Kia offers Sportage owners rebate it says ACC should pay
Kia Motors New Zealand is offering to pay a rebate to Kia Sportage owners it says have been charged unfair levies by the Accident Compensation Corporation.
Kia is offering a rebate to owners of 2010 and 2011 Kia SPortage owners for the difference in ACC levy costs between the lowest and highest risk ratings, which equates to $90 for each customer.
The 2010 and 2011 Kia Sportage suvs are 5-star ANCAP crash-rated, and included modern safety equipment, but in spite of this were classified high risk by ACC.
Kia New Zealand general manager, Todd McDonald, said his company had attempted to resolve what it considered was a discrepancy since May.
However ACC had said it would not correct the classification error until the 2016 and 2017 leveies were reviewed.
“Knowing there’s a problem, or in Kia’s case no problem, with the risk classification of a vehicle and charging consumers more is just plain wrong,” he said.
"ACC has it wrong so we want to pay the levy difference for current model, 2010 and 2011 Kia Sportage owners, and we hope that they take us up on the offer.
McDonald said Kia had received more than 140 direct complaints about the levy, and many more through the company's dealer network.
While manufacturer vehicles change year to year, the variations are minor in most instances. A 2011 Kia Sportage is nearly identical to a 2012, yet the ACC ratings occupy opposite ends of the spectrum representing the highest and lowest risk ratings.
“There’s a problem with the system, and while we can’t fix it for everyone we can look after our customers that stand by us year after year," he said.
"It’s beyond reasonable logic to have identical cars rated so differently based on when they were registered."
The ACC banding issue equated to about $90 (inclusive of GST) for each customer and Kia would provide the same sum via a rebate on a customer’s next full scheduled service at an authorised Kia dealer or service centre.
Sportage owners can see if they’re eligible by visiting Kia.com/NZ and typing in their VIN number.