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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  You get what you pay for.... - 2011 Kia Sorento
  By metsajc89 - April 16 - 7:40 am

  I purchased my kia sorento in march of 2010. I live in New York and during the summer, the car is good. Drives well, with the 4 cyl, it is a little weak but can get up to highway driving with no problem. During the winter, the car is a piece of garbage. Not sure if the AWD is better but I feel like there is a lot of problems with the weight and durability of the car. It is very light and slips and slides all over the road. I leased the car and glad I give it back in a year. Overall, if you are not looking to spend a ton of money on a car every month, great car and I would recommend, just look at the pros and cons of the car.

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  Objective review of my 07 Sedona - 2007 Kia Sedona
  By Excellent vehicle - April 14 - 10:00 am

  We purchased this van used with 10,000 miles on it. We got it for a great price because the resale value of the Kia Sedona is comparatively one of the lowest of any vehicle. It is very roomy and comfortable, and drives and handles extremely well. It is perfect for long trips, and I average between 24-25 mpg on the highway. There are no mechanical issues. On the bad side, our main complaint is that the suspension sounds like creaky old bed springs when you go over a slight bump, and this is not a warranty item. The materials quality both inside and out is not on par with Japanese rivals. The dashboard is fading in some spots and the leather is showing wear spots on the passenger seat.

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  Power to Surprise - 2007 Kia Sedona
  By Jack - April 12 - 9:10 am

  I chose the Kia minivan over several others I test drove. It has a nice driving feel to it. It looks nice as far as minivans go, and it has a good warranty. Its a good value for the money when you throw in the 100,000 warranty. I was very disappointed when the transmission locked in park and it stranded my three young kids and me thirty miles from home. Unfortunately KIA agreed to tow the car to the dealership but didnt offer to provide us with a ride home or contact a rental car company. Kias slogan is "The power to surprise." They got that right. I was surprised that a car would break down after only six weeks and 3,600 miles.

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  Good Car - 2009 Kia Optima
  By Seriouscoin - April 12 - 7:03 am

  Had to trade in my Rx-8 (worst car ever) and got this. I loved this car!! Very good gas, and price was not bad at all. Highly recommended for a family car.

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  good deal for the money - 2011 Kia Sorento
  By greg2174 - April 9 - 10:13 pm

  everything i expected when i bought it. got it for my wife in december 2011 as a christmas gift.i bought because of the price when all the dealing and haggling around with the dealer was done i gave 20k for it. has done fine so far.now it is no tahoe or pilot or acadia but it didnt have the 30k to 40k price tag that thoes model have either.our last five vehicles have fouty thousand plus dollars and had some of the same problems people have described on here about the sorento.may i remind people it is a 20k dollar vehicle if you want to have the bling bling effect of a bmw and the ride of a mercedes and the resale value of a lexus the i suggest you open your wallet and get one of thoes .

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  trouble free miles - 2002 Kia Rio
  By nan25 - April 8 - 7:31 am

  Everytime I get asked about the car i have said this. Bought her new with zero dealer add ons. Starting at 40K and today Id say "got 207K trouble free miles" Check engine light has been working for 11 yrs. Gotta ignore it, it rearly goes off. I am lazy but do the oil changes religiously & read the review warning about timing belts. Got that at 149,000. At 200,000 got front wheel bearings & someother stuff there for $700. Hatch latch broke, using a bunge cord. If you dont like yours I will buy it :)

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  After Head On Crash -- bought 2nd Optima! - 2005 Kia Optima
  By Rachel - April 6 - 7:26 pm

  I bought my first Kia Optima early 2004 & was in a severe head on collision December of the same year. The other party was going about 60-65mph while I was at a complete stop. I sustained severe injuries to my ankle, & my car was totaled from the impact. I felt so confident w/the outcome of the collision, that I immediately went back to the dealership to negotiate my SECOND Kia Optima. The car rides smooth, & I get compliments on the "look" of the car with people asking me all the time..."What type of car is that?" When I tell them its a Kia, they look amazed. When I tell them my story--jaws drop! I WOULD recommend the OPTIMA to anyone looking for a classy, sharp car at reasonable cost!

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  safety in question - 2011 Kia Sorento
  By Carl Berger - April 6 - 7:26 am

  The suspension is very bad, it sounds like an old car that needs new struts and shocks when you go over a rough road. I took it back to the dealer and they said thats the way it is. I question the safety because of the suspension. I wish i could something different because of the safety issue.

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  We Love Our Kia Rio - 2004 Kia Rio
  By Wing Family - April 3 - 2:00 am

  We bought our Kia Rio after doing a lot of reaserch, we wanted a car that had great fuel economy, was not very expensive, had 4 doors, and an alarm system. We found it all with the Kia Rio. We are very happy with the purchase. The warranty is excellent (100,000 to include everything but preventative maintnance.) We have roadside assistance that came with the car. The preventative maintnance is very good. We only have to change the oil every 6000 miles. Overall, we are very happy with our choice, it is a great first car for a family who is just starting out.

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  Corolla VS. Spectra - 2003 Kia Spectra
  By vallet1 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  I won a 2003 GSX on E-bay for only $5000. The car had only 13,000 miles on it. I thought that I would try to "turn a fast profit" by selling it locally for $8000. Well, I spent $200 in ads and brought it to a local car lot and after 3 months I could not sell it for even $7000. I had a 2003 Toyota Corolla and needed to get rid of ANY car I could. I wound-up selling the Corolla for $13,000 and used the profit to pay-off the Kia. I now own (free and clear) and have been driving the Kia for 3 weeks. I find the Kia to be a much better car than the Toyota. It rides better, looks better and is more comfortable.