The wave of younger car consumption is coming. In China's auto market, the spending power of young people is a growth force that cannot be underestimated, and they have gradually become the backbone of the car buying team. As early as 2021, there are survey data showing that nearly 70% of "car owners" are less than 30 years old, of which 36.05% are young people aged 18-25 years old and 34.88% are "25-30 years old" users. Under the market trend of young users, who can take the lead in grasping the pain points of young Chinese consumers in car purchase will be able to occupy the dominant position in the future automobile market.
In view of this, the car companies can be described as a hundred flowers, the new and old forces are doing their best to compete for young users, just in the process of the fierce development of the car company competition, a familiar face once again returned to our eyes. It is Kia, the Korean car brand that once swept the streets of China.
Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Kia's entry into China, 2022 may be a key year for its deepening brand renewal. It is reported that Kia is actively responding to the call of users in the Chinese market and focusing on new tracks. According to Kia's planning, based on the Turn-around strategy and "All New Kia, All New Start!" "With a business policy, Kia will increase its investment in the Chinese market. For now, in 2022, Kia has accelerated its pace of renewal with all its might, and has played a beautiful set of combination punches, and there are still many cards.
Products and services are the focus to deliver a better experience
First, based on the Chinese market and the growing demand for cars from Chinese consumers, Kia plans to launch a number of models in China this year, including the new flagship Sportue SUV and its hybrid version, as well as the K3 redesign. Not only that, but on the basis of the variety of models, Kia's new car will also be equipped with the brand's latest and most comprehensive safety configuration and technology configuration.
It has to be said that in today's automobile market, the transportation function is only the entry threshold of a qualified car, and the growing demand of consumers for travel experience, especially as the young generation of Internet natives, has higher requirements for intelligent technology and car energy efficiency, which has promoted car companies to continuously innovate their own technologies. In view of this, Kia has introduced many models in recent years with DRIVE WISE intelligent driver assistance system, CVVD engine technology and Baidu intelligent interconnection system 3.0, among which CVVD engine technology is unique to Kia globally, which can be described as remarkable achievements, allowing young users to achieve both fish and bear paws between performance and energy consumption, and intelligent driving assistance system is deeply loved by young people.
Secondly, in order to improve the user's car buying experience, Kia has made innovations in both online and offline car purchase channels. In the online part, Kia launched the "Discover New Kia" brand experience activity, focusing on users' new living habits, Kia carried out door-to-door test driving and door-to-door maintenance service activities, so that customers can experience intimate services without leaving home, and implement the service theme of "saving time to 'residence', intimate to home", so that users do not have to run for test drives or basic maintenance. Offline part, Kia under the new strategy will also be unveiled with a new dealer showroom image and service, showing users a new look from the inside out, optimizing the offline car buying experience.
Breaking the circle of cooperation, cross-border collision brings a new feeling
In order to open up the "fertile market soil" for young consumers, Kia has also done everything in its power. For the young market, Kia has joined hands with the world's popular mobile game IP - Tencent League of Legends Mobile Games, which not only provides sponsorship for it, but also organizes the "Kia Cup League of Legends Mobile Game National League". This is undoubtedly a major attraction for young consumers, and more importantly, such cross-border innovations also make consumers feel the renewal of Kia and the unremitting efforts made by Kia to return to the mainstream of the market.
Confident and with a clear future goal
At the beginning of March this year, Kia also released its 2030 strategy, which clarified the brand's strategic goals for the next decade. Globally, Kia also plans to sell 1.2 million pure electric vehicles per year by 2030, and 14 pure electric vehicles will be on sale in 2027. The plan also includes global automotive product sales of 4 million vehicles by 2030, of which more than 2 million are eco-friendly models, all new cars are equipped with intelligent interconnection systems and autonomous driving assist technology, becoming the first brand in the global PBV (personalized customized model) market in 2030, and launching the first product in 2025. This strategy can be said to point out a clearer direction for Kia's development in the next few years.
To achieve the 2030 strategy, China's layout will undoubtedly be an important weight in Kia's global market. In the Chinese market, from 2023, Kia will launch at least one new pure electric car every year, and by 2027, it will build a new EV matrix composed of 6 models. While accelerating the transformation of brand electrification, Kia has also set a "small goal" of "more than 4 million production and sales in China in the next ten years", and in the next ten years, Kia will usher in the mark of tens of millions of production and sales in China.
The accumulation of strength lays a solid foundation for innovation
As one of the world's top five automotive groups, Hyundai-Kia enjoys a worldwide reputation, especially J.D.Power's recognition of it year after year. Statistics show that in J.D.Power's "American New Car Quality Research", Kia has won the top spot many times, and the highest record has won the championship of mainstream car brands for 6 consecutive years; in the 2022 list, Kia even surpassed well-known brands such as Toyota, Porsche, and Lexus, and sat firmly in the first place in the overall list and won the "Best Brand Award"; in China, Kia has also been continuously shortlisted in the top five positions of mainstream car brands in J.D.Power China's new car quality research. And these honors are just the tip of the iceberg of Kia's many medals.
The accumulation of the strength of car companies is the basis for winning market recognition. In 2021, Hyundai Kia Group's global sales reached 6.668 million units, ranking fourth in the world. Among them, Kia's global sales volume was 2,777,056 units, an increase of 6.5% year-on-year, ranking 8th in the world. It is worth mentioning that in May 2021, the cumulative global sales of the Kia brand exceeded the 50 million vehicle mark, which also means that it has more than 50 million loyal fans worldwide. This shows the size of Kia's user base, in the new era of the transformation of new and old kinetic energy, it also has a stronger mass base and first-mover advantage, the key lies in whether it can seize the opportunity and seize the user.
Write at the end
Seeing the needs of the market and hearing the voice of the people, car companies continue to "break the old and establish the new" in the process of exploring the development of their own brands, which is something that every consumer likes to hear. Based on the Chinese market, focusing on young users, old friends Kia re-start, carrying countless expectations at the same time, will also bring us what changes and surprises, may need users and time to give us answers.