Dongfeng Yueda Kia to up sales by 30% in '09

Shanghai, February 2 (Gasgoo.com) Dongfeng Yueda Kia plans to sell 185,000 cars in 2009, up 30% from 142,008 of last year, said sina.com today, citing a sales executive of the joint venture. The company will launch more new models this year to boost its sales.

The joint venture between Dongfeng Motor, Kia Motors, and Yueda now has become one of the fastest growing automakers in China. Although China's auto sales slowed in 2008, Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co. saw the year’s sales reach 142,008 units, up 40% year on year, compared with the industry average growth rate of 6.7%.

The company's sales growth in 2008 was attributed to the Kia models such as Sportage, RIO and Cerato (or Kia Spectra as called in North America). The Sportage ranked first among SUV models and Cerato ranked second of mid-class cars in China auto sales last year, according to a customer satisfaction survey by China Association for Quality.

However, it may not be easy for Dongfeng Yueda Kia to lift its 2009 sales 30% to 185,000 units by only counting on these models. To this end, the company has decided to launch the all-new Kia Forte and Soul compact cars this year. The upgraded Kia Optima is also likely to be made by the venture for its better sales in the China market.

High-quality products have contributed a lot to Dongfeng Yueda Kia's sales success. Vehicle models of the joint venture delivered good performance whether in the exterior design, vehicle capability or in fuel-efficiency and environment protection.