It’s the season for recognitions and award presentations in the automotive industry and Kia is flying high to grab the most, setting track records for four consecutive years of wins.
The latest being all-new Sorento awarded International SUV of the year, whilst the all-new Optima awarded the International car of the year held at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, in conjunction with the Road & Travel Magazine (RTM).
“We’ve never had one brand win this award four years in a row, but Kia has done it. It goes to show just how exceptional the new Kia models are, providing clear direction of where the Kia brand is headed,” said Courtney Caldwell, editor-in-chief of Road & Travel Magazine. “We are near speechless at the level of progress the Kia brand has made in spite of the stiff competition. It is without a doubt the brand that gets the most ‘wows’ from our staff and is truly an industry success story that we can relate to in many ways”.
The RTM jurors praised the all-new edition of Kia’s Optima for its aggressive design, long list of available features, impressive powertrain options and great value.
The all-new Sorento garnered acclaim for its combination of its exterior design, premium interior amenities, extensive safety features and all-wheel drive capability.
Together, the awards propelled Kia to an extraordinary fourth year in a row consecutive win of the prestigious ICOTY brand award. The ICOTY jurors honored Kia’s K900 (also known as Quoris in some markets) luxury sedan in 2015, the Cadenza premium sedan in 2014, and the previous-generation Optima in 2013.
“The Optima and Sorento are two of Kia’s best-selling vehicles and both were instrumental in the transformation of the brand,” said Michael Sprague, chief operating officer and EVP, Kia Motors America. “To win the prestigious ICOTY award four years in a row, with two models winning their categories this year, is a clear indication that our products continue to offer a world-class balance of design, amenities, craftsmanship, safety and value for today’s savvy consumers.”
2015 marks the 20th anniversary for RTM’s annual “Of the Year” judging, which includes three awards: International Car, International SUV, and International Family Vehicle of the Year. In addition to product attributes such as style, comfort and performance, award criteria also factor in how well each brand connects emotionally with consumers through its marketing efforts. The winner is chosen by the ICOTY jury, which consists of nationally renowned automotive journalists from respected publications such as Consumer Guide® Automotive, MSN Autos, New Car News Syndicate and RTM.
“Being associated with, and representing Kia in Fiji for over 5 years now, we have had so many pleasant surprises from Kia during these years and we are overwhelmed with these latest prestigious awards, especially with both these vehicles being our flagship SUV (Sorento) and Sedan (Optima) Kia vehicles in the Fiji market”, said Mr Madhu Tappoo “, the Executive Director and CEO of Tappoo Group and Kia Motors Fiji. “Kia undoubtedly has powers to surprise and we are privileged to represent one of the world’s fastest growing automotive brands, Kia, and its award winning vehicles in Fiji”, said Mr Tappoo.
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