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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  Best decision I made! - 2010 Kia Forte
  By Brandon Arenibar - November 10 - 5:20 pm

  Ive owned my Forte Koup for two weeks now and it seems to get better everyday. Things I didnt notice on my test drive like the awesome sound of the muffler, very sporty, and pep. You really need to get used to ECO mode and learn how to drive with it to tell, but my car is quick. It doesnt feel like it either, next thing you know youre at 70. All the features you have in this car seem like they should be in a high end model. No car that I have looked at has the quality and amount of features standard. I also have to give a shout to KIA, the support for this purchase has been amazing. They wont stop sending me thank yous and free maintenance coupons, etc. I am so pleased with them

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  Best vehicle Ive ever bought - 2003 Kia Sorento
  By todrikki - November 10 - 9:10 am

  The Sorento now has 38k on it. The cupholder in the back could have been built a little better. We get 22 plus on the highway. People whining about mileage should remember this is a body on frame vehicle. A truck on wheels. Look under a Sorento and you will be amazed at the heavy duty construction. Stereo is out of this world It rides like a big ol Cadillac. It does tend to be a little stiff on some bumps, but Im sure this is because it is intended for some off roading. Overall, I cant believe this is a Kia. Its the best thing Kia has ever put out. I was not even going to test drive one, because I figured it would be like the Sportage. The warranty is "THE BEST."

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  Best Car Every Purchased - 2010 Kia Forte
  By LMS - November 9 - 7:48 pm

  I bought this car new in April, 2010. I have since driven it 136,000 miles. Besides the normal maintenance & wear and tear, I have not had a serious issue with this car. Not once! It has been extremely reliable. Driven from PA to NC on multiple occasions, and daily gets over 50 miles to and from work. If you are looking for a car that is reliable and cost effective, take a look at a 2010 Kia Forte. Even if high miles, Id think this would be a great purchase. Heres to getting to 200k and having the same review!

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  2007 Kia Sorento LX 4WD - 2007 Kia Sorento
  By Tim - November 8 - 12:06 pm

  Overall, love this vehicle. Very nice looking and after 19,000 miles no major problems. Very peppy and fun to drive. Gas mileage stinks, but that is true for most SUVs. If that is a major factor in your purchase, then I wouldnt buy it. For us, we only drive 8k per year so it isnt that noticeable, especially with lowered gas prices.

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  Great purchase - 2008 Kia Spectra
  By Keepintune - November 7 - 11:20 pm

  Traded in a Ford Explorer XLT due to gas mileage. I am a piano technician and have to carry tools at all times. This was a great choice after searching for 3 months. Compared American, Japanese and Korean cars. I wanted the Prius, but there were none to be had, and then dealers were selling for "market price". I made a great choice for me. I am 63" and above 250 lbs. Comfort is there for leg room, but to me, seat surfaces are not soft enough. That being my only complaint of the inside, everything else is great. I love the stereo-great sound and flexibility; cd changer, ipod & xm to Aux input is fabulous. Easy to work. Car well laid out. Easy to read instruments.

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  Amanti Lover - 2005 Kia Amanti
  By Amanti Lover - November 7 - 9:56 pm

  This is a fabulous car. Its a real eye-catcher. When I first began to drive it, I felt like I was floating. Ive only had one problem and that was with the right strut collar. Kia has the part on order and said this was a problem with most Amantis. Its been over a month and the part still hasnt come in. Gas mileage is not good. Great vehicle with excellent warranty.

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  GREAT Choice - 2014 Kia Sorento
  By bigpoppy - November 7 - 8:51 am

  Had a 2012 Sorento with the 4 cylinder. Pretty peppy and pretty good gas mileage. Noticed however that when climbing hills it didnt upshift well. I attributed this to an outmatched engine for the weight of the vehicle. Just got the 2014 Sorento SX with the V6 GDI. It has tons of power and is super quiet. 400 pounds lighter and bigger engine is the winning combo. Silky smooth and great looking!

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  Love my Kia - 2009 Kia Borrego
  By Borrego Girl - November 7 - 2:26 am

  This is the BEST car that we have owned. Nice, sporty, family room!

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  Kia Sorento - 2011 Kia Sorento
  By Kansas - November 7 - 12:50 am

  We enjoy our new Sorento. The V6 must be on steroids. Rides well. It is stiff, but I wanted stiff. Corners great. Handles bumps and holes just as good as the Mazda CX7 and Chevy Equinox. Quiet ride. Bluetooth works great with both our phones. Opted for EX for driver seat adjustments and it is a comfortable seat. The third row will be nice with grandkids. Doors sound solid when closing. Smartkey is a great feature. Headlights light up the road and countryside. Radio works well; auto climate works quickly. Braking is consistent and stable. Opted for black clothe w/ leather like trim. Looks smart, feels good. Have not been able to test out AWD ability. Glad we purchased, would purchase again.

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  The Greatest Minivan Ever! - 2006 Kia Sedona
  By Nick Verna - November 3 - 10:26 pm

  My wife and I are very happy with the purchase of our new Kia Sedona. After shopping the Honda and Toyota, the Kia really stood out with its performance, price, and warranty. We could not believe all the standard safety features that got higher marks than the competition. As a former Japanese owner, I think the South Koreans have some new fans in our household. Way to go Kia!