When one visits Kia’s website, you are greeted with “Hello Pakistan! The Power to Surprise.” This remained just a salutation for many until Kia went on a nationwide tour and proved that it really has the power to surprise!
Kia Lucky Motors is a partnership between South Korea’s KIA Motor Corporation and Pakistan’s Yunus Brothers Group and is another fruit of the Automotive Development Policy 2016-2021, which has enabled an influx of automobile manufacturers in Pakistan.
KIA Comes to You
KIA Lucky Motors did not want to be just another foreign auto manufacturer in Pakistan. To make an impact by introducing revolutionary marketing practices, it came up with a novel strategy – instead of expecting customers to come to KIA, KIA went to them!
Kia on Tour
Starting from Karachi, KIA embarked on a tour of Pakistan with a selection of vehicles including the Grand Carnival and Frontier (as a locally made Roadside Assistance Vehicle). However, this was not all – even the Sportage, KIA’s premier SUV, which has not yet been launched in the country, was taken on the road show. And what a show it was!
Kia on Tour was announced with a bang through advertisements in major newspapers. Kia Lucky Motors also partnered with PakWheels as a digital media partner to inform potential buyers that KIA will soon be coming to them. The response, as expected, was overwhelming and KIA showed its uniqueness by not keeping its fans waiting.
Beginning in Karachi, Kia on Tour made several stops in all the four corners of Pakistan, including Gwadar, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Cholistan, Multan, Faisalabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Kalar Kahar, Peshawar, Islamabad and Murree with massive Kia Experience Test Drive Activities being held in 8 cities.
This one of a kind roadshow attracted thousands, even in smaller cities which shows the appeal and anticipation KIA has generated in the country. KIA returned the appreciation by inviting people to not just see their cars, but also to gain a hands-on experience of every single vehicle through test drives. The KIA team was also there to talk to each and every customer and get feedback on their products. This was an unexpected move on KIA’s part, which was loved by the public wherever KIA went. Roughly speaking, KIA touched the hearts of millions of Pakistani’s who became a part of Kia on Tour.
No Mountain is High Enough for KIA
Anyone familiar with Pakistan and its geography would tell you that this nation of 220 million plus people lives on the plains of Punjab, sand dunes of Sindh, plateaus of Balochistan and mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Needless to say, KIA was a star performer on all these terrains.
From the sands of Cholistan to the beaches of Gwadar, all three of KIA’s vehicles performed as if they were specifically made for these terrains. The vehicles also took to the snowclad mountains of Murree and tackled the snow with graceful ease. KIA experienced a multitude of satisfied attendees wherever it went. As mentioned earlier, people were free to test-drive KIA vehicles, including its flagship model, Sportage.
On the whole, everyone who experienced Kia on Tour appeared very satisfied by the models showcased here. Those who took test drives were extremely impressed by the overall driving performance, vehicle handling on various types of terrains, braking systems, and the features and accessories that these cars are equipped with.
Vehicle Details
For those of you who unfortunately could not join Kia on Tour to test-drive these cars in person – Sportage is an All Wheel Drive SUV with a seating capacity of 5 people. It is powered by a 2.0 liter Nu MPI (Multi Point Injection) engine mated to a 6 Speed SportMatic Transmission.
KIA Grand Carnival is a MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle), which can seat 11 people. It is powered by a 3.3 liter V6 engine and can reach 0 to 100 Km/h in 8.6 seconds making it one of the most powerful cars in the Pakistani market. Its listed starting price on KIA’s website is Rs. 4,599,000.
KIA Frontier is a pickup truck with a cabin seating capacity of three persons. It has a 2.7 Liter Diesel engine with a maximum output of 80Ps/4,000rpm and a maximum torque of 16.8kg*m/2,400rpm. This fully imported pickup truck was found to be exceptionally durable and provides excellent value for money. Its listed price on KIA’s website is Rs. 2,049,000.
KIA ka Pakistan
All in all, Kia on Tour was a one of a kind roadshow, where KIA went to the masses and offered test drives of all its cars, showing great confidence in these vehicles. The company had nothing to hide and therefore wanted more and more Pakistanis to know about its cars. Kia on Tour even visited those areas where dealerships have not been set up yet, showing the commitment of KIA to bring its products to all Pakistanis, irrespective of geographical constraints. Sportage, in particular, turned out to be everyone’s favorite and many inquired about its launch date in Pakistan. KIA showed its true potential by engaging directly with their customers which is something unprecedented in Pakistan’s automobile market.
