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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  2011 Kia Sorento - Just off the lot - 2011 Kia Sorento
  By fourwinns86 - April 21 - 10:00 am

  To be fair, Iva had the car for 3 days. Did lots of research before buying and was very impressed with this car. Ive had minivans for the past 20 years so this was the first itme in a while that I have been able to actually buy the vehicle I wanted. So far it has met all my expectations; handles great, quiet on the HWY, 25 mpg with only 200 miles on it. Got the 4 cyl FWD drive and it is a great combination of price and performance. I will be back once Ive had the car for a while to update this review but so far very impressed.

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  Best SUV Ever! - 2004 Kia Sorento
  By Katherine Allen - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I test drove all of the SUVs out there and they all drove like trucks. The Kia Sorento drives like a car more than a truck.We took it down to Miami for a trip and it got 20-22 miles per gallon.

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  Who needs Zoom Zoom - 2007 Kia Spectra
  By Jay - April 15 - 1:46 pm

  Pros: Sporty, roomy, great mileage, comfortable ride, every option you would need, the fit and finish is great. Cons: A smidge noisy at higher speeds but to be expected in a smaller less expensive car. I am 63" and over 350 lbs and I have ample room on this car. I also have 2 young boys and they have stated that they have more room in the back seat then they did in my Nissan Frontier Crew Cab. I can fit my golf clubs and pullcart in the hatchback with out having to fold down the seats. This is a great car for someone looking for a gas sipper who is on a budget. It has the flexibility of a Mini-minivan, and the feel of a sportscar. I know Mazda has Zoom Zoom but my Spectra5 has zip zip.

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  worth the money and the time - 2010 Kia Soul
  By Cman - April 14 - 11:03 pm

  first I was skeptical about the whole buy a KIA thing but when i sat inside it I thought I was in a Honda or Toyota then i looked at the price and realized that i was inside the KIA Soul. Great ride handling really cool designed interior and next generation type features I got the auto soul ! and the best warranty ive ever seen.

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  Great car! - 2008 Kia Rio
  By LoveMyRio! - April 14 - 3:23 am

  I bought my Rio to use as a commuter car to/from work. I wasnt sure I would like it but when I test drove it, I was pleasantly surprised. After 2 months, I just hit 3000 miles and I usually get 33-35 mpg. but did get 38.3 last week on a 3 hr. trip!! I love the way the car handles and it is so much fun to drive. Love the way the rear seats fold down too, so much room. Also, love the way they laid out the instrument panel/radio. Very easy to reach and use, much more than any other car I have owned. I LOVE this car and look forward to it lasting a long time. Highly recommend it!

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  Impressed - 2008 Kia Sportage
  By Love my Sportage - April 12 - 11:46 pm

  My daughter went looking for a new car in January. She wanted a small SUV. I talked her into looking at the KIA Sportage, mainly due to price and warranty. She really didnt think she wanted a KIA, but to placate me, she decided to look at the Sportage. She ended up purchasing a 6 cylinder LX and so did I! We both love our Sportages. They get better gas mileage than what is published. They are fun to drive and very comfortable. We are both very happy with our purchases!

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  Good value - 2004 Kia Spectra
  By K - April 12 - 12:10 pm

  I bought my gsx used and I have had no problems at all with anything. Now has over 90,000 miles and still runs great. The performance is a little slow, but I have been adding some parts to it and they are making a big difference. I would highly recommend this car as a commuter or for performance car that you do not see very often although the part are only available from a few places.

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  My Putt Putt - 2001 Kia Rio
  By Wendy - April 11 - 7:50 pm

  I love my little car. After 4 years Ive had oil changes, tire rotations, and the usual maintenance. No major problems at all. This is the best car Ive ever owned. The best part? Its Emerald Green ... my husband and sons wont drive it! LOL People laugh at it, but every winter I drive by the SUVs and bigger cars that go off the road or stall. Its definitely a keeper!

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  Enjoying the ride! - 2006 Kia Sportage
  By Val S. - April 11 - 5:16 pm

  So far I love it. Quiet interior, handles very well, looks great and you cant beat the warranty. I think this is an up and coming vehicle that will prove to hold its value in the coming years.

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  great suv - 2004 Kia Sorento
  By jwmII - April 10 - 2:00 am

  We now have 6700 miles and have not had a problem. I was really impressed when we went on vacation Christmas week and had to drive thru snow on mountain roads with up to 20" and this suv not only got us to our destination but it never lost traction!!! We passed numerous suv and 4wd trucks having traction problems.