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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  Bevs Sorento - 2004 Kia Sorento
  By Ltjfthomas - January 24 - 10:00 am

  My wife drives this vehicle to work as a home health care worker. She has to get to work and wthe Sorento so far has been a pleasure for me because I have peace of mind that in all kinds of weather she is able to get there. We also purchased land in the mountains of PA and intend to move there in the next few years. With the warranty on the vehicle we dont have to worry about expensive repair bills if something should go wrong with the vehicle; but I do not expect any problems.

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  Solid/Fun/Value - 2004 Kia Sorento
  By Billy Moorer - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Handling fits todays driving. Storage is a extra value. Styling is among the high end models. Kia Sorento is a friendly user vehicle with extras beyond expection. This Kia has changed me even after owning 6 Cadillacs. If the service is as impressive as the vehicle, I will buy another. Thanks, Billy Moorer

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  Fun to Drive - 2004 Kia Sorento
  By ETina - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I really enjoy driving my Sorento, the interior and sound system are great. Gas mileage is better then I expected, and the roomy interior can sit 5 adults. There is ample interior storage space and pockets. Great SUV. Minor problems

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  Overall Perfect SUV - 2004 Kia Sorento
  By ValMc1 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Sorento since November 2002 and I absolutely love it! I love the fact that it looks like some of the high-end SUVs but doesnt break my bank! The only improvement I wish I could get is the gas mileage, Im getting about 18 miles/gallon. But overall I am extremely satisfied with my purchase! And with the 10 year warranty, I plan to drive this car forever!

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  A fun , practical commuter ! - 2010 Kia Soul
  By thekevman - January 22 - 7:13 pm

  Ive owned it for a couple of weeks, and Im very happy with the car! Great combination of agility , ride height giving good sight lines in city traffic, economy and roominess. American car makers are behind the curve designing big box economy cars.I looked at Cube , XB , and Elantra Touring - the Soul beat em all !

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  Love my new KIA except for one thing. - 2017 Kia Sorento
  By A. D. Odom - January 21 - 7:04 am

  My new Sorento SX is loaded with goodies and I love it. The goodies are better designed and easier to operate than my Wifes new Lexus LS460. The nav. is much more "Americanized". The ONLY PROBLEM that I have is, Im a big guy and the drivers seat if very uncomfortable due to the very hard bolsters. They are very hard and gives me hip pain when I sit in the seat. After much searching, I found a cushion that makes it much more comfortable to drive. It takes a little more effort to get seated as I have to try to adjust the cushion when I get in. I guess they design these seats for small Korean folks with small butts. If you have a large rear end, ya better be careful before buying this car.

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  Kia??? You bet! - 2005 Kia Sorento
  By Mike - January 20 - 11:13 pm

  Never thought I would ever buy a Kia. Did TONS of research and after looking at everything got an EX with Luxury Package. Great features for the money, plus the rebates made the truck an awesome deal. Like it more than a friends Lexus 300 which has too soft a ride. Looks great. My wife drives it and the only concern I had was that it would be too "trucky" as she had a Honda CRV, but for almost all her driving which is a mix of highway and city, it is awesome. Fast enough, good handling, and very solid ride but not too bumpy. A little wind noise on Windy days, a little jolt on big bumps but overall A+! Way better than CRV for the $$$. Should get the lux package for the full time 4WD.

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  My Amanti - 2005 Kia Amanti
  By Kristi - January 20 - 1:26 pm

  I was one of those who would only drive American vehicles. I bought a 2004 Grand Prix GT new and traded it for a new 05 Impala. Both were nothing but trouble. Because of the warranty I decided to try KIA. This has been the greatest car. Its dependable and built very well. Unlike my previous cars it is extremely safe. I have driven it over 15000 miles in 4 months and not a problem once.

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  So far so good - 2014 Kia Cadenza
  By i_love_cars1 - January 18 - 12:44 pm

  I purchased the 2014 Cadenza in late June and immediately took a 2,500 road trip to California. The Cadenza is a very well behaved sedan that will turn heads and compete with the so-called big boys. I averaged over 30MPG for the trip and power was more than sufficient for my liking. The seats were extremely comfortable and I loved the seat coolers on both front seats, especially as we ventured into the 100+ degree Central Valley. I previously drove a 2002 Audi A6 and was tempted to go that route again, but for $20,000 less, I get fantastic mileage, same creature comfort, a beautifully designed exterior and easy to use electronics. Ill be interested to see how it holds up in the coming years

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  Very First Foreign Car! - 2009 Kia Optima
  By swineheart - January 17 - 9:19 am

  Ive always owned American cars, I am a Vet and felt bad about not supporting American auto makers. Ive owned Chevys, Fords and Olds. I Love my KIA Optima! I bought it due to the cost of gas and the options on the car. For the money, you cant go wrong. It has a high safety rating, roomy interior, good stereo options and best of all great EPA rating for a midsize sedan. Its comfortable on the highway and zips around town. If you are in the market for a sedan thats affordable and still fun to drive, I highly recommend the Optima.