Kia released official images of its next generation cee’d in mid-January, giving the public a first glance at the Europe-specific five-door, which combines the styling typically found on a sporty coupe with the space and functionality of a hatchback.

Kia has scooped What Car? magazine’s ‘Ultra-low Carbon Award’ at their 35th annual ‘Car of the Year’ awards ceremony held in London on 11 January. The popular UK monthly automobile magazine and website handed out a total of 17 awards covering numerous automotive categories. Kia was honored for its dramatic progress in launching cars with the lowest average C02 emissions over the last 12 months.

Kia Motors America (KMA) unveiled UVO eServices, the next iteration of the company’s innovative voice-activated infotainment system, during the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in early January. Showcased in Kia’s stunning Optima Hybrid midsize sedan, UVO eServices represents an evolution from the original UVO system’s capabilities, adding a new telematics suite (“eServices”) that is powered by a free smartphone app that will provide drivers with an innovative connectivity experience including navigation, diagnostics capabilities and added convenience features.

As the major sponsor of Australian Open 2012, Kia Motors handed over a fleet of 101 speciallyequipped official tournament vehicles to Tennis Australia during a ceremony held in Melbourne on 12 January. Executives from Kia Motors Australia and Tennis Australia were in attendance, as well as tennis star and Kia’s global brand ambassador, Rafael Nadal.