Comments on: Kia Kee driving experience

By: Workatkiadealer

Workatkiadealer — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:04:41 +0000

Kia does have a great long Warranty, but for those of you who own new Kia’s to get coverd by your warranty, You must have all the Kia Services done when there due for them or ELSE you wont be coverd, and will have to pay out of pocket.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:01:18 +0000

I don’t take what American people say about Kia seriously. I have owned two Kia’s and I
love their body design, low price, and Long-Haul Warranty, just to name three reasons I
love Kia.

The Kia Kee concept is an awesome concept and I would love it if Kia would build it and
bring it to the U.S.

By: himi

himi — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 22:04:01 +0000

The Kee would have a great impact on Kia image across the world. But more great Kia looking cars would be needed to impress all negative looking people. It will take a few years for Kia to gain Toyota-like image.

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:23:35 +0000

Everyone in the U.S. gives Kia a bad rap. I can’t stand to hear all of those idiots saying, “Kia? That company sucks!” It really aggrevates me! The Kee should turn that around.

By: himi

himi — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:36:57 +0000

It’s great to see you here again Stephen! It’s a pitty you didn’t drive it, but at least you got to see it in person.
How long did it take for Kia team to design the Kee concept car? Did it get the green light for production already?
I read some of the Kee reviews and there is nothing but praise on the Kee. What was the reaction from visitors at Frankfurt Motor Show when they saw it? Do you have any information?

By: Stephen Kitson

Stephen Kitson — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:07:49 +0000

Sorry not to get back sooner, been away on Kia business – no I didn’t drive Kee. That’s the penalty you pay for being “one of the family”! But I was fortunate to see Kee from its early stages as a clay model right through the build to the final show car at Frankfurt and working with Peter Schreyer, Gregory Guillaume and the design team was a great privilege. and it was fascinating to see journalists as excited as kids in a toy shop when they got to drive the car. I was also with the media when they drove the fuel cell Sportage as reported elsewhere on the site. that too excited them because they know that fuel cells really are the future for sustainable motoring. that’s the great thing about being in this job!

By: himi

himi — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 09:06:37 +0000

To Stephen Kitson: Thank you for explaining the question abot Hwasung test facility. We are glad to have people who know so much about Kia among our visitors.
Regarding to Kee test drive: I’m sure those journalists who actualy drove the car were fascinated by the Kee! The video and journalist comments prove that this must be a wonderful concept car.
What about you Stephen, did you test drive the Kee?

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:27:22 +0000

AMEN!

By: Bryan

Bryan — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 05:11:51 +0000

As far as the negative comments coming from some Americans about the new Kie Kee concept car, I will say this.
Remember, you’re taking comments from people who find it hard to leave the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado!
The Kia Kee has too much body design integrity for them! I remember when I bought my first Kia, a 1999 Kia Sephia
in Violet Mist color and 5-speeds. No A/C, no radio, and a $7,995 price tag, after a $2,000 Kia rebate! Once I put some
Yokohama 70,000 mile radials and some Konig Diva wheels on the car the handling improved exponentially! But the Sephia’s body design was ar more interesting than the competitors, the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla. Kia went right at the competion with the Sephia and IMHO Kia won that battle! Loved my Sephia! I saw Kia’s vast design potential for the future in my little Sephia.
My wife and I both loved our 2001 Kia Sportage 4X4, too. Traded the Sportage 4X4 in in March ’07 for a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
GTS. I now love my Lancer GTS but Kia is always a nice carmaker to study as I dig driving my Lancer. Keep it up, Kia and Peter Schreyer…talk about a breath of design fresh air!

The Kee looks like a winner, don’t look at the American reaction to it…it’s a cool, innovative design that deserves a solid look
from people. And yes, himi, I will research the next-gen Spectra from Kia. Most definitely.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:47:35 +0000

All three really stand out with their color scheme!

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:44:52 +0000

Have you ever found Kwang-ju plant? It’s where thay make commercial vehicles and Sportage and Sorento.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:43:30 +0000

Stephen,
Have you noticed how kia seems to use a blue and purple color scheme? What are all of those white things that are scattered throughout parking lots? I guessed that they were shrinkwrapped chassies from Sohari.

By: Stephen Kitson

Stephen Kitson — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:43:50 +0000

Hi,
in reply to Greg, Hwasung has an R&D test facility and was Kia’s main R&D Centre prior to joining with Hyundai – now all engineering R&D is done at Namyang – not far from Hwasung – just head a little North on Google Earth and you’ll find another huge track!
Sohari was Kia’s first integrated car production plant – opened in 1973 – and produces Rio and Sedona with an annual capacity of 340,000 units a year.
Excuse a Kia UK person pitching in to the site – but we do enjoy seeing what you all think and your comments are useful to us.
I was fortunate enough to be involved in organising the media drive of KEE and I can tell you the UK journalists who got beghind the wheel were probably even more knocked out that you lot are just at the prospect! Mind you, we did have to speed limit them – essential when you persuade the Chief Design Officer to let journalists to take the wheel of his creation and given what happened in the US I was very relieved when the drives were finished and no-one had damaged the car.

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:25:53 +0000

I was on google earth a little while ago and was looking at Kia’s Hwasung plant and noticed a Huge track there. What’s up with that? Also, I think that they build frames at the Sohari plant only and truck them to the Hwasung to be finished. I know that the Sportage and Sorento along with all of Kia’s commercial vehicles are built at the Kwang-Ju plant.

By: himi

himi — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:20:56 +0000

Well yes we have to wait just a little bit now. It’s true that Kia is already producing the pro_cee’d, but they have to transport it across the Europe first.
Kia had some car partners in the past. I remember they were working with Ford and Mazda. It was a Kia Pride which was a Mazda 121 based car. But don’t know for Fiat though…