Kia gathers dealers from 17 countries in Korea, expands its global PBV footprint

[Financial News] Kia is working to strengthen its global sales network as it expands its purpose-built vehicle (PBV) business. It invited dealers from 17 countries, including those in Europe and Canada, to Korea to give them a firsthand look at its PBV production facilities and future business strategy. The strategy is to develop PBVs as a new growth engine while helping overseas dealers better understand the business, thereby accelerating Kia’s push into global markets.
Kia said on the 23rd that it had held the Kia Global Dealer Invitation to Korea (Kia Discovery), a three-day, two-night event for global PBV dealers, from the 20th to the 22nd.
The event was attended by 33 dealers who sell PBVs in 17 countries across four regions, including Europe, Canada, Asia-Pacific and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Kia organized the event to share its PBV business growth strategy and competitiveness with key overseas sales networks and to build trust in the brand.
Participants visited key facilities, including Kia’s headquarters, Kia AutoLand Hwaseong and the PBV Experience Centre (PXC) in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. At the headquarters, they toured the lobby, which was newly renovated this year, and attended a vision conference on future business directions, including the brand, sales, service, distribution channels and PBVs.
At Kia AutoLand Hwaseong, in particular, participants viewed the PBV production line and the latest automated equipment, and learned about vehicle production processes and quality-control systems. At the Pyeongtaek PXC, they experienced PBV products and examples of service operations firsthand. A program introducing Kia’s 80-year history and brand heritage was also held.
Kia uses its overseas dealer invitation events as a key program to strengthen cooperation with its global sales network. Since 2016, it has branded the previously irregular events as “Kia Discovery” and held them twice a year.
The first event of the year, held last May, drew 45 new and high-performing overseas dealers. A survey conducted after the event gave the brand a trust score of 4.93 out of 5.
A Kia representative said, “We hope that firsthand experience of the Kia brand, its key facilities and technological capabilities gave global PBV dealers greater confidence in the future growth potential and vision of PBVs, one of Kia’s new core businesses,” adding, “We will continue to build brand loyalty among Kia’s global dealers through ongoing dealer invitation programs.”

[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter