’s diagnostics, maintenance schedules, driving patterns, My Car Zone alerts, and schedule appointments with a dealer.
• An eServices competition online between owners to rank the greenest drivers.
• Send2Car: The ability to send Google Maps to a car’s navigation system via Bluetooth.
• Crash Notification Assist: In the event of an accident, UVO will dial 911 to notify authorities. Owners have the ability to cancel it within 10 seconds of the Crash Notification Assist activating.
• My Car Zone: Owners receive detailed reports of where their cars are when they’re not using them, integrating geo fencing that will notify the car’s primary driver if it goes outside a certain predetermined area or higher than a set speed and a report where a car was. So no, your teenage son probably won’t want to take the family’s Kia Optima to his local make-out spot anymore after finding that out.
• Park Assist: Ever lose your car? Kia’s new app will help you find it again in a crowded parking lot via a smartphone map, even sounding the alarm should you choose.

Source: Kia

Huge Demo Sale While They Last!

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2010 Kia Optima on sale at Van Griffith Kia

Check out this great deal we have on this 2010 Kia Optima. Take a look online here http://bit.ly/A9XZu9 then come in for a test drive!

Congratulations to the author of this review for purchasing their first new car! Way to go team on providing him with such a great experience.

"This being my first new car purchase, I cannot base this review on previous experiences. So I tried to do as much research as possible in advance. I chose Van Griffith Kia because I had read so many customer horror stories about the unscrupulous business practices of most of the competition. I will admit to being extremely anxious when I walked in for a test drive just because this is such a major purchase. But my fears were immediately put to rest when I was greeted by the most enthusiastic and friendly faces I could have hoped to encounter and all questions and concerns were addressed as if I was the only customer. Michael left me feeling as if I had just dealt with one of the most honest and caring sales representatives one could ever hope to encounter. I can assure you that when the time comes to consider buying another new vehicle, I will not hesitate to drive straight to Van Griffith Kia! Michael, Dawn & Jim, you folks ROCK!"- Ducky1

 

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Kia Optima Named Autobytel 2012 Sedan of the Year

Following a year in which Kia Motors America (KMA) received more vehicle awards and accolades than ever before, the brand's stylish Optima mid-size sedan kicked the New Year off in high gear by being named "2012 Sedan of the Year" by Autobytel. Recognized by the automotive research website's editors as "setting the bar" in the sedan category, the Optima took top honors against tough competition with its head-turning design, roomy interior and outstanding fuel economy.

"Since its introduction, the Optima has been attracting new customers to the brand with the right balance of performance, modern amenities and fuel economy that consumers are looking for," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing and communications, KMA. "The mid-size sedan segment is more competitive than ever, and Autobytel's recognition of the Optima continues to keep Kia's momentum going into 2012."

Autobytel is an automotive research website providing consumers with the information they need to purchase new and used cars.  Over their 75 years of combined experience, Autobytel editors have driven hundreds of vehicles and have chosen the 2012 Sedan of the Year based on the Optima's game-changing market potential, advances in design and overall performance and efficiency options.

About the 2012 Optima

The 2012 Kia Optima stands apart from the crowd with its head-turning design, fun-to-drive performance, modern amenities and long list of standard safety features. Kia's second U.S.-built[1] vehicle offers drivers cutting-edge technologies, including a standard eight-speaker Infinity^®[2] audio system, HD Radio™[3], and Kia's UVO powered by Microsoft®[4] voice-activated infotainment and communications system with a starting MSRP of $19,500[5].

Kia's Unprecedented Growth

Kia Motors is the 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 quality[6] and the industry's highest brand loyalty ranking[7]. 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 the company's two best-selling vehicles in the U.S. – the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan[8]. Kia's value and technology-laden 2012 model year 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, all-new Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and Sedona minivan.

 

 

Courtesy of Kia Motors America

Owners Loyalty

Take advantage of Kia Motors comprehensive Kia Owner Loyalty incentives for returning customers who lease or currently own a Kia model. Click here to see offers and more details http://bit.ly/jfpSlv

Two Great Specials Going On Now At Van Griffith Kia!

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2011 Kia Forte 5-Door 5dr HB Auto SX

This 2011 Kia Forte 5-Door is available for a test drive today at Van Griffith Kia! Click here to see our inventory http://bit.ly/xq8yux

Kia Sorento Reviews

Model Strengths:

 

• Just-right Size
• Roomy Interior
• Utility and Cargo-friendliness
• Comfortable Ride
• Standard Tech Features
• Available Third-row Seat

 

Model Overview:

For 2012, the Sorento offers a 4-cylinder engine with Base, LX, SX and EX GDI trims, but this year it comes in two versions. The standard engine is a 175-horsepower 2.4L 4-cylinder, offered on the Base and LX models. A new direct-injected 191-horsepower, 2.4L 4-cylinder engine has been added, standard on the LX GDI and EX GDI, and paired only with a 6-speed automatic. The SX's standard (and LX and EX-optional) 3.5L V6 makes 276 horsepower and brings especially strong acceleration with a smooth, refined character, while the new 4-cylinder is quite economical, achieving EPA ratings of up to 21 mpg city, 28 mpg highway in all-wheel drive configuration.

The all-wheel drive system is available with LX or EX trims, regardless of the engine. Kia's all-wheel drive system can send up to 50 percent of power to the rear wheels when needed and comes with a locking center differential that can help provide better traction in harsh weather conditions--deep snow, for example, or to traverse a muddy back road. Kia hasn't completely forgotten about weekend hauling and towing needs--the Sorento can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

First and second-row seating in the Sorento is ample for full-size adults, and the optional third-row has enough space for children though it does reduce cargo room. Second and third-row seats both fold forward to allow 72.5 cubic feet of cargo space in all.

Standard equipment on all Sorento models is extensive, and includes a trip computer, power windows, locks and mirrors, air conditioning, a Bluetooth hands-free calling interface and a sound system that includes an MP3-compatible CD player, USB and aux inputs and Sirius satellite radio. Base models are equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission, while LX GDI models step up to a 6-speed automatic in addition to body-color heated mirrors with integrated turn signals for a more upscale appearance. Automatic one-touch up/down windows, a rear center armrest are also included. EX GDI models include push-button start, smart keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, upgraded upholstery, fog lamps, heated mirrors, automatic headlamps and larger 18-inch alloy wheels.

Options on the all-new Base model are very limited, but on the LX GDI, include a third-row seat, plus a Convenience Package that includes heated front seats, a backup system, fog lamps and roof rails. Among the exclusives offered on the EX GDI are a Premium Package, with a panoramic sunroof and leather seats; a rear DVD entertainment system and a Limited Package that brings chrome wheels plus a navigation system, real-time traffic information, accent interior lighting and a 550-watt Infinity surround-sound system.

Safety features on the 2012 Sorento include seat-mounted side airbags, side-curtain bags and front active headrests on all models, along with electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes, plus Hill Start Assist Control and Downhill Brake Control, which uses the vehicle's transmission to help moderate speed on slippery grades.

 

Model Changes:

For 2012, the Kia Sorento returns with a new base level trim, as well as a new direct-injection 2.4L 4-cylinder engine that makes 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. The new engine is offered only with a 6-speed automatic, and it comes with chrome exhaust tips as standard equipment. Other new features include stain-resistant seat covers, 17-inch wheels on base models, and optional power folding mirrors. Top-level SX versions now have a heated wood-rim steering wheel.

 

Model Value:

The new Sorento is sized between more compact crossover models like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 and mid-size models such as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. The RAV4 is a little more maneuverable than the larger vehicles while offering just as much practical space.

The Sorento, completely redesigned in 2011, offers more passenger space and more cargo space than last year's model, while its modern engine lineup is both more powerful and more fuel-efficient. Kia says that the V6's 276-horsepower output is best-in-class, and fuel economy on the 4-cylinder Sorento are among the best in this category.

The Sorento's strong warranty-ten years or 100,000 miles for powertrain and five years or 60,000 miles basic warranty, and five years or 60,000 miles of roadside assistance-also help make this a strong choice for families.

Courtesy of Jacksonville.com