Earlier this month, we reported that the Ayala Corporation, through its subsidiary AC Industrial Technology Holdings Inc. (AC Industrials), is now the distributor of Kia vehicles in the Philippines.
The development finally ends months of uncertainty regarding the state of the Korean manufacturer’s local presence. And now, we have an official relaunch date: January 30, 2019.
With Kia now under AC Industrials, the Ayala Corporation now has a total of six automotive brands under its management. The portfolio includes Honda, Isuzu, Volkswagen, Maxus, and motorcycle manufacturer KTM. Arthur Tan will serve as chairman of Kia Philippines, and Manny Aligada as president.
“The Kia brand presents the opportunity for AC Automotive to become a more significant player in the Philippine automotive market, as the brand—the oldest and second largest automobile seller in South Korea—is also represented in over 185 countries,” the company says in a statement.
“Kia’s global volumes and multiple assembly sites also assure of steady and substantial volumes and market share in the Philippines. Kia has, at present, a network of 37 dealerships.”
In addition to the ability to satisfy market demand, the company also ensures a wide variety of models will be offered and exceptional after-sales service will be delivered through the Kia Promise to Care Programs.
The biggest news? The company says three new models will be launched next year. No word yet as to what these will be, but AC Automotive assures these will be “exciting and competitively priced.”
Does that mean we’re getting the all-new Soul? Or perhaps the more performance-oriented Stinger? We can’t wait to find out. It looks like it’s going to be a very eventful 2019 for Kia in the Philippines.
