Volvo Cars UK offers customers new on-line experience.

• Volvo Car UK launches new web portal to communicate direct with its customers
• Unique ‘My Volvo’ portal designed specifically around individual customers and their cars
• Bespoke news, product information and offers delivered direct to customers online

Volvo Car UK is transforming the way it communicates with its customers with the launch of ‘My Volvo’, an innovative new web portal.

My Volvo, which launches this week, is a new service that enables customers to establish an online relationship direct with Volvo Car UK that is personal to them and their car.

Existing customers can simply register their details via the portal at www.volvocars.co.uk/myvolvo to access a huge library of information, product news and exclusive offers and see information about their own car.

Even more exciting, for customers new to the brand, they can keep in touch right from the start of the experience, by tracking their car’s progress from the factory to its new home here in the UK.

While they await its arrival, they can also find out more about Volvo, familiarise themselves with Volvo ownership and even investigate some of their new car’s key features and technologies online.

The My Volvo site features video guides to a variety of features found on the latest Volvo models, including tips on pairing smartphones with the car via Bluetooth; how the infotainment system works; what security features are included on the vehicle and how to use the satnav.

In addition, there is a whole host of practical information – for example how to load the vehicle for a family holiday; driving with children and pets; tips for long-distance drives; advice on ways of driving more fuel efficiently and preparing for winter driving.

Future developments will include the ability to book vehicle servicing and maintenance with a Volvo retailer, while new send-to-car capabilities could, for example, allow customers to pre-set the cabin temperature or send destination information to their car’s satnav ahead of a journey.

David Baddeley, Customer Services Director at Volvo Car UK, said: “This is a real innovation for Volvo that will strengthen both our relationship with our customers and the way in which we communicate with them.

“We know that our customers value convenience and quality of service, so we’ve designed My Volvo to reflect those values as part of a unique customer service experience. The web portal enables us to build long-term, one-to-one relationships with people and further enrich the service we offer them.”

Kia brings in the new year with some great retail offers.

• Up to £2,000 off selected models
• Care-3 for just £99 on new VR7 range
• Existing cee’d owners eligible for up to £3,000 loyalty offer
• New 2014 Sportage available to pre-order

Kia Motors (UK) Ltd is starting the New Year with a range of customer offers across the entire line-up including newly introduced models.

All customers can save up to £2,000 on selected models across the range. The pocket sized Picanto is available with up to £1,250 off the retail price, meaning the entry level ‘1’ three-door starts from just £7,795. The Rio hatchback has up to £1,000 customer saving and the Venga B-MPV has a £1,600 saving on the entry level ‘1’ and ‘1 Air’. All other Venga’s have a £1,000 saving. The Soul is also available with a £1,000 customer saving across the line-up meaning the entry level 1.6 GDi ‘1’ starts from just £12,800.

Kia’s large SUV, the Sorento, starts at just £24,695 with a £2,000 saving (this £2,000 is available on all models). A top-level ‘KX-4’ 2.2 CRDi 194bhp six-speed auto seven-seat model has been added to the popular SUV line-up. With 19-inch alloy wheels, Parallel Park Assist, driver’s memory seat, two rear sun blinds and a silver front grille as standard, this standout model is also available with a £2,000 customer saving and starts from £34,495.

Savings on the cee’d family are equally generous with an up to £1,000 saving for new customers on the cee’d five-door, pro_cee’d and Sportswagon, whilst existing Kia customers are entitled to a loyalty offer of up to £3,000 in lieu of all other offers. The cee’d line is eligible for a £1,000 deposit contribution with the 4.9 per cent PCP deal from Kia Access. All these offers exclude the GT and GT Tech models.

Special edition VR7 models are now available on the Picanto, Rio and cee’d family line-ups. Standard features across all models include air conditioning, alloy wheels, reversing sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and leather trimmed steering wheel and gear shift as well as electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, USB and AUX ports and front and rear electric windows (except on 3-door models). All models across the VR7 range are available in white, silver, black and red.

Not only do these models offer a great level of specification but also a great deal – with prices starting from just £8,795 for the Picanto 3-door, with a £750 customer saving. To top it off all VR7 models are available with Kia’s Care-3 all-inclusive servicing package that includes the first three services for just £99.

The new 2014 Sportage is available to pre-order from January with vehicles arriving in dealerships from February. They feature a revised grille design and a rear combination light restyling that offers enhanced illumination and therefore better visibility. New-style alloy wheels and a shark-fin antenna finish off the exterior changes.

Inside, the model benefits from a new soft ‘nano’ paint finish on the dash and centre console as well as new-style instrumentation and a premium Infinity audio system fitted to high-end models.

New technical features have also been added to the 2014 Sportage – Trailer Stability Control is fitted as standard and Kia’s Flex Steer system and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is fitted to selected models.

The Carens 7-seat MPV is available with a range of customer offers. All derivatives are available with 4.9 per cent Kia Access PCP and Conditional Sale finance offers. A £750 deposit contribution is available to new customers whilst all petrol models get £1,500 off the list price and diesels get £1,000. Current Kia owners benefit from an up to £3,000 loyalty offer.

To make getting into a new Kia even easier there’s 4.9 per cent PCP from Kia Access, as well as 4.9 per cent Conditional Sale finance across the entire range and even zero per cent finance available on Venga and Soul models. Picanto and Rio ‘1’ models are eligible for a £250 and £350 Kia Access deposit contribution respectively.

Suzuki continues with great consumer offers for the rest of the year.

• VAT free campaign further extended until the end of 2013 on Swift, Splash and existing SX4 model.
• Swift 1.2 SZ2 three door on Driveplan PCP requires a deposit of just £159.

Suzuki has more good news for its new car buyers this Autumn with a further extension of its VAT free campaign until the end of the year on all Swift models (except Sport) and Splash. In addition, two models of the outgoing SX4 are included; the 1.6-litre SZ3 and 1.6-litre SZ5 model equipped with four wheel drive.

The highly popular Alto SZ model is now available at £6,499, representing a £700 customer saving on list price. Splash 1.0-litre SZ2 is available from £7,999, Swift 1.2 SZ2 three door at £8,999 and the outgoing SX4 1.6 SZ3 available for £10,495.

Suzuki is also continuing its flexible PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) offers until the end of the year. Alto SZ is available for a deposit of £919 followed by 41 monthly payments of just £109 with the option to pay a final balloon payment of £2,352 at the end of the agreement to keep the car.

Alto offers very low cost of ownership with no annual road tax to pay, thanks to emissions of 99g/km, combined fuel consumption of 65.7mpg and an insurance group rating of 4E.

Moving up the small car range to the Splash SZ2 1.0-litre, the latest PCP offer requires a low deposit of £925 followed by 42 monthly payments of £139 and an optional final payment of £2,856.

The good news also continues for Swift buyers; as an example, the SZ2 three door at £8,999 remains available for a deposit of only £159 followed by 42 monthly payments of £159 and an optional payment of £3,535. The five door SZ2 is also available for £159 per month but requires a slightly higher deposit of £639. The PCP offers include the latest model Swift 1.3 DDiS which has CO2 emissions of just 101g/km and offers 72.4mpg on the combined cycle.

At the top of the Swift range, the award winning 1.6-litre Sport three door continues to be included in the low rate Driveplan PCP offer requiring a deposit of £1,409 followed by 42 monthly payments of £239.