History of Kia

The Korean company now known as “Kia Motors Corporation” was founded in 1944 under the name “KyungSung Precision Industry”. At first, the company was engaged in the manufacture of a small assortment of parts for bicycle repair. It was not possible then to produce them on their own in the country – there was not enough experience or funds, so they were all imported. Only two years later, the company was able to raise capital and purchase the necessary equipment, after which the first domestic bicycles appeared in Korea.

Soon a war broke out, dividing the country into South and North Korea, and greatly slowed down the development of production. In 1952, the impoverished countries ended the conflict, and KyungSung was able to continue production, but under the name Kia Industrial Company. Growing demand for low-cost two-wheelers enabled the opening of a new factory in 1955, and increased the company’s growth rate.

After 6 years, Kia released the first motorized vehicle – the C-100 motorcycle, and in 1962 introduced the first three-wheeled truck. It had very small dimensions, but even such equipment had not yet been produced in Korea, and it was in great demand. The first four-wheeled trucks rolled off the Kia line in 1971, the Titan and Boxer models, which also became very popular. At the same time, a partnership agreement was signed with Mazda.

In 1972, the South Korean government issues a license to Kia to manufacture automobiles. Thanks to cooperation with Mazda, the company manages to develop and launch the production of its own engines in a short time, and after only 2 years, the first model of a passenger car, the Kia Brisa, was presented. The demand for these vehicles allowed the Korean company to take over truck manufacturer Asia Motors and open two subsidiaries.

The good growth rate and high quality of Kia’s products have attracted the attention of the world’s automakers. In 1978, the company received the right to license the production of Peugeot 604 and FIAT 132 cars for sale in the domestic market of Korea. At the same time, the company’s engineers developed their first diesel engine, which was used in the company’s own models.

However, in 1981, Kia management decided to switch the company’s activities to the production of commercial vehicles, and the passenger car business was frozen. The company introduced a small truck, a pickup truck, as well as a passenger minibus, made on a single Bongo base, and after another 2 years released a new model called Ceres. In the same 1983, part of the shares of Kia was bought out by the Japanese corporation Mazda, which decided to start producing cars again. This was done in a very timely manner, as the company had already begun to experience financial problems associated with insufficient sales. But thanks to the expansion of the model range and the provision of access to Mazda technologies, the Korean firm is on the mend. In 1987, the budget Kia Pride was released, which was based on the Mazda 121 chassis. The demand for this model allowed the company to become a successful enterprise again and start developing new cars. A year later, the millionth car of the brand rolled off the assembly line.

Also, Kia Industrial did not refuse the development of commercial vehicles. In 1988, the company’s new products in this direction were presented – the Rhino and Trade truck models, as well as the Besta minibus. In the early 90s, all the company’s products were in great demand, which allowed it to open a number of new factories. The company was restructured, as well as the name was changed to Kia Motors Corporation, after which cars under this brand began to be supplied to the European market.

In 1991, 2 passenger models from Kia were introduced – Sportage and Sephia. They received good ratings at car shows around the world, and the first of them was awarded the title of “Best Car of the Year” awarded by the company “IntelliChoice” for two years in a row. In 1996, the Kia Sportage took part in the Sahara Desert Rally.

1992 in the history of the company was marked by the opening of an official representative office in the United States. Kia Sephia cars, which had an 80-horsepower engine with a cylinder capacity of 1.6 liters, were to the taste of American buyers. Also, Kia Motors released a budget model called the Avella.

The difficult economic situation that developed in Asia in 1997 bankrupted the company, and it was forced to put its assets up for sale. However, the final closure of Kia was prevented by compatriots from Hyundai, who bought a controlling stake in the company at the end of 1998. In 1999, the creation of the “Hyundai Kia Automotive Group” was announced.

In 2001, new models of Kia cars were presented – updated budget Pride and Avella, Sephia II took the place in the middle price category, and the Clarus II station wagon became the flagship of the brand, which had 2 engine options, with a capacity of 116 and 133 horsepower; in the basic configuration there was a power steering, air conditioning, airbags and much more. Also, a huge trunk has become a huge advantage.

In 2002, Kia produced its 10 millionth car. The manufacturer’s lineup was replenished with Optima, Regal and Sorento, and a year later the Cerato golf-class sedan and Magentis and Opirus business sedans were introduced. After another 2 years, the company noted the achievement of the export number of cars of the 5 millionth mark.

In 2006, Peter Schreyer, known for his work for Audi and Volkswagen, took over as chief designer for Kia Motors. He brought a new distinctive feature to the look of the company’s cars – it became a unique radiator grille, called the “Tiger Smile”. In the period from 2008 to 2011, sales of the brand’s cars grew by more than 80%, amounting to almost 2.5 million units annually.

In 2012, Peter Schreyer takes over as president of design at the company, becoming the first foreigner in Kia’s top management.

As a result of fruitful work, the Korean company received 7 awards in 2013, among which the US recognition of the Kia Optima model as the “International Car of the Year” deserves special attention. It is worth noting that a year earlier this sedan became the best-selling Kia car.

In 2013, Kia introduced the futuristic Niro crossover, and two years later announced its serial production. This car can become a serious competitor to Nissan Juke, Opel Mokka and Renault Captur. Designed by the European design studio Kia, this crossover is very different from all the previous ones and intends to make a vivid impression, especially on football players from the EU, based on the tastes and preferences of which this novelty was created.