Kia Motors America Partners With HerHighway In A Nationwide Drive To Raise Awareness Of Breast Cancer

• 10 city, across-the-nation drive event will conclude in New York City to kick off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October
• Kia's vehicle fleet plays host to breast cancer survivors, influential women journalists/bloggers and female motorsports drivers

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) announced today that it has partnered with HerHighway.com, an online site empowering women with bumper-to-bumper automobile knowledge, to supply Kia vehicles for "Drive Breast Cancer Awareness," an across-the-nation drive event, which aims to raise public awareness around breast cancer.  The eight-day cross-country road trip will start in Los Angeles on September 25 and finish in New York City on October 2, which marks the start of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

More than 100 women will participate, including breast cancer survivors, journalists, bloggers and race car drivers Shea Holbrook, Ashley Van Dyke and Melanie Troxel.  The vehicles that KMA is providing for the drive include the 2013 Kia Sportage EX, 2013 Kia Soul! (Exclaim) and 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid.  Along the way, the drivers will make pit stops at various locations to talk about the event and to raise awareness about breast cancer.  The public can also follow the drivers via Twitter with the #HerHighway and #Kia hashtags.

"Kia is deeply committed to supporting HerHighway and the 'Drive Breast Cancer Awareness' event which delivers much-needed awareness towards a disease that affects approximately one in eight women in the United States," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, KMA.  "Kia vehicles such as the Sportage, Optima and Soul are perfect vehicles for a cross-country road trip, and it is our privilege to provide these vehicles that will help HerHighway get the word out about breast cancer."

The "Drive Breast Cancer Awareness" campaign started in 2011 when its founder Christina Selter, HerHighway's Editor-in-Chief, was diagnosed with possible ALCL, a rare form of liquid breast cancer.  Since her diagnosis, Selter's goal has been to bring potentially life-saving information about breast cancer to women across the country through this drive.  A few weeks after the conclusion of the event, Selter will undergo a full Capsulectomy.

Kia's Unprecedented Growth
 Kia Motors is one of the world's fastest moving global automotive brands; from 2009-2011 Kia launched more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker, and under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer earned a reputation as an industry leader in automotive styling.  Kia Motors America's full line of fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive cars and CUVs has earned critical acclaim and dramatically increased consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand.  In 2011, KMA recorded its 17th consecutive year of market share growth, thanks in part to the largest increase of any major brand in perceived quality^₁ and the industry's highest brand loyalty ranking_².  Kia's U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia – KMMG – is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and builds two of the company's best-selling vehicles in the U.S. – the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan*.  Kia's value and technology-laden lineup also includes the Sportage compact CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Optima Hybrid, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and Sedona minivan.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 755 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA. In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S_³. Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, advanced safety features and new technologies.

Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its website – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

About HerHighway
HerHighway is a team of female automotive and lifestyle experts on a mission to empower women with bumper-to-bumper automobile knowledge and everything along the way.   HerHighway's bumper-to-bumper automotive reviews, tips and feature articles created expressly for women…by women.  That's what makes us such a refreshing detour in a male-dominated world.  HerHighway's Editor in Chief Christina Selter, is a nationally-recognized automotive and safety expert, she has been featured in more than 2,000 national and local newscasts, international press conferences and automobile trade shows around the country. She created the Drive Breast Cancer Awareness not only to create awareness of this terrible disease, but to pay homage to those that have fought and lost.

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX Trims and certain LX Trims only) and GDI Turbo are built in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

[1]  Source: Automotive Lease Guide Spring 2011 Perceived Quality Study.

[2] Source: Experian Automotive Q2 2011 market analysis.

[3]  Based on 5-year cumulative growth between 12-month retail sales for periods ending July 2007 and August 2012 of all U.S. automotive brands.

SOURCE Kia Motors America

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