Is Gene Messer Kia now Group 1 Kia Hub City?
Yes. The Gene Messer Kia store at 6006 19th Street in Lubbock is now Group 1 Kia Hub City, the same building and the same address under a new name.
Much of the listing record online still reads Gene Messer Kia, so a buyer who searches the old name can land on a stale page and wonder if we closed. We did not, and the old name still leads to us.
Keep reading below, then schedule a test drive in Lubbock. Bringing your own numbers to the lot settles this faster than any spec sheet.
Gene Messer Kia’s address in Lubbock is now Group 1 Kia Hub City
The address is 6006 19th Street, on the west side of Lubbock. Gene Messer Kia was the name on that building before it took the Group 1 name, and Group 1 Kia Hub City is the name on it today. We sell new, used, and certified pre-owned Kia vehicles there, and we run service, parts, and financing on site.
We are part of Group 1 Automotive, one of the largest automotive retailers in the US and UK. That is the group behind the new name.
If you are coming in from Wolfforth, Shallowater, Slaton, Levelland, or Plainview, the drive is the same one you would have made before. Only the name on the sign is different.
What the name change changes and what it leaves alone
The name changed. The address, the Kia lineup, and the service and parts work on 19th Street are all still here.
| Item | Where it stands today |
|---|---|
| Name | Group 1 Kia Hub City, formerly Gene Messer Kia |
| Address | 6006 19th Street, west side of Lubbock, Texas |
| Brand we sell | Kia only, and the only Kia franchise in Lubbock |
| Vehicles | New, used, and certified pre-owned Kia vehicles |
| Service | Kia service, parts, warranty, and recall work on site |
| Group | Part of Group 1 Automotive |
A new name does not change what Kia asks of a certified car. To qualify as Kia Certified Pre-Owned, a vehicle must be less than 6 years old, have 80,000 miles or fewer, and pass a 165-point inspection by a factory-trained technician (Kia America, 2026).
Gene Messer Kia did not close, and old listings still use the name
We did not close. The Gene Messer Kia name is still on much of the third-party listing record, so a search on it can return a page nobody updated.
Four names can come up when you look us up:
- Gene Messer Kia. The name on 19th Street before we took the Group 1 name. It still sits on many older listings.
- Group 1 Kia Hub City. Our name today, and the one on our website.
- Kia of Lubbock. What some customers call us. In an August 2026 Google review, Latasha S. wrote: “Would highly recommend going to Kia of Lubbock for your next purchase.”
- Group 1 Automotive. The group we belong to.
When a listing shows any of the first three, check the address. If it says 6006 19th Street, it is about us.
Lubbock has one Kia franchise, and it is the one on 19th Street
There is no second Kia store in Lubbock to mix up with ours. We are Kia’s sole franchise in the city, so a search for a Kia dealer here ends at one address.
That changes the question a Lubbock buyer is really asking. It is less about which Kia dealer and more about which Kia. The lineup runs from the K4 and K5 sedans through the Seltos, Sportage, Sorento, and Telluride SUVs and the Carnival. It also includes the electric EV3, EV6, EV9, and Niro EV.
A buyer who finds an old listing for Gene Messer Kia has not found a rival. They have found us.
Kia is a popular brand in the US, and its sales record shows it
Buyers who find us through the old name often ask whether Kia is a brand people actually buy. The sales record answers that. Kia America posted total sales of 852,155 units in 2025, passing 800,000 for the first time in company history and rising 7 percent over 2024 (Kia America Newsroom, 2025). The Sportage led the lineup at 182,823 units, up 13 percent from 161,917 in 2024.
Sales volume is one check. Two outside ones matter just as much. In J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study, the Carnival ranked highest in the minivan segment and the K4 ranked highest in the compact car segment. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety lists five Kia models with its 2026 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award: the K4, Sportage, Sorento, EV9, and 2027 Telluride. Several of those awards apply only to vehicles built after a set date, so ask us to confirm the award on the exact vehicle you are considering.
For a Lubbock buyer, that puts the choice in the right place. The brand has a strong national record, and the models you would weigh are all sold and serviced at 6006 19th Street.
Kia service, warranty, and recall work are still handled on 19th Street
Our service department is at the same address as the showroom. We handle oil changes, tire rotations, warranty work, and recall work, and our technicians are ASE-certified.
Customers talk about it under the new name. In a July 2026 Google review, Bettrell M. wrote: “Would recommend Group 1 Kia Hub City service department to everyone.”
Another customer described a visit that bent to fit her day. In a September 2026 Google review, Michelle H. wrote: “I got to this dealership 20mins earlier than my appointment and they still took me in.” If you bought your Kia here under the old name, the same address still takes care of it.
Read 4.5 stars across 2,045 Google reviews with the old name in mind
As of September 2026, our Google profile at 6006 19th Street holds 4.5 stars across 2,045 reviews. Of those, 1,659 are five-star, about 81%.
You have seen why the name matters here. Reviewers write Group 1 Kia Hub City, and some still write Kia of Lubbock. They are all describing the same building, so read any Kia rating you find by its address.
That also tells you how to use a listing you find under the old name. If it gives 6006 19th Street, it describes this store. The rating on our Google profile is the one to read, and the reviews under it are people talking about visits to this door.
Settle price, trade value, and pre-approval online before you drive over
Most buyers want some of the process online and some in person. In Cox Automotive’s 2025 Car Buyer Journey Study, 63% of recent buyers said a mix of online and in-dealership steps was the ideal way to buy, against 28% who preferred all online (Cox Automotive, 2025).
That is how we set it up. You can do the early steps from home and finish on 19th Street.
| Step | What you do online | What to bring to 19th Street |
|---|---|---|
| Shop | Browse new, used, and certified pre-owned Kia inventory | The vehicles you want to see in person |
| Value your trade | Get an online valuation for your current vehicle | The vehicle and its title or loan details |
| Get pre-approved | Apply for financing and see terms on a specific vehicle | Your pre-approval and the terms shown |
| Confirm the price | Ask for price and fees on the exact vehicle | The written figures to compare at the desk |
Pre-approval is worth doing early. Financing was used in 80.5% of new vehicle purchases in the first quarter of 2025 (Experian, 2025). Your trade also lowers your tax bill, since Texas charges its 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax on the price minus any trade-in allowance (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, 2026).
Ask for every fee in writing, the documentary fee included. Texas sets no hard dollar cap on that fee. A seller must file a notification and a cost analysis with the state before charging more than $225 (Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, 2024). We keep pricing plain, with no hidden fees and no haggling theater, and the written figures let you check that for yourself.
The sign changed, and 6006 19th Street did not
The question that brought you here was whether the old Gene Messer Kia store closed. It did not. Gene Messer Kia is the name on older pages, and Group 1 Kia Hub City is the name on the door.
Whatever name you typed, the Kia store you meant is still on 19th Street, open under a new name. What is left to settle is price, trade, and financing, and you can do that part before you leave the house.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia models can I find at 6006 19th Street?
We sell the K4 and K5 sedans, the Seltos, Sportage, Sorento, and Telluride SUVs, and the Carnival. The electric lineup includes the EV3, EV6, EV9, and Niro EV. Browse the current inventory online before you visit.
Do you sell used and certified pre-owned Kias?
Yes. We carry new, used, and certified pre-owned Kia vehicles in one store. A certified car must be under 6 years old with 80,000 miles or fewer (Kia America, 2026).
Can I get pre-approved before I visit?
Yes. You can apply online and get a fast pre-approval, then see terms on a specific vehicle. The online steps are done by the time you reach the desk.
Does my trade-in count toward the purchase?
Yes. You can value your trade online, and that value applies toward your purchase. In Texas, sales tax is figured on the price minus your trade-in allowance (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, 2026).
Do you still do service, parts, and recall work?
We do. Our ASE-certified technicians handle Kia service, parts, warranty work, and recall work on site. Oil changes and tire rotations are part of what we do every day.
Which towns do you serve?
Lubbock first, and the South Plains around it. That includes Wolfforth, Shallowater, Slaton, Levelland, and Plainview.
How Group 1 Kia Hub City puts shopping, trade value, and pre-approval online first
A buyer who finds the right address still has to settle the deal, and we put the first steps online so the visit is short. You browse new, used, and certified pre-owned Kia inventory, value a trade, and get a fast pre-approval. Then you choose the vehicle, with pricing and terms shown on that specific unit, and finish in store.
Customers describe the result in their own words. In a July 2026 Google review, Elsa G. wrote: “KIA Lubbock has always been my number one place to go for auto service. I’ve been going there for over 10 years.” In an August 2026 Google review, Liz T., who bought from us a second time, wrote: “The entire process was smooth, easy, and surprisingly quick.”
Group 1 Kia Hub City is the Gene Messer Kia store on 19th Street, so the old name you searched ends at the right door. Shop, value your trade, and get pre-approved online, then finish at 6006 19th Street.
Group 1 Kia Hub City answers this question against the specific vehicle in front of you rather than the model in general. Value your trade and get pre-approved online, then see us at our Lubbock showroom, or call (844) 402-3025.
Disclaimer: Vehicle features, specifications, pricing, options, and availability may vary based on production timelines and dealership inventory; images are for illustrative purposes only. Starting MSRP figures are national and exclude destination freight charges, tax, title, license, and dealer fees. Standard and available equipment varies by trim, configuration, and model year; confirm the specification of the individual vehicle before purchase. Maximum towing and payload ratings depend on cab, bed, drivetrain, and equipment configuration; see the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual and trailering guide for limits. Electric range and charging times vary with battery, configuration, temperature, terrain, load, and driving habits. Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. Financing and pre-approval are subject to credit approval. Contact Group 1 Kia Hub City for complete details regarding current vehicle inventory, pricing, and equipment.
