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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  All I can say is WOW - 2016 Kia Sorento
  By Darlene - November 1 - 6:44 am

  Awesome car and great dealer experience at Keffer Kia in Mooresville, NC

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  Great Car - 2004 Kia Rio
  By Jane Shorey - October 31 - 10:00 am

  I love the Kia Rio. I also own a Kia Sentra and am very very pleased with it. I see no problems with the pick-up and I get excellent gas mileage. It may be the lowest price sedan on the market but it is definitely the best buy on the market. I have previously owned vehicles that were quite expensive and feel that Kia is being misjudged. It is an allover great car. I plan to buy another for my daughter.

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  Best minivan that i have ever EVER owned - 2004 Kia Sedona
  By leefarm - October 31 - 10:00 am

  this is the best van that i have ever owned . i like everything about it , but it could hvae a little bigger gass tank or beettter fuel mileage. all in all this is the best . and the price is great for all the options.

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  Versatility, practicality and value - 2016 Kia Soul
  By Bucki - October 30 - 10:03 pm

  I purchased a 2016 KIA Soul Base automatic. I paid $14.5k before taxes and registration. At this price point the Soul represents an excellent value and I would recommend it. Strong points: Versatility, practicality and excellent warranty. The wagon/hatchback layout is much more versatile than a traditional sedan, at a significantly lower price than a comparably-sized SUV/crossover. KIA’s 5y/60k miles bumper-to-bumper and 10y/100k miles powertrain warranty offers excellent protection for budget-minded buyers. Weak points: Lackluster performance and comfort. Performance from the stock 1.6L engine is adequate but the Soul is definitely not a fast vehicle. Very smooth transmission with relatively low gearing helps to maintain car dynamics, but at the expense of fuel economy and engine noise. Comfort is good for short drives, but long road trips are tiresome. And don’t mistake the Soul for a “real” SUV/crossover – if you want higher ground clearance, AWD or even minimal towing capability, look elsewhere. Performance: The Base 1.6L engine delivers adequate power for city driving and reasonable highway performance, but the Soul isn’t fast. The transmission gearing keeps the engine relatively revved-up (compared to other modern cars), helping to improve driving dynamics, but at the expense of fuel economy and increased cabin noise. Even with 4 adults the Soul does not feel underpowered at normal highway speeds and typical interstate inclines, but acceleration is only adequate, at best. Fuel economy isn’t what one would expect from a vehicle of this size. The 6-speed automatic transmission is very smooth and usually picks the right gears for the driving conditions, helping to make the most of the little engine. But it also keeps the rpm’s relatively high (close to 3,000 at interstate speeds), resulting in more engine noise. Comfort: The Soul offers a lot of space for the money and there is enough room for 4 fully grown adults to ride in relative comfort. Sitting position is very good with generous leg, head and elbow room, both in the front and the rear. However, the seats are not all that comfortable for long rides. Front seats offer good lateral support, but lumbar support is nonexistent, and there are a few “hard spots” in the seatbacks making prolonged rides somewhat tiring. Rear seats are very flat bench-like, and the seatback angle does not help to adopt a relaxed position for a long ride. Access is excellent thanks to the low floor, tall roof and large doors. The ride is stiff but adequate for the size and class of vehicle, and not overwhelmingly harsh. Cabin sound level is good during city driving and adequate at highway speeds. Both engine and road noise are kept down to reasonable levels. Quality and fit-and-finish: Interior materials are good for vehicle class and price. All panels fit nicely and everything seems solid and well made. There are no squeaks or rattles when driving over uneven road surfaces, and in general the vehicle feels very solid. Cargo space and versatility: The wagon/hatchback layout offers a lot of versatility. The cargo space is adequate and the trunk layout is very clever. There is a cargo organizer tray under the trunk floor, allowing to keep valuable out-of-sight and organized, at the expense of some cargo space above. This tray can be removed, and the trunk floor can be lowered increasing the cargo space by about 30% to accommodate large suitcases. And of course the back seats can be folded, providing plenty of space for large objects. Equipment: As all KIAs, the Soul comes well equipped even in the most basic trim, with a good audio system that includes satellite radio, Bluetooth and voice commands. Pairing-up a phone is quick and easy, and voice commands work generally well. The basic A/C-heater performance is adequate and it is not as noisy as in other economy vehicles. Privacy glass is a nice detail that helps to keep your stuff out-of-sight and the interior cool. Soul comes without a spare tire, but you can buy a tire-jack kit for under $200. Safety: Passive safety is very good with a 5-star rating from NHTSA and Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. The Base model lacks some of the modern active safety features such as lane departure, blind spot monitoring or front collision warning/avoidance, but for the price it is a very safe choice. Visibility is very good all-around. Controls are simple, intuitive and very ergonomic. Handling and steering are adequate considering that the Soul is pretty high. Braking is adequate with good pedal feel. Headlights are average with good low-beams. High beams have good reach but provide little illumination to the road surface. Final verdict: For less than $15k the Soul is a strong value and an excellent choice for anybody who wants a versatile, practical vehicle on a budget. KIA’s excellent warranty provides extra protection that otherwise is only available through a pricey extended warranty.

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  Another Great Kia - 2009 Kia Optima
  By Chris - October 30 - 8:36 am

  Before I purchased my Optima I had a 2008 Kia Spectra in which was a great car. When I traded in I had 47k miles no problem what so ever. I went to the dealership to get an oil change when I saw that 2009 Optima Midnight Blue and it was love at first sight. The price, style and performance are great. First look at this car and you would say thats a car that is in the 30k range. My optima was in the low 20s and with the rebates and the fact that I was a current Kia owner that made the rebates even greater. I would say Kia is my car of chose hands down. Kia keep on keeping on.

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  amazing vehicle; equal to any Japanese - 2006 Kia Sedona
  By curtis forbes - October 27 - 12:26 pm

  Nice to drive, solid, quiet and with more features than my Denali. A real bargain that thankfully hasnt caught on enough to increase the price. Easily worth thousands more than the asking price.

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  Amanti - Take II - 2006 Kia Amanti
  By Billh6 - October 27 - 3:26 am

  I enjoyed my 04 Amanti so much that I traded for a pre-owned 06. I still love it.

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  112,000+ miles and still going strong! - 2011 Kia Optima
  By mainecoast - October 26 - 10:32 am

  I really love this car. The seating could be a little more comfortable, but my seat has pretty much conformed to me after all these miles. 6 speed manual is a lot of fun, Im a big fan of standard transmissions. Passing on back roads is a breeze, plenty of power, that 200hp 4 cyl provides good power to weight ratio....just pop it down into 3rd step on it, and it goes...fast. Ive hit what seems to be a rev limiter on occasion, and a top speed limiter in 6th because it ran out of steam at about 118 with what should have been plenty of room showing on the tach. Totally reliable. Tires, oil changes, trans. oil change. Thats it. Brakes, plugs, serp. belt, radiator flush in spring.

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  Kia Mini Van - 2004 Kia Sedona
  By streamer54 - October 26 - 10:00 am

  I drove my dodge mini-van for 163,00+ miles. It was time for a new one, but you just could not beat the price of the Kia and I still got all the bells and whistles I wanted.

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  real fake lexus - 2004 Kia Sorento
  By stev s - October 26 - 10:00 am

  excellent suv. lexus look alike. only wish had better mpg.