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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  Inexpensive Luxury - 2003 Kia Sorento
  By dsnykng - July 19 - 10:00 am

  You must test a Kia sorento , if your looking for a midsize SUV. I am driving a 2wd EX w/luxury package. I was looking to drive a 4wd, but this was the interior and amenities I wanted. Handles with ease. Very comfortable, everything at your finger tips. Would you like a luxury vehicle?..and a Truck?.. This is it !!!

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  Heels on Wheels! - 2017 Kia Sportage
  By Gigis mom - July 18 - 8:41 pm

  I just purchased my 2017Sportage EX in May 2016. I traded in my 2005 Nissan Murano AWD for it. I wanted something that was spacious enough for my daughter and her friends yet still stylish and AWD like my previous Murano. I looked at several models and based on research and my test drive, decided on the Sportage. I have NOT one regret yet! It is a 4 cylinder model so it doesnt have as much punch as my Murano but thats okay.. im not in a hurry.. My gas mileage (although low compared to other crossovers) is still better than my Murano. I love the design of the outside of the Sportage and the inside is just as nice. My only small complaint is regarding the USB. It doesnt seem to charge phones as rapidly as I would like and I dont think it is the actual cord. It worked better in the Murano, but this isnt a huge issue for me as long as i can get some charge.

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  Great SUV - 2005 Kia Sorento
  By Dennis DAgosta - July 18 - 10:56 am

  This a real good SUV. Looks smart, runs even better. 3 critisims... 1)Gas mileage is not the best. 2)left front wheel well mud flap interferes with tight turns. 3) Michelin tires are worn at 30,000 inspite of several rotations. This could be a tire issue or suspension problem..Im not sure which. Overall I like the Sorento vey much. I bought the LX. Next time I will buy the EX for more options.

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  Great value, like all the "kiadai" cars - 2008 Kia Spectra
  By Jose in Dallas - July 17 - 3:43 am

  Overall this vehicle is great for a subcompact. The Hyundai 2.0 L sounds fantastic at 6000 RPM but gets rather thirsty. Engine noise is very little until you get on the freeway. Very comfy suspension with the smoothness of a Caddy until you take a sharp corner where it leans like a pickup truck. The overall build and quality of these Korean cars (Hyundai & Kia) has been improving every year but they are still not on the same level as the Japanese. With the 100,000 Mi warranty the vehicle is a great value for the price.

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  You dont get a jack or spare tire!!! - 2013 Kia Optima
  By racorbett - July 17 - 2:08 am

  I just bought a new Kia on Saturday and looking in the truck, there was no spare tire or jack. Dealer did not tell me at sale that no jack or spared came with the car. I found out by looking in the trunk yesterday. I call Kia and they confirm that car does not come with jack or spare. Just a puny tire pump and sealant kit. That is crap. If I had know it didnt come with one, I would either have negotiated or paid the approximate $250.00 for it. Anyway, has to take time out to go back to dealer for it, some 1-1/2 hours wasted. I guess Kia doesnt care that customers may find out the hard way. This situation made what appeared to be a good experience a lousy one.

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  Small and thirsty - 2004 Kia Sorento
  By Dayna - July 16 - 1:00 pm

  I let the style cloud my judgment. This LITTLE SUV is a BIG gas guzzler! I average 12-13 miles per gallon. Most of my driving is city but its not much better on the highway, 18 mpg at best. Does this little SUV need such a big engine? My 2004 KIA Sorento has been very reliable for the 2-plus years Ive owned it, except for the battery and stereo/CD player that have been replaced under warranty. It took nearly 3 months to get the stereo/CD player but the battery was replaced in one visit. I havent had any non-operation problems.

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  So Far So Good... - 2006 Kia Sportage
  By czechers - July 15 - 7:43 pm

  I had an old Spectra and went in for a service appointment, and ended up leaving with a new Sportage. I was looking at other brands, but the features for the price are outstanding. The MPG is less than advertised however... I havent done much highway driving yet, I only have 750 miles on the clock and I am stuck at 17 MPG. (Advertised 19/25) I was worried that the horsepower was on the low side compared with competitors, however, it moves this SUV just fine. I also wish there were a 5 or 6 speed automatic. But, as I said, for the price of $21K I got a V6 auto, power everything, CD / MP3, Sunroof, Keyless with Alarm, Alloy wheels, upgraded interior, etc.

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  2005 Kia Sportage - 2005 Kia Sportage
  By Mark Dearborn - July 15 - 12:56 pm

  If you are looking for an affordable, spacious, fuel efficient and fun to drive SUV, the Sportage is the one. We were looking for more room yet not a SUV that would take up two parking spots. We got the 6 cylinder ( a must) completely loaded with all options (leather, 6 cd, amp, subwoofer, sunroof etc) except 4WD for less than 22K. It sits up high enough for the feel of a SUV yet drives like a car. The 100,000 mile limited warranty is a plus. My wife loves this vehicle as everyday transportation to and back from work.

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  Best Kia Ive Had So Far! - 2014 Kia Sportage
  By Leslie Ray - July 15 - 3:47 am

  Ive seen some other reviews here that are not particularly generous. Ive owned three Kias prior to my current (just acquired) 2014 Kia Sportage. The first two were 2006 and 2007 Kia Spectras (purchased new), both had very comfortable seats, drove well, the 2006 was totaled when I was hit head on (thankfully, the airbags deployed and I wasnt injured in the least). I had the 2007 for 4 years before I decided to purchase a larger vehicle to use for transporting event equipment for my small business. I purchased a 2011 Kia Sportage (new) and while it served most of my needs, I found the front bucket seats to be VERY uncomfortable compared to the Spectra seats. I sold my 2011 Kia Sportage recently and purchased a used 2014 Kia Sportage with only 12K miles on it. The previous owner traded it in citing complaints with the engine. Kia replaced the engine with new, and I picked up the car soon after. So far, I absolutely LOVE the 2014 Kia Sportage! The body went through something of a change since 2011...the front grill is much snazzier (beehive pattern, as opposed to the old straight lines on the 2011). The wheels are much better quality and have an improved look to them. The seats are a LOT more comfortable than the seats in the 2011 Sportage, although still not quite as comfortable as the seats in the Spectra, which was more of an economy car (go figure). The 2014 drives much more smoothly than the 2011; its quieter, and feels more solid (including the way the doors close--less of a "clang", more of a heavy "clunk". The transition between gears on the 2014 is smoother than the 2011. Bluetooth is MUCH improved in the 2014...the voice is soothing, not irritatingly loud and annoying like the Bluetooth voice in the 2011. Ive also noticed that it is much more accurate in terms of interpreting my commands. I like the upgraded buttons on the stereo console--they look sharp, not cheap. The 2014 I purchased has the same parking sensors that the 2011 did, but it also has the backup camera that comes on when you put the car in reverse. This is a feature I had wanted in the 2011, but they wanted another $2500 for it, so I opted not to get it at the time. The 2011 also came with mud flaps, but at the price of $300, I told them to take them off...I wasnt going to pay for them. The 2014 has the flaps, and I like the look as well as the functionality. Overall, Im very pleased with the 2014 Kia Sportage so far. However, if you previously had a higher quality SUV/Crossover, you will notice the difference and you may not be impressed. For me, the value one gets with the standard features on a Kia, as well as the safety rating and the warranty, make Kia an excellent buy, and I am a loyal Kia owner. (And, no one paid me to say that. Lol.) Update: Ive had my 2014 Kia Sportage a while now and Im still very pleased with it. The braking is much smoother than it was on the 2011 Sportage, and it still drives so much better than the 2011. I did have an issue with a sound that seemed to be emanting from the muffler since I last posted, it turned out that there was a break in a solder joint. Took it in to the dealership for service, and they took care of it right away, no problem. Im happy to say that the service department at the Kia dealership has been excellent so far (I started going to a dealership a little further from me). Overall, Im still quite pleased with my 2014 Sportage.

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  a lotta SUV for the $ - 2017 Kia Sorento
  By tim Marzofka - July 14 - 5:29 pm

  We compared several mid sized SUVs by test driving and pricing them out with similar features/packages and the Kia was the best value that we found. We were also very impressed with the ride and the safety features (autonomous braking, lane monitoring, blind spot monitoring and a great back up camera). The basics of the vehicle are great as well - a smooth and surprisingly quiet ride and solid acceleration with the 3.3 V6.