Tag Archives: Kia Optima

Kia Reveals Final Justice League-Themed Sorento

For the past year, Kia has been auctioning off Justice League-themed vehicles to benefit the DC Entertainment’s charity We Can Be Heroes. These specialty vehicles have included a Batman Kia Optima as part of New York Comic Con, a Wonder Woman Sportage, and five other vehicles based on Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg.

Bringing the project full circle, Kia revealed the final Justice League vehicle at the San Diego Comic Con last week. The final vehicle was a Kia Sorento with all seven members of the Justice League featured prominently on the side of the vehicle and “Justice League” printed across the hood of the car. Inside, each seat is themed around a Justice League member with Superman in the driver’s seat. Famed comic book writer and artist Jim Lee designed the vehicle.

Bidding for the Sorento ends today, and with 18 bids, the Sorento is currently going for $38,100. To bid on the Sorento or any of the other auction items, go to http://stores.ebay.com/we-can-be-heroes.

From Kias to Chryslers, Mazdas, and more, Approved Loan Store wants to find you the car you want at terms you can afford! Are you finally ready to get into a great new or used car? Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Georgia Plant Assembles One-Millionth Kia Vehicle in U.S.

Kia is still considered an up-and-coming car brand in the United States, but the Korean automaker hit a major milestone this week, producing their one-millionth vehicle in the United States.

The one-millionth vehicle was a snow white pearl 2014 Sorento SXL assembled at Kia’s manufacturing plant in West Point, Ga. Since the plant opened in 2009, it has created more than 11,000 jobs for the region, and today the plant produces the Kia Optima and the Kia Sorento for hundreds of dealerships across the country.

Byung Mo Ahn, Group president and CEO for Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, had nothing but praise for the West Point workers, stating, “People are the heart and soul of this company, and our team members’ commitment to world class quality is one of the major driving forces behind Kia’s unprecedented sales and market share growth in the U.S. over the last few years.” He also called the one-millionth vehicle milestone “a tremendous achievement” which Kia “can take great pride in.”

IIHS Awards 2013 Top Safety Picks

Late last month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced the 2013 Top Safety Pick+ and Top Safety Pick honorees, its top award for vehicle safety. 13 vehicles were dubbed a Top Safety Pick+ and 117 vehicles were named a Top Safety Pick.

Earning a Top Safety Pick+ is not an easy task. In order to earn a Top Safety Pick+, the vehicle has to receive good ratings for occupant protection in a minimum of 4 out of the 5 evaluations which include a moderate overlap frontal crash, small overlap frontal crash, side impact, and rollover as well as evaluations that measure how effectively seat/head restraints prevent neck injuries. If they receive 4 “good” ratings, the fifth evaluation must earn at least an “acceptable” rating. To earn a Top Safety Pick, the vehicle has to receive good ratings on the moderate overlap frontal test, side impact, rollover, and rear tests.

Here are the 2013 Top Safety Pick+ honorees.

Acura TL
Dodge Avenger
Chrysler 200 sedan
Ford Fusion
Honda Accord coupe
Honda Accord sedan
Kia Optima
Nissan Altima sedan
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Suzuki Kizashi
Volkswagen Passat
Volvo S60

Click here see the additional 117 vehicles chosen as IIHS 2013 Top Safety Picks.

Are you looking to get into a newer, safer vehicle? Approved Loan Store can help! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to get you into a car you want at rates you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get the latest auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Kia Announces Super Hero-Themed Line-Up

Last Friday, we told you about Kia’s custom Batman-themed Optima which was on display as part of DC’s Darkness & Light art exhibition. We thought it was a fun idea considering that New York Comic Con was also happening this past weekend, and maybe the exhibition would get some attention from the comic book crowd.

As it turns out, Kia has bigger plans with DC. Very soon, Kia will be offering custom cars themed after Batman, The Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman, Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman. They will be revealed at special events across the country and then auctioned off for charity benefiting DC’s “We Can Be Heroes” initiative.

Reading over some of the coverage of Kia’s announcement, I think some people missed the point. Time Magazine’s Brad Tuttle called it an “odd” strategy and wondered whether Batman would have driven a Kia Optima. “The practical, commuter brand just wouldn’t be rugged (or bulletproof) enough to suit a Batman’s crime-fighting activities, and Kia’s reputation for affordability wouldn’t be a match for Wayne’s billionaire playboy mystique.” He also made the odd comment that the Wonder Woman car would be the “girliest” Kia model.

Do I need to remind Time Magazine that Batman isn’t real? The point isn’t that Batman would drive this car. If that were the case, it would be completely impractical for any normal American consumer to own and drive. The point is that Kia is increasing brand awareness while also supporting a good cause. The people bidding on the cars will be much more interested in having a piece of car and comics memorabilia and helping families in the drought-stricken Horn of Africa.

Besides that, there are a lot of words I would use to describe Wonder Woman. Girly is not one of them.

To learn more about “We Can Be Heroes,” check out their website here. If you are looking for a great new or used car, Approved Loan Store wants to help you! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to be your automotive heroes! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get the latest auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Batman-Themed Kia Optima Headlines Art Exhibition

With New York Comic Con kicking off today in New York, the Approved Loan Store office has been daydreaming about Superman, Captain America, and the Dark Knight himself, Batman. We were so excited when our love of cars and superheroes overlapped with Kia’s new Optima based on Batman.

The Optima concept will be on display at the Time Warner Center at the same time as New York Comic Con as part of DC Entertainment’s “We Can Be Heroes” campaign and the Darkness & Light art exhibition. “We Can Be Heroes” benefits three fantastic organizations, Save the Children, International Rescue Committee, and Mercy Corps, in providing aide to areas of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya. These regions are struggling to survive the worst drought in 60 years, and millions of people are in dire need of assistance.

If you are in the New York City area, we recommend stopping by the Time Warner Center this weekend and checking out the Batman-themed Optima and the exhibit. This exhibit is supporting an important cause, and between the new original art by Jim Lee and the souped-up Optima, we can’t decide what we are more excited to see. For more information on “We Can Be Heroes,” you can check out their official website here.

Whether you are looking for a Kia, a Chevy, a Mazda, a Chrysler, or something else entirely, Approved Loan Store wants to get you into the car you want at a price you can afford. Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to help you! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get the latest auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to the Approved Loan Store on YouTube!