New look for Kia dealers

A SYDNEY car dealer has become one of the first Kia outlets in the world to adopt the fast-growing Korean brand’s new ‘SPACE’ global corporate identity.

Parramatta’s Thompson Kia is the first Australian Kia dealership to wear the new corporate look, as part of a multi-million-dollar rollout that will encompass all of Kia’s 124 retailers in Australia within four years.

It will be joined another 35 of Kia’s metropolitan and provincial dealers this year, with a total of 43 in NSW, 29 in Queensland, 25 in Victoria, 13 in West Australia, 11 in South Australia, two in Tasmania and one in Darwin due to follow in coming years.

By 2015, all Australian Kia dealers will wear the new-look CI, which encompasses a fresh exterior fascia, showroom design and furniture, plus revised customer and service areas.

“This is the first time we have had a completely integrated solution to the corporate identity of our dealerships and is just another reflection of Kia’s commitment to getting it right all across the board,” said Kia Motors Australia chief operating officer Tony Barlow.

“Our cars are winning widespread praise and the SPACE program is one more way of enhancing the new car experience for our growing family of customers.”

To April this year, Kia’s Australian sales are up 2.3 per cent overall in a total vehicle market that has slipped by 3.2 per cent.

All Kia models have experienced a boost in popularity this year, except the K2900 commercial, Cerato Koup sportscar, Carnival people-mover (a revised MY12 version of which has just been released) and Kia’s smallest model, the Rio, which will be replaced by an all-new model in August.