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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  wow so this is a kia!!!! - 2009 Kia Borrego
  By reese - October 16 - 1:53 am

  Bought this kia yesterday after hearing about the mark downs on 09 models. It stickered 4 33,075 but got it out the door for 26,000! Im very impressed with this vehicle so far, the interor is very Nice and the look is awsome! The v6 has great power on the highway just Punch it even v8 suvs cant touch it! Only gripe is the low end torque and weird shift points of the automatic but other than that its just what my family needed. Go get one you wont be disappointed!

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  best buy for your money - 2005 Kia Optima
  By roger roberts - October 15 - 4:10 pm

  My 2003 Kia Optima 4 cyl has more power than you need, great on hills, 28 mpg hwy, 23 mpg city, car is very quiet, ride is great, great sound system, only bad feature is, must change timing belt at 60k mi. but this is recomended for many other cars to. Just drove car to Fl and back to Roanoke, Va. Service has been great, I would put thiis car up against any car in th USA. I will buy another used Kia. I wish that Kia would build a car that would tow a small travel trailer.

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  Wish it were better - 2003 Kia Sedona
  By ROYMAN - October 13 - 2:00 am

  I have a 02 Sedona EX, purchased 7/28/02 . I like many qualities about the vehicle but feel,that Kias quality control is non-existent. I have spent nearly as many days in the shop as in the driveway. Lumbar seat switch stuck on and depleted the battery, requiring using roadside assistance. Then power steering pump, A/C partial replacement, replacement of entire left rear trim panel, transmission irregularity and lastly, rust on the tailgate requiring repainting and 3 day tie up.(I live in Florida).Not a good experience at all. The mileage is horrific (which I knew when I bought it). Should have at least 16" wheels,

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  Sorento EX 4x4 - 2003 Kia Sorento
  By jcherin - October 13 - 2:00 am

  Let me get right to the point....wow. After driving all the competing models (Escape, Explorer, Tribute, CR-V, RAV4 [my wife has one], Santa Fe, Pathfinder and others....) I only drove 2 blocks and knew that the Sorento would be what I was going to purchase. Excellent exterior & interior design and quality combined with great ride and comfort (and a good sound system!) and there was no choice!

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  poor fuel economy - 2005 Kia Sedona
  By Mark - October 12 - 3:20 pm

  This 2005 Kia Sedona seemed like a nice van at first, then I noticed the brakes didnt have a solid response in defensive braking. Turning sharp corners made the vehicle feel top heavy.The real surprise came when the fuel mileage averaged out 7 MPG!!!. I asked other owners and got similar news. The 3.5 V6 has plenty of power and most likely too much thus such low mpg. Unfortunately these vans lose their value very quickly.

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  This car rocks! - 2004 Kia Amanti
  By Chuck davis - October 12 - 2:06 am

  This is the most comfortable riding car Ive ever owned. Its extremely quiet, has every possible convenience feature, is easy to see out of, has a tight turning circle, has excellent workmanship and comes in at an amazingly good price. I dont see any reason to spend more for a Camry or the same for an Jetta both of which have fewer features and less comfort and a very dated look. The Amanti is Japans wake up call. Theres a new kid on the block.

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  Best Kept Secret on Highway - 2013 Kia Optima
  By jimbojjm - October 11 - 5:23 pm

  Im shocked at some reviewers complaint about poor gas mileage. I bought a 2013 EX with premium package two weeks ago and cant say enough good things about the car. It receives wow comments from passersby and Im asked over and over again "How do I like it and how much does it cost?" I got mine for less than $24,000. Sound good to you? I average over 30 mpg in 50/50 city highway driving. When I drive at 65-75 on the hwy I at get about 37 mpg. If you want good mileage you have to learn to and use good green driving habits. There are plenty of articles on the internet on how to get the best mileage out of your car. This car looks great , drives nice, is comfortable and a bargain.

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  Love it, but its not perfect - 2006 Kia Spectra
  By eightthirty - October 11 - 8:20 am

  I love the almost every inch of this car. It has treated me very well over the past 2-1/2 years. I have about 21k on it. As far as gas mileage is concerned Im not sure where Im lacking because I only drive 50 miles per week and I use 1/2 a tank (about 19 stoplights though). Its all city, but thats horrible. For highway in moderate traffic I use a quarter of a tank over 60 miles. Its a great modest car, very reliable, low maintenance and very affordable. There are some features I would like to see standard on the EX, though. Its a great car for those who have young children due to its safety features and its got a killer warranty.

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  Rondo impressions - 2007 Kia Rondo
  By crewzin - October 11 - 2:50 am

  Only had it a short time. Bought it for my wife. Overall fit and finish is superb. Ride is excellent with good view to outside, roomy interior and a peppy V6. We take long trips on the highway about 6 times a year and this should be a perfect vehicle for those trips.

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  Just So Sporty - 2005 Kia Sorento
  By diane - October 8 - 9:03 pm

  After owning a larger SUV and expending quite a bit in money for continuous maintenance I decided to trade in the old and pick up a little Sorento. Much to my surprise, Ive gained a vehicle that is stylish, comfortable, quiet, and just plain fun to drive. Cant say enough flattering things about it.