2013 Kia Optima SX Limited "Appealing" Commercial Video Ad

Thanks to Scott for these kind words about Connie and our team!

Scottpass
Phoenix, AZ
Sep 26, 2012

Connie and the entire staff at Peoria Kia were extremely curtious and compassionate of our buying needs. Connie is very educated on the Kia brand and helped us select the right model car for our family. In and out, just the way car buyers like it. Thanks to all at Peoria Kia for a great experience.

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What if your car folded up into a suitcase?

In 1939 the San Antonio Light wrote about future cars that could be folded into a neat and tidy suitcase-sized package. Got that one a little wrong.

 

Courtesy of Ian Allan Motors

Kia Rio SX surprises with refinement

Surprising us with its agility and sportiness, we wrapped up our test drive today of the 2012 Kia Rio SX Sedan. The small car packs a lot of style and sportiness into the entry level class in ways we just had to explore. What we found was a refreshing look into the growth and maturity of the Korean brand.

The Kia Rio is the Korean brand's smallest entry in the American market. Here we can get it in both a 5-door hatchback and a 4-door sedan. It falls into the B-Segment shared with the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Accent and Chevrolet Sonic.

The latest generation Rio sports one of the most fashionable designs in its class, looking far more upmarket than its $13,600 starting price tag might suggest. We have a fully loaded Rio SX model which is the top trim grade, packed with luxury and performance oriented features like sport suspension and handsome 17” alloy wheels.

Inside the SX gets a black interior trim scheme with sturdy and supportive cloth seats, full power accessories and a touchscreen audio system with full connectivity functionality. Also included are a backup camera and satellite radio, a handsome leather wrapped steering wheel and remote keyless entry. For 2013 paddle shifters are added to the steering wheel too.

Power comes from a 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine with a modest 138 horsepower. We found the engine to be surprisingly smooth and decent to listen to compared to Kia vehicles of the past. While this car is not fast, we would say it's perhaps slightly spunky.

The EPA rates the Kia Rio SX at 30 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined. In our battery of hyper-miling tests we never saw 40 mpg in highway driving, but did manage combined observed fuel economy of 32.5 mpg for the week.

In the SX your only transmission choice is a 6-speed automatic transmission, but it does allow manual shifting via the lever. If you want a manual transmission, you need to look at only a base model Rio. The transmission shifted predictably and followed orders well when you plant your foot hard on the accelerator.

Handling was indeed supple and tight, with a quiet upmarket feel for a car in this class. The electric power steering had a well weighted feel and gave precise predicable feel when carving corners in the desert mountains outside Phoenix.

While the Rio SX does have a “performance suspension”, we would not call it a back road barnstormer. For daily carving through traffic it's spirited in feel. Put push this car hard in the hills however you will find the rubber jounce bumpers of the suspension and the smell of brakes pretty quickly.

The interior if our SX had a black monotone trim which carried through the entire cabin. It lent a more upscale briefcase-like feel. The seats were easily adjusted and plenty comfortable. In our Arizona summer weather we found the air-conditioning to keep up well in the heat.

The touch screen audio system was a bit difficult to use because its graphic buttons located in the tight corners of its plastic frame. This made certain buttons like the station presets sometimes hard to touch accurately while driving. The screen was also hard to see in some light, but once set the system had a quality sound.

Overall we came away impressed with Kia's newest entry level car. It looks and feels several thousand dollars more expensive than it is, which is a major step in the evolution of the relatively new brand from South Korea.

The Kia Rio SX Sedan we tested came in at a total price of $18,245 including a $750 destination charge. The only option was a set of carpeted floor mats for $95. The new 2013 Kia Rio's are landing at dealerships around Phoenix now and as stated can be had for as little as $13,600.

 

Courtesy of Examiner.com

Thanks to this author for another 5-Star Review!

Jomoma
Phoenix, AZ
Sep 25, 2012

salesman steve sloan found the make and model my wife and I requested to test drive.We returned from test drive and crunched the numbers for the purchase and trade in.We left a deposit to hold vehicle that evening and completed the purchase of a 2013 optima sx the following day.The staff was very efficient.

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Use this eCoupon before Sunday to save on new tires!

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.

The First Rearview Mirror

If you drive, then it's likely you use your rearview mirror each and every time you slide behind the wheel of your car or truck — or at least you should be using it, anyway. But have you ever stopped for a moment to really think about where this clever use of reflective glass originated? Who first had the idea to add a mirror to the interior of a motor car? Well, it just so happens that the first use of a rearview mirror while driving is attributed to a race car driver. A race car driver in a very famous race, nonetheless.

On May 30, 1911, at the inaugural running of the Indianapolis 500 in Indianapolis, Ind., driver Ray Harroun drove his Marmon Wasp to victory — alone. Alone in the sense that he didn't have a riding mechanic with him for the entire race, as did every other competitor on that day. The bright yellow Marmon Wasp was streamlined and built for only one man. There was no room for a mechanic. So, in order to keep an eye on the drivers closing in from behind (a job normally handled by the riding mechanic), Harroun found a way to mount a rearward facing mirror to his car. It worked, and Harroun drove to victory in the first-ever Indianapolis 500 race.

Soon after, auto manufacturers began to produce new cars with rearview mirrors as standard safety equipment.

 

Courtesy of Discovery

KIA MOTORS AMERICA PARTNERS WITH HERHIGHWAY IN A NATIONWIDE DRIVE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF BREAST CANCER

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 18, 2012 - 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.S.³ 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 Kia

Can you picture yourself in this New 2013 Kia Sportage 2WD 4dr LX?

It gets up to 32 MPG! http://bit.ly/OUuSLC

Wheelchairs, canes and walkers take on new meanings in the mind of the Jabbawockeez's Joe Larot in this Kia Soul "In My Mind" Music Video Challenge demo.

Kia to offer limited edition 2013 Rio 5-Door SX with manual gearbox

Up until now, if you wanted the top-of-the-line version of the Kia Rio 5-Door, you could only get it with the six-speed automatic transmission. But now, Kia has now announced a limited run of six-speed manual-equipped hatchbacks.

That means that Rio 5-Door buyers no longer have to decide between a row-your-own gearbox and features like the UVO infotainment system, backup camera and Bluetooth hands-free calling. You can have all these features, plus the manual gearbox for an MSRP of $17,900.

According to Kia, the combination of range-topping trim and manual transmission provides a "more engaging drive experience without sacrificing the comfort and convenience offered by the subcompact model's highest trim level."

The idea for the Rio SX M/T (manual transmission) was apparently inspired by Kia's B-Spec race car, which has been competing in the Grand-Am race series. Only 500 examples of the SX M/T will be sold for the 2013 model year.

 

Coutesy of AutoBlog

Today we remember those we lost on 9/11/01

Huge thanks to the authors of these excellent 5-star reviews. Keep up the fantastic work team!

sueklima
Phoenix, AZ
Sep 11, 2012

The guys at the dealership were very helpful. I explained what I was looking for and they explained why or why not it was a good thing. I live in my car as a Realtor and drive many miles. It is one of my most important posessions and I feel these guys did a great job getting something in my price range with all of the features I was looking for. They didn't pressure me and I appreciated that more than anything. I will send all of my friends and acquaintances to see them.

mikesawyer1
Phoenix, AZ
Sep 09, 2012

This is about what Peoria Kia is not. I went through two dealers last year getting my wife a car and Peoria Kia was my second looking for one for me. The first three times were very painful with the games and delays and run-around by the sales staff. But with Peoria Kia, I searched on the internet, walked in several hours latter. They walked me straight to the car I had asked about. We didn't really like the color but found the one that I did like. Into the office, confirm the price. A decent price for my tradein. Out the door. Not once did I even start to get annoyed with the process and for me that is saying a lot.

Click here to read more reviews like these.

Is your Kia ready for some scheduled maintenance?

Peoria Kia in Arizona offers service, maintenance, oil changes, and tune ups for your vehicle. Whether you’re following your maintenance schedule or needing transmission work for your vehicle, have your car looked at by a top mechanic.

 

Click below to request an appointment online today!

http://bit.ly/QAFj9s

Kia and DonorsChoose.org Announce One Million Dollar Partnership

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This morning Kia Motors announced a $1 million commitment to public schools! You can see the nationwide Double Your Impact picking up speed (more than 4,000 classroom projects are eligible!). This fall, by matching donations from citizen philanthropists, Kia Motors will bring more than $2 million to classrooms near their 755 retail showrooms.

Group president and CEO of Kia Motors and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Byung Mo Ahn, delivered boxes of fossils, animal photo books, language games and more to Gates Elementary School in Los Angeles this morning. He presented Charles Best, Founder and CEO of DonorsChoose.org, with a $1 million check.

President Ahn said, “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.”

This funding will be available to more than 33,800 public schools located near Kia Retail Showrooms. Kia will match donations made to qualifying projects from these public and charter schools until the funds have been exhausted. Thanks, Kia!

 

 

Courtesy of DonorsCoose.org

The 2013 Kia Sorento is the official vehicle of the SEC.

Kia Launches $13 Million Global Humanitarian Project

 

Kia Motors Corporation expanded its corporate social responsibility activities this month by launching its Green Light Project, a global social mobility program that will seek to improve the accessibility of health and education for disadvantaged youth in ailing regions.

The project’s official launch ceremony took place earlier this month at the future site of the Maendeleo Secondary School situated in the Madale area of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (East Africa). Kia Motors Corporation and SBS, a national TV and radio network in South Korea, funded the construction of the school, which will serve as the Green Light Project’s official base camp.

The ceremony drew an attendance of 700 local residents and was attended by Kia Motors Corporation’s Director of Management Strategy, Mr. Gui-Hyun Choi, and Ms. Jin-Ok Yang, the Secretary General of Good Neighbors, an international humanitarian non-government organization in General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC).

Good Neighbors has been collaborating with Kia Motors to execute its Green Light Project activities such as the secondary school’s construction and deployment of four donated Kia K2700 trucks, which will be retrofitted for use as school and village transportation as well as mobile libraries and health clinics. Kia plans to give USD13 million of funding for the project in the 2012 fiscal year.

The Green Light Project adopts Kia Motors’ corporate social responsibility values of mobility and challenge, which were introduced last year as core principles to develop programs that will help lift social, economic, transport and health restrictions in poverty-stricken areas and give new hope to disadvantaged individuals.

October is the target month for the school’s finished construction along with an adjacent community center named the Green Light Program Center. The school will consist of four classrooms, two laboratories and one library. The community center will serve as multifunctional annex and base camp for the Green Light Project’s social awareness activities, afterschool classes, material storage, and dispatch station for the four Kia K2700 trucks.

All the facilities at the Maendeleo Secondary School will be in full operation starting from next year, and the goal is to have them independently operated by local community participants within the next five years.

“A green light is the universal transit symbol to move forward, and as an automotive company, our Green Light Project will provide mobility to individuals in both a literal and figurative sense. Our Kia K2700 trucks will offer safe transportation to local residents who are isolated from healthcare and education services, and the Maendeleo Secondary School and its neighboring Green Light Program Center will empower individuals to challenge and move past restrictions that are keeping them from living a more fulfilling life,” said Thomas Oh, Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors Corporation.

In addition to Kia Motors, Good Neighbors and SBS, the project is also supported by 70 volunteers from Kia’s Happy Move Global Young Volunteers, Korea’s largest private volunteer group, which rallies support for various humanitarian causes. Volunteers will help with an assortment of activities including school construction, bus stop creation, and supporting educational classes at the school.

Kia plans to expand the Green Light Project to other countries and regions through the cooperation of its global network, and its next project will take place in the southeast African nation of Malawi. That program will be a cooperative project with Food for the Hungry International – Korea (KFHI), a global non-profit organization that focuses on poverty needs that relate to food, water resource development, primary healthcare and income enhancement.

 

 

Courtesy of Kia Buzz

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