KIA unveils new logo, all-new Sorento and Stonic Style but remains unsure of EV timetable
I was really quite excited last Monday morning, knowing that Kia Philippines was about to reveal its brand refresh, and then introduce two new models.
At the zoom event where nearly a hundred motoring media were on hand, the buildup seemed to point to a truly revolutionary move by Kia PH. The presentation featured Illac Diaz, who has been widely recognized as a climate hero, pioneering social entrepreneur, and community innovator, and he discussed at length his various internationally renowned projects, such as the “Liter of Light”, to show the world “the power of Filipinos coming together” and a showcase of ingenuity and resourcefulness, bringing solar-powered lamps to remote communities still without electricity.
This was it, I thought with anticipation. I was really expecting Kia PH to introduce its own electric vehicle, to throw in an automobile that would inspire more Filipino motorists to help in the mitigation of worldwide climate change effects by doing their part, kilometer by kilometer, charge by charge, by owning and running their own sustainable Kia EV.
After that quite lengthy feature on Diaz, it was Ted Lee, president and CEO of Kia Asia Pacific, to whet my appetite even more. He announced, “Kia’s new brand strategy is rooted from our dedication to diversify our business to offer eco-friendly mobility services, centered on electric and autonomous driving across major global cities. We will also promote more sustainable production routes through the usage of clean energy and recyclable materials.”
Then the show went back to Diaz, who highlighted a bit more his shelter foundation that used thousands of unusable plastic bottles converted into “bottle bricks” to build houses and other functional shelters.
Then it was president and CEO of AC Industrials Art Tan’s turn to speak. He expounded on the “Movement That Inspires” tagline of the refreshed Kia Philippines brand as it relates to umbrella company AC Industrials, explaining, “The concept of movement is quite clear and definite in the sense that one knows what it is not. It is never static, nor does it stay in the same form or context. Usually, it moves not simply to perform the action, but to carry with it an idea, an objective from one point to the next. These ideas, in the process, are what create change.
“In the Philippines, one organization is synonymous to change and transformation, to innovation and technology. All done within the guidelines of value and excellence. There is no other than The Ayala Corporation, the oldest and one of the biggest conglomerates in the country. Within the Ayala Corporation is AC Industrials, designated as its emergent industrial technology arm.”
Then Diaz comes in again, once more featuring his inspiring light inside plastic bottles. This guy seems to have impacted Kia Philippines a lot, and I was beginning to think that he would be announced as a “brand ambassador” of one of the EV models Kia was about to introduce in a few minutes.
Toti Zara, president of AC Motors Automobile Group, was up next, and he spoke of the nobility of Kia’s motoring advocacy. “When one talks about service, it always means to execute an act that will ultimately benefit a part or a situation, often done with the purest of intentions and the clearest of goals. More importantly, it almost always refers to a solution being implemented, which would result in a better life, better conditions, or better products.” He ended his zoom time by saying: “Moving to serve, already altruistic and compassionate, is a point of view limited to a few—and Kia certainly positions itself at the front of the line, ultimately an example of movement that inspires.”
It was down to Manny Aligada, president of Kia Philippines, to present what he said makes up the roadmap to the future of the automotive industry, the emergence of EVs.
And then he unveiled Kia Philippines’ two new models: The all-new Kia Sorento and the Kia Stonic Style edition.
After a flurry of features expositions and specifications highlights by Kia Philippines’ product strategy and planning director Josh Altarejos, Kia Philippines was peppered with questions about their EVs. There is no doubt that the new Sorento and the Stonic Style, the kitted-out version of Kia Philippines’ best-selling vehicle to date, will excite the ICE (internal combustion engine) market during their production runs.
But what about that solid build up that went on for a good hour or so? I felt like I was shown a teaser trailer for an epic movie that was about to be shown next. It turns out, as Aligada would explain during the Q&A, that Kia would be walking its talk after some time, when the EV infrastructure in the Philippines would be more complete. I was already hunkered down on my seat, a bag of popcorn in hand, and so looking forward to watching that epic movie. It turns out it’ll still be “coming soon”. Wow, ‘bit in’.
Oh well, I’m still hoping that Kia Philippines will spring a surprise in the very near future when it does finally introduce its own EVs, by offering price packages of its EVs that would give the other EVs currently offered in the Philippine market a run for their money.
