World Premiere for New Kia Sedan in New York

Next generation version of popular Optima mid-size sedan

SEOUL - February 22, 2010: The next generation Kia Optima (also known as 'Magentis' in some markets) will make its public world premiere at the New York International Auto Show, which opens on Friday 2 April 2010. A fresh design from the ground up, Kia's latest generation of its popular mid-size sedan is completely transformed and embodies a bold, athletic and sporty visual energy.

Longer, lower and wider than the previous generation model, the new Optima features a significantly longer wheelbase and will offer more space for people and cargo.

The next generation Optima will go on sale at Kia dealerships in the USA and in non-European markets from Fall 2010, while sales in Europe will begin in Spring 2011.

The world premiere of the next generation Optima will take place at the Kia Stand on Level 1 of the 'Jacob Javits Center' located between 34-39 Streets on 11th Avenue in New York City.

Kia Motors Corporation, a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands. Over 1.5 million vehicles a year are produced in 13 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 172 countries. Kia today has over 42,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$14.6 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World CupT. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.