Hunt: Kia eyes Chevy buyers

Ralph Kisiel
Automotive News / January 17, 2006 - 2:17 pm


Watch out Chevrolet. Kia Motors America has you in its crosshairs.

That caution from COO Len Hunt reflects marketing data showing that Chevrolet is the brand most frequently shopped by prospective Kia buyers, except for Hyundai, he told the Automotive News World Congress.

"When we take Hyundai out, Chevrolet, with its sporty image, is our biggest cross-shopping brand," Hunt told his audience. "So be careful, that's where our customers are coming from."

Hunt acknowledged that Kia needs an "emotional" vehicle to help the brand grow in the United States. The Kia Soul concept crossover vehicle could be that model with its SUV looks and sport drive, but no production decision has been made, he said.

"So for us, we're pushing hard," Hunt said. "It's a segment we're not in today."

Hunt also noted that Kia Motors America, which sold 275,851 vehicles in 2005, is nearing the threshold where it would make sense to build a U.S. manufacturing plant.

Although nothing has been confirmed, "It's no secret we're looking to expand our manufacturing base in the U.S.," he says.

Hunt, 50, said he is beginning to reposition Kia's brand image away from its bargain-basement, economy-transportation roots.

"We're going to be the sporty Korean, where I think you are going to see Hyundai become more refinement based," he said. "So we get to do lots of stuff that I've been doing for a long time, which is tuning the cars for more active suspension, more handling, more sportiness, more exciting vehicles."

Hunt says Kia is climbing toward the goal of achieving a loyal, passionate owner base.

Hunt, who joined Kia last October from Volkswagen of America, knows something about cars and the passion that some brands can arouse in their owners. Having worked for Volkswagen, Jaguar, Audi and even Bentley, Hunt has seen first hand how passionate owners can be for a vehicle brand.

In five years, Hunt believes that Kia will begin touching the "passion rung" on the brand ladder. But Kia Motors America today is working on gaining customer confidence in its products-the first rung of the brand ladder.

"We're just on the bottom rung, establishing confidence in our products through price and warranty," he says. "Next is building integrity into the brand."

Then comes pride in the brand, and finally passion for the brand, he says.

Says Hunt: "Pride and passion lead to emotional allegiance to the brand, and it's passion that drives the business."

 

So people cross shop GM and KIA, eh? Who would of thought that GM's past marketing strategies would attract people mostly interested in bargain cars?

 

Apparently not GM.

 

Another reason to up the warranty on Chevy cars.