Kia may not be the brand that you would most likely show off to your friends.  Well, at least that was what Kia before.  In times past, we tend to think of Kia vehicles as cheap and disposable vehicles.  But watch out as Korean automakers continue their onward march towards global recognition.  Take for example the critically acclaimed Kia cee’d which has racked up awards after awards.

Recently, the cee’d won the 2008 Car of the Year in Romania.  Said award was given to the Kia nameplate by the Romanian Union of Auto Journalists and Publishers.  This year marked the eight year that the award was given by the said organization.

The Auto Channel reports that apart from the said award, the cee’d has already blazed its trail when it comes to awards given.  "This award comes on the heels of a recent “Family Car of the Year” award for the cee’d SW from Sweden’s Motorföraren Magazine," reports The Auto Channel.  "In Poland, the cee’d also won the “2007 Compact-Class Fleet Car of the Year” by Fleet Awards Polska organized by The Fleet Magazine along with Playboy’s “Car of the Year” award. During the Autoweek competition in the Netherlands, it won the “2007 Innovation Award.” In addition, the cee’d was short-listed for the “2008 European Car of the Year” (COTY) award, coming in fourth place and beating out some European favorites in the final vote."

Pretty impressive huh?  With those awards now under the cee’d belt, I am sure that the brand will be given more respect and consideration when one is about to buy a car.  George Damian, sales and marketing director at Kia Motors Romania said:  "This collective recognition from Romanian top auto journalists and editors makes us determined in giving more than our best in the future. More than simply fulfilling the jury’s criteria, we feel the amazing 7-year warranty and 5-star EuroNCAP rating played a major role in the jury’s decision."