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KIA

Kia Motors is a major manufacturer of cars, trucks and SUVs based in South Korea. Founded in 1944, Kia is owned by Hyundai, the largest producer of automobiles in South Korea.

Kia began as a maker of bicycles and related parts, before moving into the construction of motorcycles in the 1950s. Gradually the company expanded into the manufacture of trucks and cars, however had to limit their efforts to trucks after a military dictatorship took power in South Korea in 1981. This changed in the mid-1980s when Kia entered into a business agreement with Ford, resulting in the Kia-inspired Ford models Festiva and Aspire.

Kia vehicles first became available in the U.S. during the 1990s, before the company descended into bankruptcy, allowing Hyundai to take control of Kia and replace Ford as a dominant partner. Few outside of the automotive industry are aware that Kia is under exclusive contract with the Government of South Korea to produce military equipment and associated vehicles for the state government, a lucrative agreement that ensures the ongoing stability of Kia as a business.

Statements produced by the company in the mid-2000s indicated that the future direction of Kia would revolve around a strict focus on design principles, to ensure that the Kia brand is effectively distinguished from its competitors. A new, standard grille design for all Kia vehicles was put in place and has indeed made Kia cars identifiable by the unique grille, which the company has nicknamed the ‘Tiger Nose’.

Kia owns and operates several production plants and offices around the world, specifically in Japan, China, South Korea, the U.S. and Europe. The Namyang facility in South Korea serves as the company’s flagship office for design and development, and houses development teams for Hyundai as well. Employees of both Kia and Hyundai are brought in from their home countries to study and train at the facility.

In 2015 Kia offered the Rio, Soul, Forte, Optima, SoulEV, Optima Hybrid, Cadenza, K900 car models for sale to consumers, as well as the Rondo, Sportage, Sorento and Sedona model sport utility vehicles. Kia vehicles are generally reasonably priced to attract middle-income customers, and a variety of options are available in terms of transmission, number of doors, powertrain and aesthetic features. Fuel consumption by Kia vehicles tends to be efficient, however some of their larger models do not provide the level of efficiency offered by small Kia cars.