Kia Philippines recently held a thanksgiving event for its dealer principals who helped the brand achieve significant milestones for 2022—and to also celebrate the company’s 4th anniversary as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Ayala Corporation.

Since 2019 when Kia Philippines was established, it has consistently outpaced the overall industry’s growth performance and rivaled the accomplishments of other leading brands. For 2022, Kia Philippines achieved a record-breaking 34% sales increase compared to 2021. This figure is higher than the auto industry’s 26% pace and worthy of celebration.

Also announced during the Kia Dealer Appreciation Night was recognition from Kia Asia Pacific (K-APAC) that Kia Philippines achieved the highest growth rate in the Asia Pacific region and was the Number 1 independent distributor in retail sales in 2022 in this part of the world. Overall customer satisfaction has the highest improvement in the region, based on surveys conducted by K-APAC.

This string of successes would not have been possible without the dealer principals who have worked tirelessly to reach these milestones. From 30 dealers in 2018, Kia Philippines grew to 42 dealers in 2022, and this nationwide network expansion continues. Soon, all 42 Kia dealerships nationwide will have refreshed exteriors, and by next year all will share Kia’s revamped interior design aesthetic. Newly appointed Kia dealers will also proudly display the new corporate identity. This is in line with Kia’s fresh new look—which is showcased by its lineup of stunning vehicles. The top-performing dealer groups who were commended during the event are well-known industry veterans Gateway Motors, Wheels Inc., Iconic Dealerships Inc., Traders of the Laus Group, and Grand Canyon. New partners Autohub Group,  Wheeltek, and Prime Legacy were also welcomed during the gathering.

The Kia Philippines story as an Ayala company began in January 2019 when the brand was relaunched with the Soluto as the very first all-new model introduced. Shortly after this, the all-new Stinger and the refreshed Forte were highlighted at the Manila International Auto Show that year. In November of the same year, the all-new Seltos was introduced.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, the Stonic, famously known as “The Style That’s Iconic,” made history and has continued to be Kia’s best-selling model in the Philippines. In 2021, together with the new Kia brand identity “Movement that Inspires,” the all-new Sorento was introduced. By early 2022, the all-new Carnival was warmly welcomed by the public and high demand continues to this day.

This March, Kia’s “Movement that Inspires” will continue with the official launch of Kia’s first dedicated battery electric vehicle with the EV6–the perfect embodiment of Kia’s technology and innovation. The Kia EV6 and its supporting charging ecosystem provided by various organizations nationwide represent a pivotal shift into the electric vehicle market.

According to BPI Lead Economist Jun Neri, auto sales will continue to grow at a hefty pace in 2023 after a stellar showing last year. The sustained economic recovery is seen in 2023 due to fewer international and domestic travel restrictions; easier access to consumer credit; a reduced unemployment rate boosting purchasing power & consumer credit scores; an inflation slowdown; and a more stable foreign exchange environment.

Kia Philippines would again like to thank its dealer principals for the continued partnership to achieve a common goal: To provide the best vehicle ownership experience. These milestones are an indication of a very positive outlook for 2023 and are indeed a “Movement that Inspires.”