Kia commences online sales

Joining a growing number of car brands like of Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Audi that offer almost contact-less new car sales, Kia now lets you purchase a car without leaving home.

Launched late last week, the Kia Australia ‘build-and-order’ online sales system is now part of the Kia.com/au website and allows buyers to select every model in the range, various model-grades and colour choices and even shows drive-away prices and what the on-road costs will be.

Once owners have chosen their car, entered personal details and divulged whether they have a trade-in vehicle, they can choose a dealer stump up a refundable $100 deposit to secure the vehicle.

Buyers will then be contacted by the chosen dealership to seal the deal.

If a trade-in vehicle is part of the deal, owners will need to submit the vehicle to the dealership to get a trade-in price but otherwise, it’s a hands-off transaction.

The only time buyers will need to go to the showroom will be to collect the vehicle.

Some people like the idea of touching and testing significant purchases before they agree to handing over cash, but in the current climate of lockdowns and social distancing brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, car brands and websites likes carsales.com.au are seeing increased demand for online sales.

A Kia Australia spokesperson told carsales.com.au that “eight or 10” cars have already been sold through the system less than a week in.

“The idea is to offer an alternative buying system to customers who may not have an opportunity or desire to go into a dealer,” said the spokesperson.

It’s understood that Kia dealers are happy with the online system, as sales still go to dealerships, although there is potential for sales staff to miss out on commissions via face-to-face sales of vehicles.

Kia Australia's new ‘build-and-order’ system may also allow customers to get first dibs on upcoming new vehicles, such as the next-generation Kia Sorento large SUV coming in August and new Kia Carnival due around November.