Kia Celebrates 20 Years in the UK
Westover Kia has celebrated Kia’s 20th anniversary of retailing in the UK.
Kia first hit the UK’s shores back in 1991 when a small hatchback, the Kia Pride, was the only model on sale to British buyers. The Pride found itself 1,786 British homes in its debut year – but fast forward two decades and Kia is now a major global brand, with 56,114 vehicles sold in the UK alone in 2010.
Westover has been a Kia retailer for 27 months (or just over two years) and in that time has seen a similar success story play out in Dorset. The dealership, based on Wimborne Road East in Ferndown, outperformed all other Kia dealerships and was named the UK’s top-performing site just one month after it started trading
Paul Griffiths, Westover Kia Brand Manager, says: “Out of all the car manufacturers in the industry today, Kia has been the most exciting to watch. Its cars are increasingly attractive to consumers because the build quality, kerb appeal, environmental credentials and value for money all get better every year. These are all important considerations to our customers, who are discerning enough to know that Kia offers the features, gadgets and reliability of more expensive cars – but with an unbeatable price tag. I’ve been so impressed with the vehicles myself that I’ve bought one for my wife. Subsequently both my daughter and sister have also become owners!”
“Dorset residents have voted with their feet and shown they are firmly in favour of Kia, with locals walking into the showroom in ever increasing numbers since that first day we opened our doors back in April 2009. We’ve seen a steady increase in interest in the brand, thanks to a great range of cars which all come with an industry-leading seven year warranty.”
Local motorists are embracing Kia’s new models, with the all-new Picanto (which went on sale on 17 June from just £7,995) already generating a great deal of interest. Its predecessor has been a firm favourite in Ferndown since trading began and interest shows no sign of slowing down. The Picanto isn’t the only new launch - Kia is celebrating the beginning of its third decade in the UK with three new models for the UK market. The Picanto has led the way, but the Rio and Optima will follow hot on its heels later in the year.
Kia Motors Corporation is considerably older than its UK subsidiary, having recently celebrated its 67th anniversary on 25 May 2011. From its origins manufacturing bicycles in the 1950s, Kia has now grown to be part of the fourth largest automotive group in the world and is represented in over 170 countries.
For more information or to arrange a test drive, please call Westover Kia on 0800 999 2295 or visit the showroom at 554 Wimborne Road East in Ferndown. Alternatively, go to www.westovergroup.co.uk and click on the Kia button.
27 July 2011
