Overview & Reviews

Kia Motors is a South Korean automaker that's relatively new to the United States. In its early years, Kia largely catered to budget-minded consumers with well-equipped vehicles priced below competing models. More recently, this growing brand has kept value a priority while also emphasizing technology and sportiness.

Founded in Korea in 1944, Kia started as a producer of steel tubing and bicycle parts. The company's name has its roots in the Chinese language, and means "to arise, to come up out of Asia." By the early 1950s, the company had produced Korea's first bicycle; by the latter part of the decade, Kia had branched out into motor scooters, with the rollout of the C100.

The 1960s saw Kia expanding its lineup to include motorcycles and three-wheeled cargo vehicles. Naturally, the next logical step was automobile production, and the company began moving in this direction in the early 1970s. By 1973, Kia had built a facility designed to make its automotive dreams a reality; its Sohari plant held the distinction of being Korea's first fully integrated automobile production facility, and went on to spawn Korea's first internal-combustion gasoline engine. A year later, Kia unveiled the Brisa, Korea's first passenger car. By the end of the decade, Kia's technology was being used to manufacture vehicles like the Peugeot 604 and the Fiat 132.

By the late '80s, Kia's lineup included new models like the Concord, Capital, Potentia and Pride. In 1987, Ford brought the Pride to U.S. shores, rebadging it as the Ford Festiva. Seven years later, Ford dealers got a replacement for the entry-level, subcompact Festiva in the form of another Kia constructed product, the Aspire.

Kia finally began selling vehicles in the U.S. under its own name in the early '90s, trumpeting its presence with the introduction of the compact Sephia. The car's rollout was gradual; in the early days of its production, the Sephia was only available in select Western states. By the mid-'90s, SUVs had emerged as a phenomenally popular and profitable vehicle segment. Kia responded with the 1995 Sportage, a compact SUV. By the end of the '90s, Kia's nationwide rollout was nearly complete.

Financial difficulties in the late '90s prevented Kia from expanding its lineup beyond those two models. Hyundai, South Korea's other major automaker, acquired the company in a merger in 1998.

Kia has been on a major upswing since its purchase by Hyundai, with improvements in build quality, performance and overall refinement. Reliability, previously a weak point, has also improved markedly and consumers' confidence was further bolstered by Kia's substantial warranty program. Today, Kia is on a dramatic upswing and offers a broad lineup of well-built coupes, sedans and crossovers that stand out for their value, performance and sporty styling.

User Reviews:

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  Great Car at a Great Price - 2009 Kia Optima
  By p71 - June 24 - 6:16 am

  I was looking to replace my wifes car and not sure what with. Had a mini van and wanted something with better gas mileage alone with a little more comfort. looked at Subru, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Chevy and Ford. I am 64" Kia had the most leg room front and back. Great comfort and great pep out of a four cylinder. Nicely equipped in standard options. To early to say how well it will last but I would say it will out last just by the feel of engine tranny (5 speed auto) that this car will out last any American four cylinder out there. 175 hp not bad at all for a 4 banger.

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  The continuing evolution of Kia - 2004 Kia Optima
  By Mike - June 23 - 1:13 pm

  Traded my 2000 Kia Sephia, the worst car ever made in the history of the world, for the 04 Optima. Had decided to give Kia another shot at showing me they knew what they were doing. Excellent move - I now drive a car with styling that makes BMW and Mercedes owners turn their heads, performance is excellent, and the build quality (unlike the 00 Sephia) is exceptional. Other than having to replace the factory-original Kumho tires at 18,000 miles (Kumho - these things disintegrate early and often), Ive had to do oil changes and thats it. Fantastic reliability.

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  2016 Kia Soul, big car ride in a smaller package ! - 2016 Kia Soul
  By Mr Bill - June 23 - 2:28 am

  If you are looking for a smaller vehicle that rides like a big SUV but want something more economical, the Kia Soul may be for you. I did not want to pay 25 or 30 thousand for a conventional SUV. I was on a trip and rented a Soul for a week. After flying back home and getting into my car I realized how much I enjoyed and missed the Kia Soul. Very roomy with a smooth ride. Great storage especially when you fold down the rear seat. Paid a bit over 17 K. You cannot beat the Kia warranty. Vehicle quality is top notch, very solid vehicle, oh, they call it a wagon. I have the 1.6 L engine, I would suggest going with the 2.0 L engine if you live in a mountainous or hilly region of the country. If I keep it around 2000 rpm my mileage has been about 33 mpg on a regular basis. Overall, love the Soul, it is a fun and surprising vehicle to own.

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  In Love with My Kia - 2003 Kia Optima
  By POP4YES - June 22 - 10:00 am

  I like my new Optima because it is easy to handle. I have back problems and it has the 8 point seat adjuster and it really helps when I drive for more than half an hour. I am 5 ft. tall and getting in and out is awesome. It is very roomy especially when my 6- 1" brother is in the car and in the back seat. My two Children love the storage/ cup holder the have in the back. the trunk space is incredible, I was able to put 20 bags of grocerys plus two soccer balls in there.

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  The Kia Rio is a Great Deal - 2003 Kia Rio
  By KellyAnn - June 22 - 10:00 am

  As a commuter college student purchasing a new car, I chose the Kia Rio for its affordable price, outstanding warranty, and dependability. Im terrible at parallel parking, so I chose the Rio for its small size. However, the car is actually quite spacious, and even my father, who stands 64", commented on how much leg room he had while riding in my back seat.

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  Great first car - 2012 Kia Sportage
  By doshcokyco - June 21 - 11:42 pm

  I bought this car a week ago. I love driving it. This was the first car I have purchased on my own and I am very proud that I did at the age I am. For parents looking for a safe/fun first car for their kids, check this out. It has that sport look with great gas millage and a great safety rating. Before this car I was driving a 15 year old Honda Civic. The civic was a 1.6L engine and this is a 2.4L. The improvements to engines with fuel efficiency is unbelievable.

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  Average car - 2003 Kia Spectra
  By Chris L - June 21 - 6:06 pm

  If youre looking for an average vehicle, this is it. It has 4 wheels, an engine, and it gets you from point A to point B. Weve only owned it for a few years, gone from about 65k to 95k miles, and weve had a few issues. The serpentine belt began squeaking during our first winter and eventually snapped, killing the power steering. Weve had the belt replaced 3 or 4 times now, and Im sure well have to do so again in the future. The AC also died in relation to fixing the belt somehow, and the muffler pipe needed replacing about a year or so after buying the car, which we finally replaced. A loud muffler is something I wish upon no one.

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  2007 Kia Optima - 2007 Kia Optima
  By lbaybe - June 21 - 9:46 am

  Fun to drive, comfortable always looking forward to driving my car.

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  GREAT CAR, BUT______ - 2010 Kia Soul
  By Bud - June 21 - 3:23 am

  Have had my Kia for a year now. Still enjoy it quite a bit. Good looks, milegat (26+), no problem of any type. Now, my main problem is the ride. With the large tires, the Soul rides like a truck over rough or unevern roads. Further, there is no cushioning on the center storage bin or window ledges or arm rest. But, still overall a great small car!!

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  Kia Soul! - 2010 Kia Soul
  By SoulChick - June 20 - 6:33 pm

  I purchased my Soul! about a week ago and it has been nothing but fun. Already have 517 miles on it! The car is fun to drive, I am getting 26.5 MPG. I would say that is with 75% city driving and 25% highway. I live in South Florida, the A/C is always freezing. Plenty of space for hauling plans for work. Great car for the money! People need to understand it is a $16,000 car, not $40,000. Expect a little road noise and imperfections. I used to have a Nissan Armada with all of the bells and whistles, but I would trade that for this car any day. Much more fun to drive! Will post another review in a month to see if I feel the same way!