Autobytel Announces 2008 MyRide.com Editors’ Choice Awards

Best Kept Secret for 2008 and Best New Wagon—Kia Rondo– Call it what you will, mini-minivan or crossover sport wagon, Kia’s practical little Rondo has unjustly flown under too many people’s radar. With flexible seven-passenger seating, a nice long warranty, four- or six-cylinder powertrain options, and a base price under twenty grand, Rondo uniquely delivers up the versatility and passenger-toting a family seeks in a minivan, but in a smaller, nimbler, more affordable package. Compact minivans, big hits all across Asia and Europe, are rare on these shores. Rondo, with its compelling combination of value and utility, should be equally celebrated on this side of the pond.

2007 KIA RIO/RIO5 RANKED HIGHEST IN INITIAL QUALITY STUDY BY J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES

Kia Sub-compact Vehicle Earns Highest in Segment Honor in Initial Quality Study

IRVINE, Calif., June 6, 2007 – According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) released today, the 2007 Kia Rio/Rio5 ranked highest in initial quality in the sub-compact segment. This is the second consecutive year Rio/Rio5 has received this honor. Completely redesigned in 2006, the study captures issues experienced by owners in two distinct categories – quality of design and quality of production (defects and malfunctions).

“The J.D. Power IQS awards are particularly significant since they are based directly on positive feedback from Kia owners,” said Len Hunt, executive vice president and COO of Kia Motors America. “Fresh on the heels of the Strategic Vision Total Quality Index™ honors, this honor further demonstrates the strength of the full Kia line-up.”

In the study, the Kia Rio/Rio5 was honored as the highest-ranking model in the sub-compact segment at 102 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). The annual report measures 228 vehicle attributes across eight categories, including the driving experience, engine and transmission, and a broad range of quality problem symptoms reported by vehicle owners.

For 2007, the Rio and Rio5 model lineup, which includes three trim levels for the four-door sedan – Base, LX and SX – and the Rio5 SX five-door, continues to offer the same combination of engine performance and fuel economy as the 2006 model. Rio and Rio5 also offer one of the largest interior volumes in their class, as well as six standard airbags, including full-length side-curtain airbags.

Kia Motors America – the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea – offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 retailers throughout the United States. For more information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. Find more detailed findings on new-vehicle quality performance as well as model photos and specs by watching a video, reading an article and reviewing quality ratings at JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Award Disclaimer: Kia Rio/Rio5 received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among sub-compact cars in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2006-2007 Initial Quality Studies^SM. (Tied in 2006) 2007 study based on responses from 97,307 new-vehicle owners, measuring 250 models and measures opinions after 90 days of ownership. 2007 proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of owners surveyed in February-May, 2007. Your experiences may vary.

2007 KIA SEDONA PICKED AS SAFEST FAMILY CAR BY FORBES.COM

Minivan Praised for High Safety Marks and Reliability

IRVINE, Calif., October 23, 2007 – A recipient of a five-star crash safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Good" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Kia Sedona minivan also was recently picked as the safest family car by Forbes.com.

"Sedona has long been recognized as a leader in standard safety and protection," said Len Hunt, executive vice president and COO of Kia Motors America (KMA). "This latest recognition from Forbes.com only validates Kia’s commitment to providing consumers, and more importantly families, one of the safest and most reliable minivans on the market."

Factors that Forbes.com took into account in their overall evaluation included whether a vehicle comes with standard electronic stability control, side-curtain airbags for all rows, has good crash-test results and has reliability. According to the Web site, finding the safest vehicle for families also meant assessing the overall risk to occupants, which is indicated by a number of factors including top IIHS and NHTSA crash-test ratings, good side-impact protection (including airbags), the presence of electronic stability control and a low propensity to roll over (indicated by a high NHTSA rollover star rating).

Serving as Kia’s flagship safety vehicle, the current generation Sedona, both Long and Short Wheel Bases, touts other standard safety features including a four-channel, four-sensor, antilock brake system (ABS), electronic brake distribution (EBD), a traction control system (TCS), a brake assist system (BAS) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

Kia Motors America – the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation in Seoul, South Korea – offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States. For more information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov).

Model tested with standard side-impact airbags (SABs).