Of all the industries that took a hit during the height of the pandemic, automotive manufacturers were one sector that faced major challenges in delivering their products. From manufacturing slow-downs to computer chip shortages, car manufactures were simply not able to keep up with the demand for new vehicles. That made it tough for local car dealerships, many of which were left scrambling to acquire inventory for customers looking to buy new vehicles.
For World Cars Kia in Sault Ste. Marie, the good news is those long wait times for new vehicles are finally over.
“Our inventory of available vehicles is up 100 percent from where it was compared to 2021,” said World Cars Kia sales manager Jeffrey Tremblay. “Last year a wait of up to a year was pretty much the case for most import manufacturers. Now you might have a wait time of up to six weeks. I just had a customer come in today and we had a new car available in the colour choice she wanted available in less than three weeks.”
For an industry based on commission sales, having actual product to sell is certainly critical to keeping staff happy and reducing attrition. Tremblay said he has just hired a new sales rep for the first time since the pandemic hit, a sure sign that things are changing in the right direction.
“I’ve seen a lot of turnover in other dealership over the past couple years because people just weren’t making any money,” said Tremblay. “The attrition was high, but our loyalty base know we have a good team here and many come here to buy a Kia just because of the service.”
Tremblay said the 2023 Kia product line is another reason why local buyers in the Sault continue to be repeat buyers.
The 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid crossover with dazzling looks and performance. The 2023 Kia Telluride is back with a slightly modified design that builds on its popular, award-winning success. The Forte, the Sorento, and the Seltos are three more of the popular designs from this Korean automotive giant, and all come with great pricing and warranties.
“We’re excited here because of all the new redesigns,” said Tremblay. “We’re ahead of the class when it comes to hybrids and the next generation of plug-ins. We’ve won multiple awards for our entire line-up and JD Power has Kia #1 in the power ranking for hybrids and electrics. And they come with 5 year/100,000-kilometre full comprehensive warranties.”
As inventory levels climb, Tremblay said that he should have a full lot of vehicles by the summer waiting for people to come in and test drive. As always, the popular Kia dealership will continue to provide the top notch service that has made it one of the area’s leading import dealerships.
“We continue to be known as one of the best service providers in the Sault. Ask anyone who owns a Kia. People buy them because of our service team and the competitive pricing. If we don’t have great service we don’t have a dealership.”
Come view the new line of 2023 Kia vehicles. Visit World Cars Kia, located 953 Truck Road. Call them at 705 759-1133.