KIA STINGER NAMED AS BEST OF THE YEAR IN MOTORWEEK 2018 DRIVERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

 Hot-blooded Gran Turismo Also Takes Top Honor in Best Sport Sedan Category

Stinger lauded for bringing innovation and value to the market

MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Awards examine vehicles from a buyer’s point of view

IRVINE, Calif., February 9, 2018 – The Kia Stinger has been named as Best of the Year in MotorWeek’s 2018 Drivers’ Choice Awards, the top honor given amongst the 14-category program.  The accolade is just the latest in a long string of acknowledgments for Stinger, which went on sale late last year and is redefining a staid sport sedan segment previously occupied by more expensive offerings from Germany.   The awards, now in their 36thyear, recognize vehicles for bringing innovation and value to the car-buying public.

“What’s innovative about Stinger isn’t its extraordinary handling, drop-dead style or eye-popping performance; that’s expected in this segment and Stinger delivers on every front,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning, Kia Motors America (KMA).  “What’s innovative is that we brought this car to market at such a tremendous value and it’s an honor to be recognized by the MotorWeek editorial staff for this accomplishment.”  The Stinger has a base price of just $31,900 (not including destination charges of $900).1

The MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Awards are consumer focused and the winners represent the best automotive picks within a large range of lifestyles.  As television’s original automotive magazine series, MotorWeek's editorial staff evaluates more than 150 cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles per year, and winners are chosen based on driving dynamics, performance, technology, practicality, fuel efficiency and dollar value.

“Our annual Drivers’ Choice Awards look at vehicles from a buyer’s point of view.  We are aware of trends and innovations, and they play a large part in our selection process,” said MotorWeek host, John Davis.  “We also understand that consumers want value and reliability and that’s where we believe the Kia Stinger hits the sweet spot.  It’s practical, great to look at, and can be a performance car or an everyday driver, depending on who’s behind the wheel.  Our aim is to produce a list of winners that makes sense, and can be used as a practical guide for car shopping.”  MotorWeek is a production of Maryland Public Television and is seen nationwide on the PBS broadcast network and on the Velocity cable network.

About Kia Motor America

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America continues to top quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands and 50 Best Global Green Brands by Interbrand.   Kia serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly built in West Point, Georgia.* 

For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

1 MSRP excludes destination and handling, taxes, title, license fees, options and retailer charges.  Actual prices set by retailer and may vary.

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Kia Sedona Dubbed 'Ultimate Minivan' By Cars.com And MotorWeek

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The all-new 2015 Kia Sedona was recently named by Cars.com as the winner in its Ultimate Minivan Challenge, a multi-day comparison test that brought together experts from Cars.com and PBS' MotorWeek to conduct a detailed analysis on a competitive set of fully-loaded minivans. The results combined professional assessments with real-world opinions from car shoppers currently in the market for a new vehicle in the minivan segment.

"The all-new Kia Sedona is a champion of quality and refinement," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. "A great ride combined with a quiet cabin and numerous innovative features made the Sedona an obvious selection as the ultimate minivan."

This years' competitors, in order of final rankings, included the 2015 Toyota Sienna, 2015 Honda Odyssey, 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan and 2015 Chrysler Town & Country. With its SUV-like styling and decidedly premium interior, the Kia Sedona topped a segment full of long-standing stalwarts. The Ultimate Minivan Challenge evaluated competitors based on criteria such as technology, features and drivetrains. Testing included a 135-mile course on varying road types to determine real-world fuel economy as well as back-to-back comparisons of ride, handling, comfort and acceleration.

"The fully reimagined Sedona has been a tremendous success for the Kia brand, connecting on multiple levels with families and active lifestyle consumers alike," said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning, Kia Motors America (KMA). "Its combination of bold design, advanced safety features and upscale cabin have resulted in a high level of appeal and desirability. Sedona is clearly redefining and revolutionizing the minivan category as a whole."

The Kia's Sedona's Cars.com "Ultimate Minivan Challenge" win comes on the heels of other recent accolades for this multi-purpose model, such as receiving the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Award in the minivan segment and being named to Ward's 10 Best Interiors list.  For full results and scoring details on the Ultimate Minivan Challenge, visit www.cars.com/news.

About Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2014, surpassing the 500,000 unit mark for the third consecutive year. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K9001 flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle2, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States.  Kia's U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 15,000 plant and supplier jobs.

Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

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