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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  2012 Kia Rio SX Sedan - 2012 Kia Rio
  By d1g1t007 - September 24 - 5:33 pm

  I needed to get a new daily commuter car as I drive over 70 highway miles daily. Look at what you get from Toyota, Honda, Nissan in this same segment and compare all the features. I went to each dealer, Toyota had a sticker price increase of $1500 "market adjusted value" on the Corolla! Nonsense! I wanted something that would get good gas mileage (+36mpg), holds a couple golf bags and more in the trunk, and if needed, my family of 4 when were not in the sweet minivan. This car has extreme value at a low price... less than $18K out the door. You can electronically fold in the heated side mirrors, which have LED turn signals. The front lights have LED markers and the rear tail lights are all LED. Engine has the most horsepower in the segment and is direct injection technology. Big 17 inch wheels on the ground, USB port on radio which is built by Microsoft UVO and I could go on and on for the features. You will see many of these features only in higher segment cars. Japan auto makers are becoming dated fast with their features and technology and are overpriced for their value in todays market. KIA shares many of their platforms now with Hyundai and the quality of their build has dramatically improved with the RIO. I have been very satisfied for the first 1200 miles. If you are looking for good gas mileage, good trunk space, great features, LED lights aplenty, etc... do not overlook this car and forget completely about KIA in 2008. In 2012 they have transformed light years ahead of the competition.

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  Kia Soul MPG - 2011 Kia Soul
  By cohen2011 - September 24 - 1:00 pm

  KIA Soul the real MPG usage is 21 MPG I just bought the car and drove with it 1,500 miles. I drive 50% in highway and 50% in the city. The current average of mile per gallons is 21. Yes, the average is 21mpg !!! so it is not efficient as it says ....I did not make any mistake I am finance person who deeply want to understand his spending !!!

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  excellent car all around - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By eric nees - September 24 - 10:53 am

  just moved across the country about 2700 miles in 4 days. car towed a trailer wiht no problem. of course with in factory specs. ran real well up and down hills. would recommend to a friend.

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  Car Purchase Review - 2012 Kia Sportage
  By larissajoyce77 - September 24 - 5:50 am

  I recently just bought a 2012 Kia Sportage from the Santa Ana Kia and Suzuki Depot. Overall I had a positive experience at the dealership I would like to thank Kimberly Ramirez for meeting all my needs and any questions I had regarding my purchase and car. I absolutely love this car, its so easy to drive and convenient for my family and I.

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  Twilight blue Sportage! - 2016 Kia Sportage
  By Cacey Brooks - September 23 - 8:39 am

  Great color! Does show dirt pretty well, but its such a nice color, I dont care about the extra work of keeping the outside clean. Drives wonderfully and the steering wheel is the perfect size for my hands. I dont feel like a kid behind the wheel. The seat adjusts up/down/forward/back so having short legs is no problem. My husband has plenty of room in the passenger seat for his longer legs.

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  DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY - 2001 Kia Rio
  By Laura - September 21 - 8:06 pm

  Ever since Ive gotten my car its given me hell. Theres a squeaking in the right side (maybe the suspension) which the Kia dealer "doesnt know whats wrong with it". The check engine light comes and goes when it pleases. When the weather is cold my car stalls and doesnt shift well; revs really high before shifting into the next gear until the car is completely warmed up 30 minutes later. My brakes went out once - they all of a sudden started rubbing and were completely gone by the time I got home. This car is too light weight -- if theres a breeze you will be flying into the next lane. I havent been happy with this car or the dealership/ customer service since I got this car.

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  Always buy the big engine. - 2012 Kia Sorento
  By buiford56 - September 21 - 9:32 am

  I feel badly for all of you that bought the four cylinder engines. I have just under 30K on my Sorento and it is a great vehicle. My family and I drove from Iowa to Louisiana and back last week and I averaged 27.5 mpg at 76 mph. This is a comfortable and relaxed road-trip cruiser. The ride is a bit stiff, but this is why it handles well. The Sorento is powerful and economical. I have to say, it does very well in the snow too.

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  a great car for the money - 2005 Kia Sorento
  By chuckdaddy - September 20 - 10:46 am

  did a lot of research before buying this suv. a ton of standard features and great value. the 2005 5 speed automatic (with shiftronic) is much more driveable and gives better gas mileage than the 2004 with the 4 speed auto. great looking car -- resembles lexus r300, acura mdx, and the mercedes m series. mine has the sport package, which includes some nice extras. good acceleration when you punch the gas. the premium michelin cross terrain tires are a plus. (and you get a full size spare on an alloy rim)

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  Great little SUV/CUV - 2015 Kia Sportage
  By Robert Brashears - September 20 - 7:25 am

  I have owned my Sportage for a month now, and I am nothing less than thrilled with it from bumper to bumper. When KIA named the vehicle, the "Sport" aspect of "Sportage" is very appropriate, as the vehicle looks, handles and drives like a small sports sedan. Mine is the EX model, AWD. The EX package includes Panoramic sliding sunroof, leather seating surfaces (front/rear), leather wrapped steering wheel, heated and cooled ventilated front seats, power drivers seat with lumbar, dimming rear view mirror with Homelink, front/rear floor mats, cargo mat, fog lamps, power/folding heated side view mirrors w/turn indicators, Uvo touchscreen entertainment system with backup monitoring, bluetooth, Infinity speakers with 8" sub woofer, navigation, Sirius, keyless entry and push button start/stop, dual climate control, 18" wheels and tires, and a cooled glove box...all for a sticker of $31,650.00. That is an incredible value compared to other manufacturers vehicles in this segment. I found that a Ford, Mazda, Toyota or Honda with the same features, were anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000 more comparably equipped. They also dont come close to matching the 10 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, or 6 year 60,000 bumper to bumper warranty that KIA offers. My KIA has a 2.4L, inline 4 cyl. engine that produces 183 HP. It also has a 6 speed auto transmission w/manual mode. The engine is quite peppy, and getting up to 65-70 is no problem. The engine never sounds taxed, or over revved. Shifting is quiet, smooth and precise...no hedging or jerking. Fuel economy is okay...with a combined 22 mpg city/highway. But, the vehicle is full time AWD, so I am okay with that. I will be curious to see if that improves when I take it on the road this summer. The steering is precise, the suspension is taught, not stiff..so small bumps do not beat you to death. Road noise is minimal. and for having a smaller wheelbase, the ride is quite comfortable. It also tracks and corners very crisply, which I really appreciate for city and suburban driving, and getting on and off the expressways. The interior is very nicely appointed. Fit and finish is excellent. Quality materials...not a bunch of hard plastics, and all controls are easily accessible from the driving position. The tilt/telescoping steering wheel has all of the audio, cruise control, and hands free bluetooth controls on it, so no fumbling around with knobs while driving. The rear seating area has plenty of room for 2 adults...but 3 would be quite cramped. Nice headroom in the front and back, although the sloping roof line does require me to tilt my head to the side a bit when entering the vehicle. the sunroof provides a one touch open/close, as do the driver and passenger windows. The seats are quite comfortable, and the power controls and lumbar in the drivers seat make it quite easy to adjust to fit your personal comfort level and driving position. The exterior is sharp!...very sporty. Fit and finish is excellent. Just enough chrome accents to add to the appearance...however, I am not a big fan of the plastic fuel cover. It isnt cheaply made, but I have a feeling if you bumped into it just right, it is going to break...possibly snap off of its hinges. I would prefer it if the cover were made of steel. Color options are limited...Silver, Black Cherry, White or Blue. Mine is white...and I love how clean it looks...personal preference. The 18" aluminium wheels are very nice, as are the Hancook tires. The provide an additional inch of ground clearance over the base model, and I like that...especially when the snow comes. So...in summary...this is a great little vehicle that 1. Looks amazing, 2. Has a ton of features, 3. Drives and rides exceptionally well, and 4. Has a warranty the other cannot touch, 5. All for a price that is very consumer friendly. All in all...5 stars!

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  best car for the money - 2004 Kia Optima
  By mack11 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  For the money, it is the best car I ever owned. Underated by the media. Ready to buy their new, best model now. KIA is gaining momentum very quickly.