A Kia Stinger Salon Is Coming To A Mall Near You

To show "how far it has come" or to show how desperate it has become? Maybe they also need to do research on how mall traffic has been significantly decreasing in recent years, which might explain hwo they were likely able to get affordable leased space in a mall to begin with. Someone needs to remind Kia that they are no Tesla.

This is probably their best bet as malls would most likely have their demographic of people that would buy this car.

Some do quite well actually, but they tend to be more upscale.

Go where the people are. You probably get much more foot traffic dollar for dollar in a mall than you do in a typical stealership so from that perspective this strategy could show good dividends regardless if you like the brand or not.

This is just daring enough of a move to be brilliant. The Irvine location is a genius move given the demographic of the area.

Sure. This is really going to work. When they close all the outlets in a few months we will be told that was the plan all along.

I just don't see the value. If I'm going to a shopping mall, I'm not shopping for cars. And if I am shopping for cars, any smart consumer knows that you're not just going to one brand or one model. Sure, there's a novelty of going into Kia and seeing how boring their car lineup is...er, I mean, how far they've come. But if I'm investing thousand of my dollars, I'm not stopping there and I sure as hell am not going to sign a contract before test driving other models first.

Now, this strategy has worked for Tesla. Why? Because they were and essentially still are, the only all-electric premium brand on the market. So, a one-stop shop experience might actually make sense. In my local mall, the Tesla "store" fares well. You can go right from the store to the garage where several cars are waiting to be test driven. But this is a mall that caters to those who frequently drive higher-end cars. Not a day goes by that there isn't a handful of Lambos, Ferraris, Porsches, Bentleys and Rolls Royces in the valet parking areas. Kia, this is not.

If it's an upscale mall, then upscale buyers who may not set foot in a Kia dealer might set foot in a demonstration store and this will be ESPECIALLY a shrewd move for the Stinger. This kind of a move has the opportunity to change perceptions.

I wonder only why Genesis wasn't first to do it.

That just shows that you're ignorant of the demographic research behind this car. It is attracting the right people.

Mercedes had 2 models in small "store" in Ottawa's Bayshore Mall. I believe they had one B and one C class for people to look at.
This was probably a year ago when I saw it and can't recall from a recent visit if they're still occupying the space.