Kia Motors America (KMA) has broken its all-time sales record, inked a major sponsorship deal as the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA and launched its all-new Borrego midsize SUV. KMA also is proud to announce seven models, including the Optima, Rio, Rondo, Sedona, Sorento, Spectra and Spectra5 have achieved The Car Book "Best Bet" distinction. Rio and Optima are recipients of the award for the third consecutive year, while the Spectra, Spectra5 and Sorento have achieved this award for the second year in a row.

"We are pleased to have several of Kia’s top-selling models distinguished as "Best Bets" by The Car Book," said Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of KMA and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG). "As we continue to raise our brand profile, we are proud to receive these awards based on safety features and performance characteristics in our vehicles."

The Car Book 2008 is an updated and expanded guide to buying a new 2008 car, van, truck or SUV. It presents the latest safety ratings, dealer prices, fuel economy, insurance premiums, maintenance costs, tires, as well as a chart of state lemon laws, and is published in cooperation with the Center for Auto Safety, the nation’s leading auto safety advocacy group.

The Car Book’s "Best Bet" distinction, given annually, is based on objective information collected from government and independent sources that evaluate the safety and performance needs of the American consumer. Only cars that have ratings in all of the key Car Book categories – safety features, fuel economy, rollover, front and side crash tests, maintenance and repair costs, warranties, insurance costs, and complaints, with the greatest emphasis placed on crash test performance – are considered as potential "Best Bets."

"The Car Book has long been the consumer’s best guide to smart and sensible car buying," said Jack Gillis, author of The Car Book. "We appreciate the fact that Kia continues to make a significant contribution to improving the market choices for the American car buyer."

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 640 dealers throughout the United States. For 2007, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of record U.S. sales. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline "The Power to Surprise."