First cee’d models reach warranty end
- More than 82,000 cee’ds in the UK with 7 Year Warranty
- Almost 290,000 UK drivers benefitting
When Kia launched its European designed and manufactured cee’d in February 2007 it also revolutionised the new car warranty provision in the UK by extending manufacturer protection for owners to seven years.
As those first cars come up to their seventh anniversary and the expiration of that warranty Kia continue to lead the market with a clear, simple and transparent warranty that protects every new Kia sold in the UK for up to seven years and 100,000 miles.
In 2010 Kia extended the seven year warranty protection to its entire range and now almost 290,000 cars have been sold to UK buyers with that warranty protection – including more than 82,000 cee’d models.
Kia has won several awards for its remarkable pan-European warranty – including accolades from both Autocar and Car Buyer in the UK – but most importantly it is customers who have increasingly turned to Kia during that time who have voted with their wallets!
Paul Philpott, President and Chief Executive of Kia Motors (UK) Limited said: “When we announced the warranty on cee’ds built at our new factory in Slovakia there were many cynics and doubters who claimed it would be a short-term measure. Well, it is still here and remains the most easily understood and extensive warranty in the new car business.
“It is transferable from owner to owner and only requires regular servicing according to our schedule and the use of genuine Kia parts.
“The 7 Year Warranty from Kia was a statement of confidence in our quality and manufacturing back in 2004 and it remains that today with more and more retail customers than ever benefitting from it,” he added.
At the Zilina factory in Slovakia where the warranty was first introduced more than 855,000 cee’ds had been built by the end of 2013 and with the extension of the warranty to all Kia models, more than 1.5 million vehicles have been produced at Zilina under that protection.
At Zilina 399 quality inspectors check every vehicle to come off the 12 kilometre production line to ensure they can stand up to the demands of such a lengthy warranty.
In the UK records show that the first 6,160 vehicles registered in 2007 and their owners have benefitted from that warranty. The average claim count during the seven year cover has been just over three per vehicle with only 411 vehicles having exceeded the mileage restriction of 100,000 miles and only 648 vehicles having had no claims whatsoever during the seven year period.
Those statistics show that the warranty has truly paid off for Kia customers by saving them money that under lesser warranties they would have had to pay out of their own pocket.
With the Kia 7 Year Warranty still unequalled in the UK and European car markets it is no surprise that the brand continues to set new sales records every year – with 2013’s total passing 70,000 for the first time.
