Kia first with seven-year warranty

Kia has announced it will provide new and existing customers with a "7-7-7 jackpot" in the form of a seven-year warranty, including seven years of capped-price servicing and free roadside assistance -- a first in Australia.

The Korean importer says its comprehensive customer care package, designed to give new car buyers more peace of mind than customers of other brands, sets new standards in the Australian marketplace.

The move follows Kia's lead in other countries (including the UK, where it was introduced in 2007) and sister brand Hyundai's announcement last month that it will offer lifetime capped-price servicing for every vehicle it has ever sold in Australia.

Although other manufacturers offer lifetime capped-price servicing on selected models, such as Mazda and Subaru, no other brand in Australia offers a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty including capped-price servicing and roadside assist.

Kia Motors Australia Chief Operating Officer, Damien Meredith, said: "Kia customers now have a peace of mind that can’t be matched in the Australian new car market.

"Crucially, our customers will not be asked to pay any more for their scheduled services than had been the case with the five-year capped-price program," he said.

"The two-year increase in warranty, capped-price servicing and roadside assist is absolutely transparent and we will not be asking our customers to dip into their pockets to fund the extra benefits."

Kia will also extend the service program for recent customers, confirming that "owners who currently benefit from the five-year capped-price program will be automatically upgraded to share in the additional two years of the new seven-year plan".

And if a Kia vehicle is on sold, the "the additional warranty and service benefits would be fully transferable to subsequent owners, provided the usual conditions of the Kia Connect program had been met," said the company in a press statement.

The new capped-price servicing arrangement means that nuyers of a 1.6-litre petrol Kia Rio will pay a maximum of $2383 for (annual) servicing over seven years – which is the case for most of the Kia range (except the Pro_cee'd GT and Cerato Koup turbo).

"A capped-price service program, particularly where a service is an annual event, is an excellent tool for owners to have clarity and consistency of pricing when budgeting for keeping their new purchase in peak condition," said Meredith.

The reason behind enhancing its after-sales customer care regime was simple, observed Meredith, who said "…we need to be ready to build a lifetime relationship with our customers, anticipating and providing for their needs when they make that decision to join the Kia family."

The final part of the seven-year trio is the addition of a 24/7 roadside assist program for the life of the new-vehicle warranty. The first year is free, before being automatically renewed each with every service at an authorised Kia dealer.