Is Kia a Chinese Company?

No, Kia is not a Chinese company. It is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Kia is owned by Hyundai Motor Company, which holds the majority stakes in it. The company designs, manufactures and sells a wide range of vehicles, such as passenger cars, SUVs, commercial vehicles, military vehicles, recreational vehicles, and electric vehicles. Kia has a large portfolio of globally prominent models, including Seltos, Sorento, Sportage, Carnival, Rio, Forte, Optima, Niro and Stonic.

Company History

Kia was founded as Kyungsung Precision Industry by Song Ho-Sung in the year 1944. It started as a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts, unveiling the country’s first domestic bicycle, the Samchuly, in 1951. In the year 1952, Kyungsung Precision Industry was renamed Kia Industries.

Kia began motorcycle production under Honda licence in 1957, followed by three-wheeled truck production under Mazda licence in 1962. The company opened Sohari Plant, South Korea’s first integrated automobile assembly plant, in the year 1973. Kia launched South Korea’s first passenger car, Brisa, in the year 1974.

Kia Industries was renamed Kia Motors Corporation in the year 1990. The company entered the US market with the Sephia Sedan in the year 1992. In the year 1998, Kia became a part of the Hyundai Motor Group. Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group was established in the year 2000.

Kia Motors entered the premium performance segment with the launch of Stinger high-performance sports sedan in 2017. The company rebranded from Kia Motors to Kia in 2021.

Current Status

Kia is South Korea’s second-largest automobile manufacturer, after its parent company, Hyundai Motor Company. It is ranked as the fifth-largest vehicle manufacturer globally by sales volume. Kia operates in over 170 countries through a network of over 3,000 distributors.

Kia produces over 3 million vehicles annually. It operates 14 manufacturing facilities across 8 countries, with major plants located in South Korea, India, United States, Mexico, Slovakia and China. The company also has a state-of-the-art R&D centre in Namyang, South Korea. Key subsidiaries of Kia handling regional sales are Kia America and Kia India.

Future Outlook

Kia is likely to increase its focus on electric vehicles, purpose-built vehicles and software-defined vehicles. Sales of electric vehicles are projected to reach 55% by the year 2030. The company aims to launch six new EV models in the year 2026. Kia is looking to strengthen its position in emerging markets like India and China through EVs and PBVs.