Kia Corporation was founded in May 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. From humble origins making bicycles and motorcycles, Kia has grown – as part of the dynamic, global Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group – to become the world's fifth largest vehicle manufacturer.

What “Kia” Means. In 1952, Kyungsung Precision Industry changed its name to Kia Industries. While often suspected of being an acronym, the name Kia actually comes from two Sino-Korean characters. The first is “Ki” (起) which means “to arise” or “awake”. The second is “A” (亚) which refers to Asia.

It is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, which is also the country that Kia is from. However, numerous Kia manufacturing and assembly plants are found in Georgia and Slovakia.

Is Kia a reliable car? Yes, Kias are reliable cars. J.D. Power ranked Kia the most reliable mass-market manufacturer in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Kia vehicles also have one of the industry's longest powertrain warranties: 10 years/100,000 miles.