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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  Work Commuter - 2012 Kia Forte
  By finzphan68 - May 14 - 5:12 am

  Needed a new car for my daily commute, and have wanted a hatchback for a while too, so came across the Kia Forte, and found that while its not the top of the line model, it offers everything that I needed in a functional and stylish package.

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  awful - 2004 Kia Sedona
  By fict - May 13 - 11:20 pm

  we bought this car with 28k miles in the hopes of a low mileage car which would provide a solid, low maintenance vehicle for a number of years. mea culpa - you get what you pay for. from the brakes (calipers, rotors, pads) to the wiring system (complete shorts in the auto locks and windows) to the suspension, i believe its mostly assembled out of hobby wire and aluminum foil.

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  Glad I upgraded! - 2011 Kia Sorento
  By Ree - May 13 - 11:10 pm

  I purchased my 2011 Sorento LX back in March & LOVE IT! It is so quiet and rides so smooth. Everyone thats seen my vehicle wants one now. The look of it is nice, space is great inside (even with my 3rd row of seats) and its just an overall great vehicle. I traded my 2007 Sorento in fort this one and dont regret it one bit! Oh and I have over 5300 miles on it already!

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  Fun car to drive - 2005 Kia Spectra
  By Greg - May 13 - 1:16 pm

  Very fun car to drive. Am getting about 28 mpg city/hwy. Will improve as engine gets broken in. Seats four very comfortably & has lots of storage. Need to offer a upgraded sound system as an option. Standard stereo is nice but would like a little more power.

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  Amanti Problem - 2005 Kia Amanti
  By D.Cummings - May 13 - 9:10 am

  Bought used w/6970 mi.on it(told it was a salesmans who leased a new one).Got home & on parking in driveway noticed light on dash,brake light was out! Went back it was replaced, but this was just the start!!Have since replaced 17 bulbs on this car!!! Car was checked & was told nothing wrong,its normal on Kias,& theres a lot of electronics on the vehicle.Each time nothing wrong is found, it costs me $92,so much for the warranty!! Lightbulb replacement cost $35-$40,since you cant get to them w/out removing half the frontend. Have had bottom of seats,bushings,rear support brackets and shifter all replaced, all taking 2 visits to do,as have to wait for parts! Im upside down & have to keep.

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  Really Under-Rated - 2009 Kia Borrego
  By Joe Cunningham - May 13 - 4:06 am

  This is the best kept secret on the road.Good mpg(23.5 on recent interstate trip with cruise set @72mph). Comfortable ride,well placed,easy to use controls,vast cargo space with both rear rows down. Handles well,small turning radius, smooth powerfull engine. 5 star safety ratings except a 4 for rollover(it IS a suv). Better mpg than my 91 Cherokee,as much room as my 72 Suburban had,drives and handles better than either did. You do feel bumps in the road,but it doesnt beat you with them. It is after all a true 4wd, not a car. I researched vehicles for 3 years before I finally purchased this. I wanted a U.S. brand,but nothing came close in price,quality, or warranty.

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  Great 4 door sports car - 2012 Kia Optima
  By david_h - May 12 - 3:14 pm

  I had 3 Land Rovers in a row and was tired of 12 - 14 mpg fuel economy in the city. This Kia Rocks on mileage, I average 22- 24 mpg in the city and 35 mpg or even higher on the highway. I live in Texas so its very flat here and Im sure that helps. At first I would do my own calculations for fuel economy bu ditched that after I realized dash computer was on the money. I have two children, both in car seats and there is plenty of room in the back seat for them. The doors open very wide so its easy to get them in and out. I love all the features, the seats are comfortable, and the price is outstanding for all that you get. I got a loaded one for under $30k after lots of negotiation.

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  Great Value - 2002 Kia Sportage
  By KiaOwner - May 12 - 2:00 am

  I am surprised that no one on this web site had anything nice to say about this vehicle. Several of my friends are Sportage owners and they all love it. It seems that only those who have something to complain about are doing the rating. Therefore, I am here to say that I love my Sportage and I am proud to be an owner of one. The appearance is far better than the CRV or RAV-4 and it has been reliable thus far.

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  Great little gas saver! - 2008 Kia Rio
  By tracyb4 - May 11 - 6:57 pm

  I bought my Kia Rio new, with 28 miles on it, and now have over 60k miles on it. It came with a great warranty and Ive had all scheduled maintenance required to keep the warranty active. I have never had any trouble out of it. The only cons I can mention is that the brakes sound like they are grinding when you first apply them in a damp or wet environment, but after the first application that sound goes away. I have them checked every time I go in for service and they are always ok. The other thing is the fact that the ride is a little noisier than I prefer, but you will find that to be the case with all small cars. I average about 33-35 mpg. Keep up the maintenance, it will last!

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  Well Kept Secret - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By EGR - May 11 - 12:03 am

  I feel like Ive discovered one of the best kept secrets of the automotive world in the Kia Sportage EX. I bought this vehicle in 2WD with the luxury package and couldnt be happier with it. OK, it could use a little more horsepower, but what it has is certainly adequate. What has really surprised me, though, is the overall fit and finish of the vehicle. I own three Honda Accords and the Kia is right up there with the Hondas. The Kia is well laid out; driver and passenger ergonomics are excellent; driving position is very comfortable; and the vehicle is plenty roomy on the inside, while relatively small on the outside. I like this more than the 2001 Pathfinder I owned for one year.