Filed under: Wagons/Estates, Euro, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchbacks, Kia
Kia cee'd to receive Europe's best warranty
Click to enlarge
Americans no longer bat an eyelash at the astounding warranty coverage Hyundai and Kia offer on their new vehicles. To us, it's just another selling point for the brands, whose cars continue to improve, offering good style and excellent equipment levels at value prices. Sadly, we aren't getting Kia's new European-designed and built VW Golf-fighter, the c'eed -- a car, by the way, that 'd draw us into a Kia showroom a lot more readily than the Rio5 or Optima. Just saying.
Kia's leaving nothing to chance with the cee'd, and in a page torn from their American playbook, is introducing the car with the best new-vehicle warranty ever offered in Europe and the UK. The 7 year/150,000 kilometer warranty offers bumper-to-bumper coverage for 5 years, with an additional two years covering the powertrain. The warranty doesn't cost anything extra and is fully transferable.
European-market competitors should take note: Kia is playing for keeps.
(Press release after the jump)
[Source: Kia UK]
PRESS RELEASE:
NEW KIA cee'd TO HAVE BEST-IN-EUROPE WARRANTY
The all-new Kia family of cee'd models will be backed by the 'best' new vehicle guarantee ever offered, by any manufacturer, on cars marketed in the UK and Europe with every Kia cee'd benefiting from a seven-year / 150,000 kilometre new car warranty.
Comprising five years cover on the entire car and an additional two years cover for the powertrain, the warranty will be free and transferable to subsequent owners, provided the vehicle is regularly maintained in accordance with the servicing schedule.
"Kia has taken the bold step of introducing a surprising warranty for the model which will unquestionably demonstrate our brand's 'Power to Surprise' to consumers in Europe," enthused Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. "The Kia cee'd is truly a landmark model in our brand's history and its debut marks the start of a new era.
"The Kia cee'd is going to be a great car, a genuine challenger for top honours against the established stars in the closely-fought C-segment. Thanks to the high quality of vehicles coming from our brand-new facility in Slovakia, Kia is delighted to demonstrate its commitment to delivering maximum customer satisfaction, together with lowered costs of vehicle ownership by offering this revolutionary warranty," added Lievens.
The seven-year warranty is a further endorsement of Kia's three core brand values – quality, trustworthy, dynamic – and will come into effect for UK customers when the new cee'd goes on sale on 1 February, 2007.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bill 6:24PM (9/27/2006)
Kia blatently ripped off my Protege5 when they came out with the Spectra5, now they're ripping off my Mazda3 with this :-(
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Schwag of Tulsa 6:54PM (9/27/2006)
Mazda has sold their old tooling to Kia for years. Kia's first car in the American market was the Ford Festiva, a license-built Mazda 121 with a genuine Mazda powertrain.
I'm kind of surprised that Mazda has sold the tooling for the 3 so soon.
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AnonymousInsights 7:26PM (9/27/2006)
'I'm kind of surprised that Mazda has sold the tooling for the 3'
What a ridiculous and ignorant statement! The Kia and Hyundai concepts have nothing to do with the Mazda 3 and were designed by the Hyundai group for Europe. The Hyundai groups manufacturing processes and facilities are reknowned in the industry as state-of-the-art and have no relation to Mazda's 3 platform. But good try to dilute the Hyundai Groups growing reputation and brand image by propogandizing it as a spin-off.
Oh and since when does a Spectra5 look like a Mazda3. Don't see it!
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Glen from Hesperia, CA 7:26PM (9/27/2006)
Great looks for a compact car. The warranty is outstanding. Definitely, something Daimler-Chrysler should consider. A long warranty brings customers to the showroom because no one wants to add an extra $2000 for an extended warranty.
Kia should consider this vehicle for the North American market. This vehicle would bring customers to the dealership. Why is it that the European market gets the best of what a manufacturer offers. Seems like so many manufacturers are not in tune with the North American market.
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Yes 8:22PM (9/27/2006)
steal some more of that s-class headlight.
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Paul 8:43PM (9/27/2006)
We're proabably going to get the Hyundai version for the Elantra hatchback. I agree that it does look awesome and I don't really see that much resemblance to the Mazda 3, except maybe the profile a little.
To me it just appears that some haters will say it looks like this or that just because they can't find a legitimate fault in the car. So good job, Kia!
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RDL 9:41PM (9/27/2006)
"Why is it that the European market gets the best of what a manufacturer offers. Seems like so many manufacturers are not in tune with the North American market.
Posted at 7:18PM on Sep 27th 2006 by Glen from Hesperia, CA"
Not in tune? All the North American market has ever asked for is big, lumpy, fugly, thirsty SUVs and trucks, and by Jolly Roger, that's what they´re getting. If they wanted something else, they should vote with their dollars; that is, stop buying SUVs/Trucks and start buying something more sensible and/or sporty, but maybe pigs do HAVE to fly first...
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Mitsufan 2:07AM (9/28/2006)
Um, sorry, this looks just like the Mazda 3. And while Hyundai does indeed have a growing reputation for quality, that doesn't change the fact that the cee'd (while it was a great-looking concept) ended up as a boring clone.
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existonfile 9:44AM (9/28/2006)
Yep, looks like a less aggressive Mazda3. Just like the Spectra5 looked like a less aggressive Protege5. That's alright by me though, I like the way Mazda's look and I like the way Kia's are priced so win-win for me. Bring it stateside with a decent engine (not the trashy 2.0L currently used) and you've got a prospective buyer right here.
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Andy, UK 12:24PM (9/28/2006)
To all of you morons that think the new Kia Cee'd looks like a Mazda 3, open your eyes. The Cee'd is very European in its conception, as was the Mazda 3, but that is were the similarities in design end. The Mazda is edgier and altogether uglier than this surprisingly attractive and cohesive new design from Kia. Who'd have thought Kia, an automotive joke even 5 years ago, would produce a real Ford Focus/Opel Astra rival? Hats off to the Koreans. Certainly in the UK their market share is growing; at the last count they were the fastest growing marque on our shores. Lets just hope the drive can match the attractive styling and superb warranty.
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Hanryu_Star 7:12PM (9/28/2006)
I didn't like the salient part of the bumper. It looks like the Rio.
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