Kia Says Consider Value, Not Just Price in Buying a New Car

It’s no secret that in the new normal, people may start to look at private car ownership over taking public transportation. For new car buyers, they must be reminded to look beyond the price tag, and instead focus on value; this is where the Kia Soluto sedan shines.

While the Soluto may be affordable, it doesn’t scrimp on features and is designed to make life less stressful for those who’re constantly on the go. The 1.4-liter Kappa inline-4 engine with Dual CVVT (Continuous Variable Valve Timing) puts out 95 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 132 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Mated to either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed AT, it balances power and fuel efficiency—perfect for those who need a car that does both city and highway drives.

Whether long or short jaunts though, it’s more relaxing with the Soluto’s standard 6-speaker audio system. A 7-inch touchscreen infotainment with Bluetooth device pairing as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto comes standard allowing the occupants to stay connected even on the move.

Apart from being free from distracted driving, driver and passengers are given peace of mind thanks to safety features like rear parking sensors (for the EX) and a standard reverse camera—amenities that go a long way in easing stress.

As a brand, Kia’s received recognition for design, safety, quality, and performance from the likes of JD Power, Interbrands (Best Global Brands 2019), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the World Car of the Year awards. With the Ayala-owned AC Motors backing it up locally, the Kia Soluto comes with a 5-year or 100,000-kilometer warranty and 24/7 Emergency Roadside Assistance. It’s certainly a stylish and feature-packed ride that doesn’t break the bank.

The Soluto starts at just P 665,000 and tops out at P 755,000.

Kia PH Just Made the Sportage More Affordable than the Seltos

As auto dealer operations begin to adjust to the new normal, Kia Philippines is giving us a glimpse of what sort of offers can be had post ECQ.

The Deals for You promo is now ongoing at all Kia dealerships open in General Community Quarantine (GCQ) areas, and will be available in other dealerships as well once the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) is lifted.

The Deals for You promo gets buyers the following discounts:

• Kia Sorento EX 4x2 – P 80,000 cash discount (effective SRP: P 1,815,000)
• Kia Grand Carnival LX 11-seater – P 100,000 cash discount (effective SRP: 1,895,000)
• Kia Sportage LX Gas – P 100,000 cash discount (effective SRP: 1,190,000) or P 1,000 all-in downpayment
• Kia Rio HB – P 50,000 cash discount (effective SRP: P 870,000)
• Kia Forte LX AT – P 50,000 cash discount (effective SRP: P 1,045,000)
• Kia Picanto LX MT – P 30,000 cash discount (effective SRP: P 560,000)
• Kia Soluto LX MT – P 13,655 low monthly or P 26,000 all-in downpayment

On top of these deals, reserve any Kia vehicle within the month, and you’ll stand to get a free Blaupunkt safety and security package. This includes the Blaupunkt portable tire inflator, and the Blaupunkt DP 2.1 dash cam.

With strict social distancing requirements in place, interested buyers can get a quote directly from Kia Philippines’s official website. Customers are also encouraged to call or set an appointment with their preferred Kia dealer for any sales or service inquiries.

Is Kia Philippines Looking to Source More Products from China?

When Kia Philippines sourced the Soluto from China, it certainly raised some eyebrows. Will the Korean automaker start sourcing more models from there?

On the surface, this makes sense given Ayala Automotive sister company, Volkswagen has done well with the Santana, Lavida, Lamando, and Tiguan. However, Product Strategy & Planning Head for Kia, Josh Altarejos says the Soluto is a one-off.

“Sourcing the Soluto from China has mainly to do with Kia Motor Company’s decision to move the Rio sedan’s production from South Korea to Mexico,” Altarejos says. “When we looked at our product mix, we realized that there’s a gap. And because the sub-compact sedan segment is strong in the Philippines, we couldn’t ignore it.”

True enough, when the product line-up is analyzed, the Kia Soluto is the sub-compact sedan “meat” to the Picanto and Rio sandwich, both of which are hatchbacks. In addition, it’s cohesive and well-thought-of, with little to no overlaps. This is compared to Hyundai which, at least from a product perspective, created a mess out of its Reina and Accent simply because they wanted to react against Kia Philippines’ move.

With that, Kia Philippines has managed to climb into the Top 10 best-selling brands in the country with half year sales of 2,398 units. 60 percent of that (1,441) is the Soluto. The Rio sold 22 units due to extreme supply constraints, while the Picanto managed 156 units.

Moving forward, Altarejos says that all other Kia vehicles (apart from the Soluto) will be sourced from Korea including the soon-to-be-launched Seltos crossover.