Kia Motors is a South Korean automaker that began as an autoparts manufacturer in 1944. The company once had a capital tie-up with Japanese automaker Mazda Motor for the production of Mazda vehicles.

Are Kias Reliable Cars? Kia is among the most reliable car brands. RepairPal ranks Kia third out of 32 car manufacturers for reliability. J.D.Power ranks the company third overall in its 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study℠ and first among mass-market brands.

All the other car companies have to buy their metals from metal manufacturers, which drives up the price. This, of course, gives Kia and Hyundai the ability to manufacture metals to be used for their vehicles. As a result, Kia can manufacture cars at lower costs and lower prices than the competition.

Although Kia initially focused solely on the Korean market, it would later expand to become a worldwide brand. The Kia Motors Corporation is now the second-largest car manufacturer in South Korea, behind Hyundai, which owns a minor share in the company. So if you're wondering, “Who makes Kia?” it's Hyundai Motor Group.