What do customers say about the sales team at Group 1 Kia Hub City?
Customers in Lubbock name our salespeople one by one, and what they credit is care, speed, and respect. Our reviewers write about Ryan Martinez and John Stewart by name.
Lubbock has one Kia franchise, so a Lubbock buyer is deciding which Kia to buy and who to buy it from. The reviews are the plainest record of how that conversation goes.
Keep reading below, then schedule a test drive in Lubbock. Bringing your own numbers to the lot settles this faster than any spec sheet.
Lubbock reviewers name the salesperson who looked after them
Our Google reviews from Lubbock buyers point at people by name. Latoya J. wrote about Mr. John, Jenny B. thanked Ryan Martinez, and Legene B. gave a shout out to Mr. John Stewart. All three describe a salesperson who took care of them.
The details differ, and the differences matter. Latoya J. describes an experience that is “always wonderful,” visit after visit. Jenny B. credits Ryan Martinez with being fast, respectful, and helpful on a Telluride purchase, and says the family will keep him in mind for the next visit. Legene B. looks for John Stewart every time a visit to our store comes up.
A name tells you something a star rating cannot. A buyer who can name the person who helped them is a buyer who was remembered, and a buyer who plans to ask for that person again was treated well enough to want a second visit. Both Jenny B. and Legene B. wrote exactly that.
One more detail in Latoya J.’s review is worth knowing. The review says “GeneMesser KIA.” Our store at 6006 19th Street in west Lubbock traded as Gene Messer Kia before it took the Group 1 name, and much of the third-party listing record still carries the old one. Same address, same store. A Lubbock buyer who hears either name is hearing about us.
A 17.5-minute Lubbock commute decides which Kia to ask about first
The mean travel time to work in Lubbock city is 17.5 minutes, below the 19.3 minutes for the Lubbock metro area as a whole (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024). That is a short daily drive, and a short drive changes which Kia a salesperson should show you first.
For a driver on that kind of commute, the conversation starts with the K4 and K5 sedans, the Seltos and Sportage SUVs, and the electric EV3, EV6, EV9, and Niro EV that sit in the same lineup. A commuter does not need the largest vehicle on the lot. A commuter needs the one that fits the miles, the parking, and the budget they actually have.
The right opening question is about the drive itself. How far is it, how often, and who rides along? A salesperson who asks those three things before talking about trims is working for the buyer. Latoya J. describes that kind of attention when she writes about Mr. John and the care he takes with what the buyer needs, visit after visit.
Because we carry only the Kia franchise, our sales team works one lineup all day. A Lubbock commuter does not have to wait while someone looks up a model they sell twice a year. Ask your questions in the first five minutes and expect answers about the actual models on the 19th Street lot.
Lubbock families weighing Telluride, Sorento, and Carnival need a salesperson who knows Kia
Five Kia models carry the IIHS 2026 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, including the Sportage built after May 2025, the Sorento built after September 2025, and the 2027 Telluride built after June 2026 (IIHS, 2026). The build dates in that award are the first thing a family should ask about, because the award follows the build date and not only the badge on the back.
A family shopping the Sportage, Sorento, Telluride, or Carnival is really asking three questions. How many people ride every day? How many ride on the weekend? And what does the third row, if there is one, have to carry? Those answers sort the lineup faster than any brochure, and they are the questions a good salesperson asks out loud.
Jenny B. describes how that went for her family. She and her husband bought a new 2025 Telluride S, and she thanked Ryan Martinez for being fast, respectful, and helpful. A family that arrives with kids, car seats, and a long list wants speed and respect for its time more than a sales pitch. That is what the review credits.
If your family is in Lubbock and still weighing the minivan against the three-row SUVs, bring everyone who rides. Let the salesperson put the family in each one. The decision usually settles itself in the parking lot, and a salesperson who knows the whole Kia range can tell you which build you are looking at and what it carries.
Lubbock buyers who want a used Kia can ask for certified pre-owned
To qualify as Kia Certified Pre-Owned, a vehicle must be less than six years old, have up to or fewer than 80,000 miles, and pass a 165-point quality assurance inspection by a Kia factory trained dealer technician, with a Carfax Vehicle History Report run as part of that inspection (Kia Certified Pre-Owned Benefits, 2026).
We sell new, used, and certified pre-owned Kia vehicles at the 19th Street store, so a buyer can ask which of the three a given car is before getting attached to it. That question belongs in the first conversation. A used Kia that meets those limits is a different purchase from one that does not, and a salesperson should be able to tell you which you are looking at.
For a Lubbock buyer who wants to spend less up front, this is the section of the lot worth asking about. The same people who sell the newest Telluride can walk you through a certified car and explain what the inspection covers. You do not have to choose between a sales team that knows new models and one that knows used ones, because the buyer meets one team.
Keep the ask simple. Say what you want to spend and how many miles you drive in a year. Then ask which Kia models in the used and certified rows fit both numbers. A salesperson who answers with a short list is guiding. A salesperson who answers with a single car is selling.
What a Kia costs in Lubbock: manufacturer MSRP plus fees Texas sets
Kia lists the K4 LX at a starting MSRP of $22,290 and the Telluride LX at $39,190. Those are the manufacturer’s suggested prices before destination freight, tax, title, license, and dealer fees. They show the span of the lineup, from compact sedan to three-row SUV, and they are where every Lubbock conversation about cost begins.
Texas sets the next layer. A Lubbock owner registering a fully electric car or truck of 10,000 lbs. or less pays a $200.00 annual Electric Vehicle Fee at registration renewal, on top of the $51.75 registration fee, the $10.00 Lubbock County local fee, the $7.50 inspection replacement fee and the $4.75 processing and handling fee (Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, 2026).
| Charge | Amount for a Lubbock buyer |
|---|---|
| Registration fee | $51.75 |
| Lubbock County local fee | $10.00 |
| Inspection program replacement fee | $7.50 |
| Processing and handling fee | $4.75 |
| Annual Electric Vehicle Fee, fully electric vehicles of 10,000 lbs. or less | $200.00 |
| Motor vehicle sales tax | 6.25% of the sales price, minus any trade-in allowance |
The tax line is the one a Lubbock buyer can change. Texas motor vehicle sales tax is 6.25% of the sales price, minus any trade-in allowance (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, 2026). A trade-in lowers the price the tax is figured on, so the trade conversation is part of the cost conversation. A salesperson who asks about your trade early is working on your tax bill too.
We do not post a price here. Price and terms are shown on a specific vehicle, and the numbers above are the manufacturer’s suggested prices and the state’s fees. Ask the salesperson to put the price on the exact car in writing, and ask for the trade value in writing as well. Both are fair requests, and a good sales team expects them.
Our trade tool, loans, and leases give Lubbock buyers a plan before the visit
Our online trade tool is titled “Sell Your Vehicle” and has a “Get My Price” button. It gives a price from a license plate, a VIN, or a make and model, so a Lubbock buyer can know what the current vehicle is worth before driving to 19th Street. We also buy vehicles and take trade-ins at our dealership without an appointment.
For the purchase itself, we offer Kia leases, new Kia financing, and pre-owned car loans. A buyer who knows the trade price and the financing route walks in with the two numbers that matter most, and the conversation with the salesperson can be about the car.
Here is how some of our Lubbock customers describe the people behind that process.
In an October 2026 Google review of Group 1 Kia Hub City, Latoya J. wrote: “My experience with GeneMesser KIA is always wonderful. Mr.John always takes good care of my needs. The team there is nothing but awesome!”
A September 2026 Google review of Group 1 Kia Hub City from Traci G. reads: “I’m never disappointed with Kia. They always take care of me. They make the process easy by using text to allow you to choose extra services or not, let you know when it’s ready & answer any questions you may have.”
Jenny B. posted a Google review of Group 1 Kia Hub City in September 2026 after buying a Telluride: “Thank you so much to Ryan Martinez for helping my husband and I with our new 2025 telluride S!!! We love it! You were so fast respectful and helpful we will for sure keep you in mind for our next visit ☺️”
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an emissions test to register a Kia in Lubbock?
Lubbock County is not an emissions county, so a Lubbock buyer skips the annual emissions inspection that applies to vehicles registered in the 17 non-attainment counties (Texas Department of Public Safety, 2026). Your salesperson can walk you through the rest of the registration charges.
Is Gene Messer Kia the same store as Group 1 Kia Hub City?
Yes. The Gene Messer Kia store at 6006 19th Street in west Lubbock is now Group 1 Kia Hub City, same address. Many third-party listings still carry the old name, and some of our customers still use it in their reviews.
Can I schedule Kia service after I buy?
Yes. Service can be scheduled online, in person, or by phone, and there is a /service/schedule-service/ page for it. We run service and parts on site, so the store that sold you the Kia can also look after it.
What happens when my Kia lease ends in Lubbock?
We have a Kia lease return center. We also offer Kia leases and new Kia financing, so a salesperson can talk through what comes next once the return is done.
Do you serve buyers outside Lubbock?
Yes. We serve Lubbock and the South Plains, including Wolfforth, Shallowater, Slaton, Levelland, and Plainview. The store sits on 19th Street in west Lubbock.
Which Kia electric models do you sell?
Our lineup includes the EV3, EV6, EV9, and Niro EV. Ask a salesperson which one fits your drive and your charging plans.
Lubbock customers describe a Kia sales team that looks after them by name
A commuter should ask the salesperson to start from the drive. A family should bring everyone who rides and ask which build they are looking at. A buyer who wants to spend less up front should ask about certified pre-owned, and anyone with a trade should ask about the trade first. In every one of those situations the people matter as much as the car, because Lubbock has one Kia franchise and the choice of who to buy from comes down to the conversation. We built our store at 6006 19th Street, the old Gene Messer Kia, around that conversation, and for a Lubbock buyer who wants a Kia, we are the decision.
Group 1 Kia Hub City is the Kia store on 19th Street in Lubbock
We sell new, used, and certified pre-owned Kia vehicles and run service, parts, and financing on site, in the building that was Gene Messer Kia before it took the Group 1 name. Lubbock customers rate us 4.5 stars across 2,045 Google reviews (Google, 2026). We are part of Group 1 Automotive, which posted record full-year revenue of $22.6 billion, up 13.2%, and sold 459,000 new and used vehicles, a company record (Group 1 Automotive, 2026).
In a July 2026 Google review of Group 1 Kia Hub City, Legene B. wrote: “Shout out to Mr. John Stewart. He went above and beyond to give me the Best Customer Service here at KIA. I ALWAYS look for him when coming to KIA. If he’s here, I never have a shadow of doubt I’m getting Tip Top Service. Please Reward at the highest for Customer Total Satisfaction!!” A Lubbock buyer who chooses us gets a sales team that customers name, remember, and come back to.
See our current Kia inventory at Group 1 Kia Hub City.
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.
