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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  7 days of rental fun - 2010 Kia Soul
  By Owen - January 8 - 8:00 pm

  We spent about 1,000 miles driving mostly in Bozeman, Yellowstone National Park and Gardiner, MT, where roads can be very steep and very rough. The Soul accommodated ordinary luggage for two and handled all the terrain we encountered with ease. It also was peppy enough to give me no concerns on Interstates, including long hauls on grades. The looks are great and the handling is very good. Comfort was never an issue on the long haul from Bozeman to Yellowstone. I thought the fuel economy was a tad disappointing, considering the size of the vehicle. I think it should get at least 32 on highway, but it got about 27. Still, I am now considering buying a Soul.

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  2004 kia sorento 2wd - 2005 Kia Sorento
  By barski55@msn.com - January 8 - 6:53 pm

  this is a very sound car. drives great , handles as if is on rails. fun to drive - looks great ,safe top quality.

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  Great car for the money - 2001 Kia Optima
  By Sal - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I have only had this car a short time, but I am very happy with it. I trade my Audi in on the Optima, and have been surprised by how nice the Kia handles. The Optima has a nice ride, and good design.

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  Great car for the money - 2001 Kia Optima
  By sal - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I have only had this car a short time, but I am very happy with it. I trade my Audi in on the Optima, and have been surprised by how nice the Kia handles. The Optima has a nice ride, and good design.

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  Great Car - 2010 Kia Forte
  By paulst2419 - January 6 - 2:19 pm

  I purchased the car in May of 2010 and have nearly 25,000 trouble-free miles on it. It has plenty of pep especially since I have added a few aftermarket parts. I get awesome gas mileage, even in the city. Averaging 28 mixed city and hwy. The paint is kinda crappy though. Ive had a few cosmetic warranty issues but they were fixed immediately with no trouble from Kia Corporate or my dealership. $18,750 for a fully loaded car with leather, sun roof, and 17 inch wheels I couldnt be happier. The manual transmission took some getting used to. Overall great car.

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  Suits us Well - 2003 Kia Sedona
  By CYO - January 5 - 10:00 am

  We have owned our Sedona for just over 10 months now and we are very happy with it. Weve had a few little things happen (the cup holder wasnt working right) but that is all. I would say that the Sedona is more truck like than car like. For example, cornering, fuel economy, ease of handling arent all that great when you compare them to a car or car-like minivan, but if you compare them to a truck (why not, they are just as heavy), they seem about average. I feel this is a small trade- for the price (some people may even prefer the truck like feel). In order to pay the same price for comparable options we would have had to buy something 3-4 years old!

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  Like it - 2002 Kia Sedona
  By Nice Vehicle - January 4 - 10:23 pm

  Excellent overall value. My wife loves the vehicle. Could use more braking power considering its weight. Lacks get-up-and-go. Fuel efficiency is poor. Handles very well and conveniently converts from passenger vehicle to hauler with minimal strain.

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  Fun Car - Too Many Problems - 2010 Kia Soul
  By soul glo - January 4 - 8:23 am

  Bought my Alien Soul + the day after thanksgiving. Been in the shop twice. ABS problems, shifter problems and on Monday morning the heat didnt work and it overheated. Towed in and they added coolant and are replacing the thermostat. Its very unfortunate that KIA still does not have sufficient quality control in their products despite all of the great reviews. I really like the car but am unsure how long I will keep it now.

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  So far, so good - 2016 Kia Optima
  By Michael - January 1 - 4:21 am

  Really enjoying the car so far. The tech (radio/navigation/phone integration/etc) are excellent. Highwat MPG was better than listed on our trip. Surprisingly good acceleration.

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  Cute little car - 2010 Kia Soul
  By daniel - December 28 - 5:50 pm

  I bought. It definitely worth its money but doesnt meet to my expectations. Almost everything meets my expectations except quality. Engine great styling is my fave. I wish it had more accessories thats all leather seats stuff for better comfort. The car is very sporty love it. But not for quality !