Kia Motors America and eBay Motors Rollout First Nationwide Dealer Online New Car Shopping Experience

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) and eBay Motors have created a nationwide new vehicle online shopping experience, the first for a major OEM brand on eBay, with a unique online store front – www.kia.ebay.com – to market new Kia vehicles.  Through the program, more than 345 Kia dealers have signed up to list their entire stock of new Kia vehicle inventory online.  From the comfort of their own home environment, consumers can search and shop new Kia vehicle inventory across all participating dealers and make offers online through eBay's "Best Offer" option.

"eBay Motors' large, multi-dimensional marketplace aligns perfectly with Kia's rapidly expanding brand and offers consumers a comprehensive and convenient shopping experience for our entire new vehicle lineup," said Tom Loveless, vice president of sales, KMA. "The program already has proven to be popular with our dealers with nearly 50 percent of Kia dealerships signing on for the program in just two weeks' time, and more and more signing on every day.  Attracting vast online audiences to Kia through a pleasant online purchasing experience furthers Kia Motors' sales and marketing strategies."

According to J.D. Power and Associates, Inc., Internet auto shoppers are up 17 percent in 2010 year to date, and 79 percent of all auto shoppers source third-party websites such as eBay Motors before making a purchase(1). The partnership between eBay Motors and KMA seeks to further take advantage of the online channel as a heavily sourced medium for auto shoppers.

"The Kia Motors partnership is a natural evolution of our new vehicle strategy, showcasing the versatility of eBay Motors as a marketplace for all things automotive, including new and used vehicles, parts, accessories and services," said Nicolas Franchet, senior director of U.S. vehicles, eBay Motors. "Kia is one of the most innovative OEM brands in the market, and we're happy to work with them to extend dealers' new vehicle inventory to a national, online marketplace welcoming more than 14 million visitors each month."

Design-Led Transformation and Product Line

Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic, design-led transformation, which has been delivering dynamically styled vehicles in several important segments at exactly the right time, contributing to the brand's continued gains in U.S. market share.  Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, safety features and new technology such as the soon-to-come UVO powered by Microsoft®(2) in-car hands-free entertainment system. The launches of the 2011 Sorento CUV, the first vehicle to be assembled* at Kia's first U.S.-based manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia, the dynamic 2011 Sportage compact CUV, sophisticated 2011 Optima midsize sedan and versatile Forte 5-door hatchback further enhance the lineup.  

Kia's model year 2011 vehicle line includes the Sorento CUV, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, Rio sub-compact sedan, Rio5 sub-compact hatchback and Sedona minivan.

About Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea.  KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 725 dealers throughout the United States.  For 2009, KMA recorded its 15th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share and recently achieved its best quarter of sales ever in 2010.  Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles.  Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline "The Power to Surprise."

Kia Motors America is the "Official Automotive Partner of the NBA."  Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – www.kia.com.  For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

About eBay Motors

eBay Motors [www.ebaymotors.com], a part of eBay Inc., is the Internet's largest marketplace for buying and selling all things automotive.  The site offers everyday cars for everyday drivers, as well as collector cars, motorcycles, auto parts and accessories. eBay Motors is consistently ranked the No. 1 automotive site on the Web by comScore.

(1) J.D. Power 2010 Automotive Internet Roundtable (October 20-22, 2010).

* Kia vehicles assembled at the Kia U.S. plant are assembled from U.S. and globally-sourced parts.

(2) Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

SOURCE Kia Motors America