Company car buyers are responding as well as retail customers to the seven-year warranty from Kia, claims European sales vice president Bernard Bradley.

“The fact that that it can be transferred to subsequent owners is working well in supporting residual values and that is appreciated by fleet operators,” said Bradley.

Due in part to the scrappage scheme, the UK has become the Korean firm’s biggest European market.

“Kia sold one million cars globally in the first six months this year and even though our growth across Europe is running at 10 per cent, no-one is under any illusions that the job of introducing our products is now complete.

“We know we have some historic perceptions to overcome and we still view ourselves as a challenger brand – but user-chooser cars like the Sportage and the new Kia Optima will be a great help in changing the way people view our products,” he said.

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