November 11, 2008 08:39 AM

Kia Amanti (Opirus) Tops Strategic Vision Total Value Index

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Seoul (Korea Newswire) November 11, 2008 -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced the Kia Amanti (known as ‘Opirus’ in many countries) topped the large car segment in the Strategic Vision Total Value Index (TVI ). The TVI considers complete consumer ownership experience as well as beliefs about the economic consequences of the purchase, either immediate or expected.

“In a tough economic climate it is good to see that consumers are recognizing the Amanti for everything that it has to offer,” said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA. “Being that the Total Value Index considers not only the overall ownership experience but what buyers feel the economic impact of their purchase will be is a testament to Amanti’s quality and value.”

Strategic Vision calculates the TVI by taking into consideration statements that owners make about value, including expected reliability, expected fuel economy, price paid and expected resale value, and then incorporating the importance of the variables that make up the ownership experience.

Having recently topped the Strategic Vision SmartGreenIndexSM in the large car segment and recently awarded a “Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in frontal and side impact crash tests, Amanti offers outstanding safety features, luxury and overall convenience in the full-size sedan segment. Amanti offers a long list of standard amenities, including: eight airbags; leather seats, chrome and wood accents; and a 3.8-liter all-aluminum DOHC V6 engine which generates 264 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

Editors’ note: Standard equipment and specifications based on U.S. model and may vary depending on country.

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Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands. More than 1.4 million vehicles a year are produced in 14 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 165 countries. Kia today has over 40,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of almost US$17 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. Kia is an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World Cup -- as well as a EUROTOP partner of UEFA. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.

Media Contact Michael Choo (mjc@kia.co.kr), International Communications Manager, Kia Motors Corporation, Tel: +82-2-3464-6574, Fax: +82-2-3464-6845