Stockton Kia has undergone a distinctive refit to reflect the Korean carmaker’s latest brand identity.
The showroom refit at Stockton Kia is the latest of 190 Kia showrooms in the UK to be refitted as part of a nationwide design update.
The showroom has been refitted in time for the arrival of the EV9 Electric Experience, taking place at Stockton Kia on 18 September – the first chance customers will have to experience EV9 in the UK.
A large 884kWp solar panel array will also be installed on the roof of the dealership to power not only the showroom but the newly expanded workshop and neighbouring business units.
Customers will be able to use four EV fast and to ensure the building is energy efficient, heat pumps and LED lighting throughout the showroom have been installed.
In addition, a battery system will be installed to store the solar-generated energy, ensuring the dealership operates without using energy from the National Grid as much as possible.
Making full use of the solar power, the dealership now has four EV fast chargers for customers to use. To ensure the building is energy efficient, heat pumps and LED lighting throughout the showroom have also been installed.
The expanded workshop now features four service bays to offer greater flexibility for customers booking a service.
Kia created the Global Store Concept (GSC) to revolutionise the look and feel of its dealerships, offering customers a unified design centred around Kia’s new logo and design ethos.
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Inside the showroom, clear zones define the customer experience: a ‘customer zone’ featuring plenty of warm wood accents and seating areas as well as the reception and sales desks; and a ‘display zone’ with cool grey tones where Kia’s latest models are showcased throughout the rest of the showroom. These two main zones are divided by a striking red lighting feature that runs along the length of the showroom floor to visually separate the zones.
Additionally, the Kia ‘Showcase’ cutting-edge interactive and hands-on computer touch-screen computer system has been installed to offer customers a virtual and in-depth tour of any Kia model. ‘Showcase’ can demonstrate all Kia’s models, grades and colour options using a 360-degree configurator.
Customers can open and close the doors, turn the lights on and even get an interior view. In addition, Showcase can act as a video library to help introduce and explain some of the more detailed in-vehicle technologies, including Kia’s electrified powertrains.