Kia Motors America Donates 2011 Sorento CUV to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing its efforts to provide support and assistance to local communities and help those in need, Kia Motors America (KMA) has donated a new 2011 Sorento CUV to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles.  In addition to the Sorento gift in Southern California, there are various community service projects and homebuilding efforts planned for the upcoming Kia Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE'S A PARTY IN MY CITY! tour, and one dollar from every ticket sold during the 60-city trek across North America will be donated to the Habitat for Humanity local affiliate in each tour city.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100823/LA53482)

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100823/LA53482)

"Kia Motors is committed to making a difference in communities, and as presenting sponsor of the YO GABBA GABBA! Tour, we are proud of the hope Habitat for Humanity will bring to 60 cities across the country," said Tom Loveless, vice president, sales, KMA.  "It is a challenging time for non-profit organizations and with the YO GABBA GABBA! tour kicking off, we wanted to show how much Kia Motors values the tremendous work Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles is doing in our local area."

KMA's donation to Habitat for Humanity is the latest in a series of recent community aid and involvement programs in the Southern California area, including: donating nearly 40 vehicles total to organizations such as the Special Olympics of Southern California, the Irvine Unified School District for use in automotive trade classes, and the Rio Hondo Regional Truck Academy for firefighter training and emergency preparedness; collecting clothing and household goods for Human Options; donating food to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County; and sponsoring the annual CHOC Walk in the Park in support of CHOC Children's and CHOC Children's Hospital at Mission.

By serving as the presenting sponsor of the YO GABBA GABBA! live tour, KMA is extending the relationship with the award-winning children's television series and live tour that began with KMA's first-ever Super Bowl ad, which aired earlier this year and featured a colorful cast of life-size children's characters in the 2011 Kia Sorento CUV, including Muno from YO GABBA GABBA!. The tour is scheduled to start August 27 in Bethel, NY and ends in Dallas, TX on December 12, 2010. YO GABBA GABBA! is a creation of Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. The tour is produced by S2BN Entertainment, in association with The Magic Store and W!LDBRAIN Entertainment.

Kia Motors America in 2010

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.  With four new vehicle introductions and several other key initiatives planned for 2010, 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 UVO powered by Microsoft®(1) advanced hands-free in-car entertainment and communication system (expected to be available in select Kia models in the U.S. beginning later this year).  The launch of the 2011 Sorento CUV, the official vehicle of the NBA and the first vehicle to be assembled(2) at Kia's first U.S.-based manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia, further enhances the lineup, and is now in dealerships.

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 700 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.  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.

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

(2) Kia vehicles assembled at the Kia U.S. plant are assembled in the U.S. with U.S. and globally sourced parts.

SOURCE Kia Motors America