Kia of East Hartford

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Kyle McCarthy
a month ago
I would give zero starts if possible. This is the worst dealership I have ever been to. If you have a choice, do not bring your car here. My Sorento was in for new trim to be installed. Thankfully it was covered by a warranty.When I brought my vehicle in on January 29th, they didn't have any loaner cars available, and I had to wait for over an hour to be connected with someone at Enterprise.On January 30th, I received a call informing me that my car was ready. I drove for over 30 minutes to get to the dealership, only to be told that the work was incomplete and that only half of the parts had been installed. They told me it would take another 2-3 weeks to complete the job.Though they extended my rental, I received another call on 2/12 at 2:00 p.m. informing me that I needed to pick up my car by 4:00 p.m. due to incoming snow. When I called Frank in the service department to explain that because of my school and tutoring schedule, I would be unable to arrive before 5, he was very rude and told me I had to work within their business hours. He also informed me that I would have to pay for any additional days of rental past today, as the service was finished at the dealership. Upon arrival, the car was covered in black dust, and the trim was installed incorrectly. It still was scratched, had dents from what appear to be hammers, and was not flush. Many pieces are placed on at different levels and do not connect. Between the service and the work, this dealership is horrendous. I highly recommend you look elsewhere.

  amberieasha
2 months ago
12/30/23 at 2/3am, my car was broken into with an attempted theft (ignition control box was fully dismantled and one of the windows broken). I towed my car to Kia of East Hartford overnight. I called during business hours to let them know my vehicle was there. I was quickly informed by an employee that Kia of East Hartford service department is overwhelmed with theft vehicles and they will not be servicing them any more. I was informed that I will have to retrieve my vehicle from the lot within a week due to there being no parking spaces available for prospective customers. I was appalled to hear that being that I am a customer since 2019 and purchased my vehicle from this dealership. I called in again at some point during the week and spoke to Kelly who rein-formed me that they are still not accepting/working on theft vehicles due to have upwards of 50 theft vehicles and she suggest I look into Hoffman collision center or another auto body shop. As a customer, I would have preferred the work to be done at the dealership I purchased my vehicle from.I came to pick up my distressed vehicle on January 8th, 2024. Scott Ballinger was confused and didn t understand why I was coming to pick up my broken vehicle. He told me Kia of East Hartford WILL in fact work on my vehicle and it will be available for pick up the middle of next week. He was not sure why I was previously told they weren t going to accept my vehicle.I arrived to pick up my vehicle on January 17th, 2024. I made the mistake of paying first (all out of pocket) before seeing my vehicle. After the payment was made, I asked where my vehicle was and the staff at the service desks told me it was outside in the lot. They didn t offer to walk me offer to it or provide any direction. I get outside and see that my car is completely covered in thick ice/snow. I come back to the service station and ask if someone is available to clean off my vehicle. They tell me the guy that does is not there at the moment.A service guy happened to be walking by and the young African American woman at one of the service stations. (very pleasant but I didn t get her name) asked if he would clean the car off for me. The service guy attempted to but realized it would take a while since there was so much ice. While in my car waiting, I turn around to see two boxes in my backseat with the old parts in them as well as glass all over my seats. Alerting me that my car wasn t vacuumed out in the slightest nor was the trash (old parts and boxes) removed from my vehicle. I ask to see a manager.Scott B arrives and asks Do you need help with something? I inform him that the car has glass everywhere as well as boxes with the old parts. He asks to see as if I was lying. He offers to remove the glass. Before he drives my vehicle over to the service area, he calls one of the mechanics over to get some of the ice off the windshield. I have attached a picture of them trying to get the ice off. They removed just enough ice so Scott has proper visibility to drive to vehicle into the garage. 10 minutes later, Scott informs me that the car is vacuumed out. I get to my car and it is still covered in ice front/back. At this point, I am running late for work.I re enter the service area to let the employees and Scott know that this is unacceptable customer service all around. From the beginning of telling me they weren t accepting theft vehicles for repair from their customers to telling me my vehicle was ready but not defrosted or cleaned on the inside.Scott tells me in a passive aggressive manner that they DO NOT clean off snow, remove old parts from the vehicles, or remove glass on the cars they are serviced on. Very rude and uncalled for.They take my vehicle and just like magic the ice and snow is gone! I still brought my car to the wash after to clean out the inside more thoroughly.As a customer for 5 years, I am considering leaving Kia of East Hartford and KIA brand all together. I have no plans of ever returning. Staff need to be reevaluated with remediation customer service training

  Melissa Torres
3 weeks ago
Great customer service! Dominic was super helpful, easy to get into contact with, and went above and beyond to make sure all of our needs were met. We re new to electric vehicles and he made sure to answer all of our questions. He also was SUPER patient with us when our wild children were running around like savages. We love our EV9 and highly recommend Kia of East Hartford and Dominic!

  Wes Vancour
a month ago
Eli our salesman was helpful, but not aggressively so. He was very knowledgeable about the automobiles we were interested in. He was exceptionally knowledgeable about the process of purchasing, and registering the new vehicle, transferring our insurance and helped us with motor vehicle canceling our old vehicle. I would highly recommend Eli and his staff for anyone looking to purchase a new vehicle.

  Awdey Ciak
3 months ago
My wife had bought three Kia vehicles, the past two from your dealership. The first from your dealership was during Covid 2020 she is a nurse and needed to trade in her Kia Soul for a AWD Sportage. Unfortunately back in March of 2023 it was stolen due to the so called KIA CHALLENGE and yes it was recovered but while the repairs would take weeks your sales team worked out a trade and sold her a Kia Seltos. At which time she was reassured that all security and programming was installed. A few months ago we received documentation that the vehicle required a security update to which we understood was completed prior to the sale. Well we scheduled and followed what was required with your service department. Which now brings us to 12/21/23 when my wife s Seltos was broken into again with attempting to steal it breaking a window popping the ignition system. Fortunately, they were not able to. We had contacted Progressive our insurance company and requested that the vehicle we brought to your dealership, upon calling the dealership we were informed that they no longer are taking any vehicles under insurance claims as of ours, the reason was that once the vehicles were dropped off, they would have no way of moving them. I explained to the service manager and also another gentleman who got on the phone both of them during my conversation had sarcasm. And at this point we now had to transfer to another Kia dealership, who is willing to work with us. If we only knew that this was the type of service that we were going to receive from Kia of East Hartford, we would absolutely not have put one penny on a table to close any type of purchases. I am a service technician and if I ever spoke or disrespected a customer in the way your service department did today I would be fired. But what bothers both of us more so than the disrespectfulness from your service department is that after purchasing two vehicles within three years we were refused to be able to bring back our vehicle to a dealership we respectfully believed in. Hopefully this will bring some type of sight that hopefully none of your existing or future customer will ever have to endure from Kia of East Hartford.SincerelyPrevious Kia of East Hartford customer

  Jaden Murray
a month ago
Caught the bus to the dealership and walked out with a brand new car, the village they have a KIA east hartford is responsible for hands down the best experience I ve had in my car search. Dan was able to help me find what car I WANT AND NEED in the matter of minutes, the process was simple and they went the extra mile by talking me through the leasing process and teaching me things I wouldn t have known nor have I been told by any prior dealership I ve been to. I felt confident and comfortable about my purchase thanks the the team at KIA and I definitely look forward to my oil change.

  Mike Ellis
2 months ago
Had a great experience at Kia of East Hartford. From the beginning to the end, everyone was great my car specialist was BRIAN Dennis you looking for a car I recommend him.

  Zenaida R
a week ago
I should ve posted a review a lot sooner. I went in on Feb 29th to look at a Kia Sportage and was greeted by Robert from sales. Everything from what I wanted and didn t was met by his impecable customer service skills and professionalism. Did went through some stumbling blocks acquiring my vehicle of choice but overall the process was super easy and smooth. Then I get a personal call from Shelly the manager and her courtesy, mannerisms and outstanding service skills really has me taking to my friends and family about this duo team. A very special review to auto tech Abraham who is an outstanding addition to the KIA team. Highly recommended.

  Skye
2 months ago
My experience with the test drive and purchase was overall pretty great and efficient. However fast forward a little bit...I'm getting really sick of having to jump start my car almost every day, sometimes multiple times a day. The system (battery, starter, alternator) tests fine and the battery isn't even 2 years old..I bought the car in July from Kia of East Hartford and started having problems not long after. I was told from their sales dept it's a service dept issue and was told from the service dept that it's up to sales to cover parts if needed and that I'd need to pay for a diagnostic out of pocket regardless.. Do they not check their inventory prior to selling it to customers? i had just purchased the vehicle from them..talk about being jerked around..for a company worth so much you'd think they'd be more willing to help the working class who purchased their faulty product. And to think I traded in my older Honda with over 13x the mileage for this thinking I'd have a newer, more reliable vehicle.. Toyota issued a recall which I think may be related to the issue but has not yet provided a solution. Having purchased the vehicle from Kia, they should not be denying any responsibility and asking customers to give them more money, especially while making more profit.

  Caitlyn McDonagh
4 months ago
This was my first experience buying a brand new car and Lori was phenomenal! She was never pushy, and spent the time explaining to me the differences in models, hybrid, etc., and all the questions I had. Her and the finance team also worked very hard to get it to the price point I was looking for, along with some great add on features. The process was smooth and seamless, and I felt very well attended to. This was great customer service and I would highly recommend them and Lori!

  Haus of Blonde
a month ago
Daniel was absolutely amazing to work with! He bent over backwards to make sure we were happy. He made things happen that we didn t think were possible. Daniel goes above and beyond and is extremely responsive. Couldn t recommend a single person better than him. Highly recommend Kia of East Hartford

  Adriana Manning
4 months ago
The car buying experience was really easy. Mike Bernard was great to work with, he was very professional. He listened to our concerns and addressed them quickly. We signed the paperwork with Albert in the finance department, he did a great job explaining the options available to us and we completed the paperwork quickly and efficiently.We are extremely happy with the whole experience.

  Sarah Bradshaw
2 months ago
Had an amazing experience working with Jeff and Dominic. They worked fast to get me back on the road! Dominic was able to answer any questions I had. Everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming. I didn't feel pressured to purchase and they worked with me to stay in my price range. Will be back when I'm ready for my next car purchase!

  Richard OConnor
2 months ago
Our salesperson Dan was exceptional. He explained the operation of our Sportage Hybrid inside and out. Very thorough. The price was great and the process went smoothly. The whole experience was a pleasure.We would also like to thank the General Sales Manager Michael Bates for all of his help. And of course we'd like to thank the Receptionist, Sarah, for her help and her spirited character. Everyone there was considerate and friendly. Thanks, R&S

  sherri thomas
3 months ago
I m from out of state and they helped me with getting my oil pan fixed and fuel door. They were very welcoming as I entered the wrong door but was greater warmly and showed where to go. Stacy was nice and kept me up to date with findings and repairs. I was taken aback by the payment plan that was offered. Many dealerships don t do that and it was nice to be offered such an option. Everyone was very nice from the shuttle driver to the mechanics. I would come back again for more work if I lived in this state.

  Angela Tremont
3 weeks ago
Daniel was very helpful and knowledgeable. Helped us throughout the process to find a car that was right for me and my price range. Albert also helped us a ton. I will be recommending my friends and family go to Kia of East Hartford and to ask for Daniel!

  Jeffrey Boisvert
3 months ago
I went to EH Kia because they had the new Kia I was interested in already in stock. Brian made every effort to allow me to buy a car rather than hard sell me. I negotiated a fair price for my trade-in and made the deal. I picked the car up same day after it was detailed.I later remembered that I had forgotten to take my EZ Pass transponder off the windshield of my trade-in. Brian retrieved it and went out of his way to meet me and return it to me. Kudos to Brian. Overall, a good buying experience.

  John Partenio
a week ago
Eli was great. He listened well and helped me through my purchase. He was not pushy . Overall a great experience from him, the manager Shelly, and the staff.

  Carl Tyler
2 weeks ago
Fantastic group of professionals. Took delivery of EV9 today, the entire process was efficient, friendly, & professional.A great group of professionals. The attention to detail and communication all so uncommon in so many places was exceptional at Kia of East Hartford. Update, in for service today..The service folks, every one of them, are so friendly and helpful.Thanks Amber, Greg Stacy, Veronica and Greg.

  Mary Steffens
a month ago
There seemed to be confusion right when I drove up to the service door as to who was going to help me. No clear direction.I found staff using their cell phones while waiting on me.Was on time for an 8:00 am oil change and elihwtire rotation which I was told would take about 1/2 hour. In waiting area encountered one gentleman that was friendly and helpful. He showed a customer how to use coffee machine and turned tv on.Eventually a service person checked in on me while presenting two filters that she said were dirty and should be changed at a total cost of 90.00.I agreed but have since been told that is typically a scam to add $ on the bill. My car only has 17,000 miles.My car was not ready until after 10:00 am and the extra service I had was 120.00.The service person then told me to give her all 10 s as that is how she gets paid.Lots of staff in groups just talking.All and all a bad experience.I do not usually give bad reviews.In fact have used Kia of Groton twice and gave them an excellent review

  Benjamin
2 months ago
Ready to buy a car sight unseen at sticker price. The salesman was evasive with educated questions, had an attitude, and threw away a the easiest sale during one of the slowest months of the year. Don t remember his name, but the number ended in 4508. Never had such a hard time throwing $20,000 at someone. Also had issue with putting money down to process a credit check.

  ashlee auclair
a week ago
Don and everyone at Kia of East Hartford were extremely kind and helpful with getting me my dream vehicle and on the road with it as soon as possible! Definitely recommend and ask for Don!

  Jim O
a month ago
Great experience buying first new car from Kia. Brian was extremely helpful and made it an easy and exciting process. Handled financing and everything with very competitive rates.

  Christine Simons
4 months ago
Frank and Cash are the best! I always feel valued as a customer every time I come in for service. Whether for routine maintenance or bigger ticket items the team showcases attentiveness, expertise, clear communication, and respect for my concerns as a female car owner. They've consistently provided exceptional service, making me feel confident and well-cared for.

  Fionna DeFeo
a month ago
Great place to get a car! The whole experience was terrific. I would definitely recommend to family and friends. I want to thank Eli & Jeremy for their help, you both were great.

  Linda Lamarre
a month ago
The waiting time was reasonable. I appreciate the free diagnosis that new brakes were needed. I had a hard time finding my car afterwards but the owner helped me.

  Edgar Allan Poe
3 weeks ago
Title: A Nightmare Unveiled: Kia of East Hartford ReviewStep into the abyss of despair, where hope goes to die and dreams are shattered welcome to Kia of East Hartford, the epitome of automotive horror. Strap in for a rollercoaster of disappointment, frustration, and regret. My experience at Kia of East Hartford was akin to a nightmare from which I wished desperately to awaken.Let's start with the ambiance, or lack thereof. As I entered the dealership, I was greeted not by the warm embrace of customer service, but by an eerie silence that seemed to permeate the air like a dense fog. The atmosphere was as inviting as a haunted mansion on a stormy night, with sales representatives lurking in the shadows like specters waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey.Once I managed to attract the attention of a salesperson, I was met with indifference so profound it bordered on contempt. It was as if I had disturbed a sacred ritual, and my presence was an inconvenience they couldn't wait to rid themselves of. Instead of offering assistance or guidance, I was met with dismissive gestures and vague answers that left me feeling more lost than before.But the horror didn't end there. Oh no, it was merely the beginning of a descent into automotive purgatory. When I expressed interest in test driving a vehicle, I was informed that none were available at the moment. Apparently, the concept of test drives was as foreign to them as basic human decency.Undeterred, I attempted to browse their selection of vehicles, only to be confronted with a dismal array of outdated models and poorly maintained cars that looked as though they had been salvaged from a scrapyard. It was as if Kia of East Hartford had taken a vow to offer only the most lackluster and uninspiring automobiles known to man.But wait, it gets worse. Much worse. When I finally settled on a vehicle that seemed passable, I was subjected to a barrage of hidden fees and exorbitant charges that would make even the most unscrupulous used car salesman blush with shame. It was as if Kia of East Hartford viewed their customers not as valued patrons, but as mere piggy banks to be shaken down for every last penny.And just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any worse, it did. The customer service was abysmal, the prices were astronomical, and the overall experience left me feeling drained, defeated, and disillusioned. Kia of East Hartford is a black hole of despair, sucking in unsuspecting victims with promises of quality and reliability, only to crush their spirits and leave them broken and battered on the cold, unforgiving pavement.In conclusion, if you value your sanity, your dignity, and your hard-earned money, steer clear of Kia of East Hartford at all costs. It is a cesspool of incompetence and deceit, a blight upon the automotive industry, and a cautionary tale of epic proportions. Do yourself a favor and take your business elsewhere anywhere else before it's too late.

  Rick Lickwar
a year ago
KIA of East Hartford in my opinion and experience is the #1 Dealership on the East Coast. It is a state of the art facility with the latest in style and technology. I have been purchasing vehicles from Jeff Z. for twenty years. Jeff is a consumate professional that will do everything in his power to close your deal and put you in your dream car, in a way that is exclusively catered to your needs and finances. He is truly there to make his customers happy. Jeff has consistently sold us cars since 2004 and every single transaction was smooth and stress free, with a quick turnaround on vehicle delivery, in a time when many places have no inventory. He keeps a well stocked inventory and this company, from sales to finance to delivery is seamless, like a well oiled machine. All of the sales personnel are courteous and helpful. The finance department is expedient and works hard to get a comfortable price point that works for you. There is no other car that can match KIA'S warranty, these are high end vehicles, at an affordable price with even more amenities than other cars twice the price! I will purchase Kia for the rest of my life. If you want a Kia, do not waste your time anywhere else, go straight to Kia of East Hartford and ask for Jeff Z. They also have a strong inventory of gently used cars too.I promise you are in good hands and you'll keep on coming back. I will only purchase from this dealership. It's right off the highway, quick access, safe neighborhood. Don't waste time anywhere else ~ go see Jeff! Today!You'll be happy that you did! If I could give 20 stars I would!Ty Jeff and Kia of East Hartford, we love our new EV 6 GT Line, this car is out of this world! You made it simple, and it's always our pleasure to give you our business!

  Rhonda Onisto
3 months ago
Daniel, our salesman, was fantastic. We had unusual circumstances as 86 y.o. dad was with them in East Hartford and I was on the phone from SC. They were extremely sensitive to these circumstances and never grew impatient. They were very accommodating to send me each set of paperwork for me to approve before signing off. They got dad into a Forte that he just loves.I had gone to Hyundai of Manchester first because dad's last two cars were Hyundais and they just blew us off. Their loss.

  Ryan
2 months ago
We signed a lease today from this Kia and received a beautiful new Sportage EX. Our initial product specialist was incredibly considerate, fair, and kind.But the reason for my low rating is for the system of deception I witnessed over my two long visits. My first visit was two weeks prior to this purchase. The first paper that was handed to me showed prices wildly higher than what their website had shown. I am someone that never walks into a situation unprepared, as I work in sales myself. But even after reading the website disclosures and fine print, I was consistently flustered because the quotes I received had no clarity as to what made the price difference so drastic from online quotes.After 4 hours from our first visit, we had to part ways because we could not come close to an agreement close to what the Kia of East Hartford website provided.After 2 more weeks of waiting, researching, and attempts to gain insight about the advertised vs actual payment, I felt comfortable returning again today. I reengaged with management showing exactly what their website says a payment should be. I was met with two responses, #1. the kia website is managed by a third party and we've been having a problem with the calculations and #2 the down payment and monthly payment that the website shows doesn't include certain additional fees. Both could have been reasonable responses but something didn't add up.After renegotiating about our trade in and removing optional accessories, we had come up with an estimate exactly where we wanted and expected it (a dream come true). To put our money where our mouth is, we agreed to a partial downpayment to prove we can afford this vehicle. Shame on us... the calculations were on the wrong vehicle (the manager's "honest" mistake). Now I had a $2,000 charge on my card for a deal that I was told would be set in stone. The terms on the car we wanted were now rolled back to a puzzlingly high number. At this point we are defeated and their only compromise made was a year of free oil changes only offered by word of mouth -- not in writing. We decided to move on and accept that this car would cost more than it should.After an hour, we returned with the remaining amount of the deposit, which would cover all additional fees and capital cost reduction. We met with the final person to outline the lease contract terms. To our surprise, the deal we had agreed to with one person became an even more expensive one. The "agreed upon" capitalized cost of the vehicle was suddenly $4000 more expensive than advertised on the website and our down payment did NOT include taxes and other fees. I demanded that we see the same numbers shown earlier in the day; after 2 more negotiations, we had reached that. This final representative did their best to assure us that this was a miscommunication issue...After 2 visits and a total of 8 hours wasted, my final take is that this a shady business. Working with a handful of individuals in this dealership, I've gathered that the goal is to frustrate the customer to the point of defeat and avoid clarity until you need to sign a contract. Even after finally walking away I am hesitant reengaging with this team for future service. My experience was so severely poor. The price listed on this lease is still so different from what was advertised so I will be filing a complaint with the Department of Consumer Protection for misleading advertising.