Big thanks to Abraham for sharing these kind words about his experience.

"The sales person was very knowledgeable and help through the entire process."- Abraham D.

Dan, Thank you for providing out customers with great service.

"Dan Walters ,our saleman was wonderful"- Sabrina K.

Kia Wins Four Design Awards in New Automotive Brand Contest

By Kia Motors PR Team

Kia is proud to announce that the company has been recognized in Germany for three of our products: the Sportage, the Optima and the all-new Rio. Kia Motors is one of the main winners in the first-ever Automotive Brand Contest.

In the automotive industry, the brand and the brand design are the two most important factors in winning consumers’ hearts.

The Rat für Formgebung (German Design Council) has decided to recognize this fundamental importance of brand and brand design by organizing the first international brand and design award for the automobile industry. The contest, known as the “Automotive Brand Contest 2011,” honors outstanding achievements of carmakers in the categories of brand management, brand communication and design. The focus is on the integral and consistent use of the brand across all media and its actual products.

The judging panel of the first Automotive Brand Contest declared Kia Motors the worthy winner in two categories. In the “Brand Design” category, where strategy and focus of the brand’s overall design is rated, Kia was recognized as the “Best of the Best.”

For the “Exterior” category, in which the vehicle design itself is the main focus, three Kia models were picked as winners: the compact Sportage CUV, the upcoming Rio B-segment model and the all-new, athletic D-segment Kia Optima sedan. The Kia Optima and Kia Sportage have received prestigious design awards in the past, including the Red Dot Award (Kia Optima: “Best of the Best”) and the iF Product Design Award. The ceremony will be held on Sep. 13, 2011 in Frankfurt at the Internationale Automobil Ausstellung (IAA), one of the world’s largest automobile fair.

Big thanks to Diana for the fantastic feedback.

"Was greeted at the door. Was introduced to the manager.  Everything from test drive to financing was done smoothly."- Diana P.

The Northwest Sportage: Kia’s Crossover Is “Mudfest” Champ

by Kia in the News on July 20, 2011

The Kia Sportage again put its unique combination of affordability and adaptability on display recently, winning kudos as the “2011 Northwest Affordable SUV of the Year” from the Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA).

The award was given during the NWAPA’s annual “Mudfest,” a unique one-day event in which the year’s top SUVs and crossovers are gathered for a comprehensive, hands-on evaluation of their performance, both on and off the road. This includes off-road tests of low-range handling, ride comfort, and hill-climbing and descent abilities, as well as on-road comparisons of stability, handling, emergency-braking maneuvers, and more. In addition, versatility and overall value are scored separately to provide a comprehensive picture of each vehicle’s attributes.

Taking home this new honor is one of a long list of Sportage accomplishments, which also include:

• Being named “Best New Crossover Vehicle” in the About.com 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards
• Earning the title of “International Truck of the Year” as part of the International Car of the Year Awards
• Achieving “Top Safety Pick” status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), reflecting the fact that the
• Sportage offers standard electronic stability control and received the highest possible scores in the group’s front, rear, side and rollover crash testing

“The latest award for Sportage from NWAPA underscores Kia Motors’ ongoing commitment to delivering high-value, high-quality vehicles that combine outstanding fuel economy and safety with world-class design, cutting-edge technology and fun-to-drive performance,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, Kia Motors America (KMA). “Demand for the 2011 Sportage has outpaced supply since arriving in dealerships, and the Sportage has played a significant role in the increased consumer awareness and consideration of the Kia brand that has resulted in record sales for the company.”

We would like to thank our staff for always going the extra mile and Mark for writing this review.

"Doug Blazer  was excellent in helping me purchase my new optima.  The finance manager and sales manager as well made me feel comfortable and made the proecess easy."- Mark S

Thank you Michael we appreciate the positive feedback and very kind words.

"Considering that fact that I did not even have the real need to buy a new car, it helped make my decision to make the purchase.  As long as you have friendly, helpful and genuine people looking out for their customers, I will continue to take a first look at Spitzer Dealers for my future automotive purchases. " - Micahel T.

Big thanks to Thomas for writing about his visit.

"Your salesman James gave us the best experience ever buying a car."- Thomas L.

Here is Norman's short and sweet review. Thank you Norman.

"Great service."- Norman F.

Car Maintenance Tips for Heavy Rain

From Kia- Buzz

How should you take care of your car in the case of a sudden downpour or heavy rain?
Special care is necessary, as a car is more likely to break down during heavy rain and a car’s lifetime is highly dependent on car maintenance. Here are some tips for easy maintenance and the safe use of a car during heavy rain.

1. Checking the tire pressure, batteries and brakes is essential

Driving in the rain is more dangerous than driving in the snow. While snow chains and salt can help prevent accidents on snowy roads, drivers are more helpless on rainy roads. Due to the possibility of hydroplaning on wet roads, it is important to check for the best levels of tire pressure and to take extra care in terms of safety.

During the rainy season, it is recommended to elevate tire pressure within 10 percent of the usual level. It is dangerous to use worn tires. As visibility get worse while driving in heavy rains, turning on the headlights, even during the day, can help to prevent an accident.

It is necessary to check the car battery in advance, as the frequent use of headlights, A/C and the windshield wipers use up much of the battery.

On wet roads, a car that stops well is safer than a car that moves well. Thus, checking the brakes and tire condition is very important.

2. Secure a clear view by taking care of the windshield

If the windshield wipers make a strange sound, it is likely that it is due to gas exhaust from other cars on the window than a faulty wiper blade. As a solution, it is effective to clean the window with a sponge and detergent two or three times. Additionally, the amount of washer water under the hood should be checked. The water’s direction can be easily adjusted with pins.

3. Use an anti-water protector
When there is a lot of rain, water drops gather on the side mirrors and back window, which can distract from safe driving. It is a good idea to put a water-gathering protector on the mirrors and windows. Prior preparation is needed because heavy rains result in many problems with driver visibility.

4. Park in a safe zone

A sudden downpour can flood an area in a very short amount of time. Check if there are any areas that have flooded recently and avoid parking near riversides, streams and under bridges. When there are flood warnings, it is best to move your car uphill or to a safe area where the car can easily be moved.

KiaBuzz will continue to provide a variety of car lifestyle information. Please leave a comment with any questions you may have. Thanks!

Jim thank you for always going above and beyond for our customers.

"We were so pleased from our first phone call inquiring about the Soul to the completion of the sale.  Jim Parsons took so much time with us on the phone then he personally greeted us at the door.  Our ENTIRE car buying process was wonderful.  Jim Parsons couldn't have been any nicer and genuine." -Lisa F.

We would like to thank the author of this review for their kind words.

"Easy to work with, and I felt we were treated fairly."- Jlmolner

Pauline, we sincerely appreciate you taking the time to write about your visit.

"My husband and myself could not be more pleased with the service - everyone at the dealership was more than friendly - they even went above the necessary kindness."- Pauline S.

We would like to thank our team for always going the extra mile.

"Everyone went above and beyond to assist me- especially my sales person Dan Deely "- Deborah Q.

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We appreciate Walter's short and sweet review of his experience.

"Easy quick and friendly people"- Walter B.

We would like to thank Glen for the positive feedback.

"The sales force were extremely heplful and it's the second Kia we bought from this dealership.  Will definitely come back."- Glen H.

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.

"What a wonderful experience. So different from the others. They actually spelled everything out for me, every charge, every credit, down to the penny"- Dj