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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  60,000(miles), The Magic Number - 2005 Kia Sedona
  By Rob - June 7 - 9:53 am

  We had this LX since 6/2004(15k)& only one mechanical problem before hitting 60k miles. The starter went bad and was replaced under the warranty. At 60,000 miles, however the check engine light came on and the van started driving really rough. 14 diagnostic codes fired,the crank shaft sensor went bad, causing the van to downshift while driving($550). The power steering "pump" went bad, making the van impossible to steer($800). And the mechanic says that all of the belts are on their last leg. Reading about future value of Sedonas, your best bet is to sell before 60k and run into the ground past 75k. These vans Im sure have improved quality, however this van has not held its value at all.

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  Very poor gas mileage - 2005 Kia Amanti
  By J. KELLY - June 6 - 7:56 am

  After seven months of driving, 5,900 miles to date, according to the digital display I am "averaging" 12.5 mpg. The published mpg is 17 city / 20 highway. I am using 87 octane fuel and occasionally use mid-grade even though the manual calls for the 87 octane.

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  great car - 2003 Kia Optima
  By mstrwidget - June 6 - 2:00 am

  I have had no problems. It drives great

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  Kia = Bad - 2000 Kia Sephia
  By Morgan - June 5 - 6:40 pm

  My dad bought me this kia from one of his friends and i have never driven a more horrible car. It goes in the shop for engine problems almost every month. Gas will last me maybe a week not even. And it is rusting horribly. I hate this car. In the winter the door locks freeze and my doors wont shut, i have to drive while holding my doors shut trying not to let them swing open. The car is so noisy, the muffler is loud, just the whole car. It goes 0 to 60 in like five minutes. Not an exaggeration!

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  Love my Soul - 2010 Kia Soul
  By Pat - June 5 - 8:26 am

  This Little suv is fun to drive Ive owned it for two days now and my husband and I love it. I tried out Honda Element-HondaCRV-HondaFit-and Ponticac Vibe- and Subaru Forester and the SOUL all in one day. The soul won We traded in a 2005 Nissan Frountier I recomend this to anyone....

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  looks cool but build quality? - 2010 Kia Soul
  By david - June 4 - 1:30 pm

  Bought this car because of price and features. Both look great on paper. After less than 1000 miles of ownership, the rear suspension started rattling. The dealer took the car for one week of "evaluation and repair" and after replacement of a rear strut gave back the car still rattling with an explanation that "it is a characteristic of this vehicle". Not very reassuring assessment of build quality if the suspension with less than 1000 miles of use is rattling like a New York City cab!!

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  Great vehicle for almost 5 years - 2003 Kia Sorento
  By SoCal - June 4 - 10:40 am

  We bought our Sorento new in May of 2003. In 56K miles, weve never had a problem. Only routine maint. and a brake job, along with one set of tires.

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  Life Saver - 2009 Kia Spectra
  By DrAwkward - June 4 - 9:03 am

  This car saved my life, along with three passengers, when a drunk driver crossed into our lane. Its responsive handling allowed us to avoid a head-on collision, and the side-airbags minimized the seriousness of our injuries. Everyone in the accident thanked me for choosing this car after putting its safety to the test.

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  Great Car - 2008 Kia Optima
  By Maggie - June 3 - 11:43 pm

  I bought this car recently and it is really fun to drive. It is comfortable and roomy. It handles very well and I cant think of a better car for the price. I like the controls on the steering wheel and the temperature controls are very easy to use. I am very happy with this car and would recommend it to anyone. The warranty, roominess, and value are well well worth the cost. The body style is very sharp.

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  Pros and Cons - 2002 Kia Spectra
  By brookeb - June 2 - 2:55 pm

  My Kia Spectra gets 35 miles to the gallon average. Since my purchase in June 2011, I have put 11,000 miles on my car, raising its total to 141,000. I have already replaced one tire, the engine damper, a shift cellanoid, two taillights and a headlight, and am currently in the process of replacing the trans relay switch. My transmission occasionally slips, and it doesnt have a "floaty" ride like some sites claim because the shocks quickly disintegrate. Overall, I do love my Kia despite severe hail damage and some minor issues. The cost of repairs thus far has cost me around 750$, less than half of what I paid for it. However, I likely wouldnt buy a newer model Kia because of poor reviews.