Kia was established on 9 June 1944, as Kyungsung Precision Industry by Kim Cheol-Ho. The company was initially manufacturing steel tubing and bicycle parts. This was the time when Korea was at war. The first achievement was achieved in 1951 when they manufactured Korea’s first domestic bicycle, the Samchuly. This achievement was the first step into the transportation industry.
| Company Name | Kyungsung Precision IndustryKia Motors Corporation |
| Founder | Kim Cheol-Ho |
| Founded | 9 June, 1944 |
| Headquarters | Seoul, South Korea |
| Industry | Automotive |
Evolution
In 1952, the corporation took a big step by rebranding the corporation as ‘Kia Industries’. The name Kia was drive from the Hanja characters “起” (ki, means ‘to arise’) and “亞” (a, means’Asia’).
Kia’s Entry in Automobile
In 1957, Kia started to manufacture Honda licensed small motorcycles. And later in 1962 they started to manufacture small trucks licensed by Mazada. This was the first step of Kia in the automobile industry.
Kia’s First Car: Brisa
In 1973, Kia opened its first integrated automobile assembly plant, the Sohari Plant. In the same year they launched their first passenger car, the Kia Brisa. Which was based on Mazda 323. The car was available as a sedan, pickup, and station wagon. However, its production ended in 1981. The Brisa made an entry for Kia in the passenger vehicle market.
Most Popular Models by Kia
In the modern era of cars, Kia has launched many models. And some of them made an iconic presence in the automotive industry. Here we have mentioned some of the most famous cars from Kia.
Kia Carens
The Kia Carens 3-row multi purpose vehicle designed to offer style with practicality. Kia has combined modern aesthetics with a spacious interior. Which makes it an ideal choice for a family. The Carens comes with bold LED lighting, a distinctive grille, and sleek body lines that makes it unique from other cars in its segment. The car has various powertrain options, comes in petrol & diesel engines, paired with Manual, iMT, and automatic transmissions. The interior includes 3-row seating arrangement with ideal legroom, a 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Car is equipped with advanced safety features including- six airbags, ESC, ABS, and hill assist.
The Price of Kia Carens ranges between ₹10.60 Lakh – ₹19.70 Lakh (ex-showroom). The car delivers a mileage of 16-21 km/l, depending on engine variant. The Suv-like styling and advanced safety features, makes it one of the best cars in the family car segment.
| Engine Type | Displacement (cc) | Power (hp) | Torque (Nm) | Transmission Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L Petrol | 1497 | 113 | 144 | 6-speed MT |
| 1.4L Turbo Petrol | 1353 | 138 | 242 | 6-speed MT/ 7-speed DCT |
| 1.5L Diesel | 1493 | 113 | 250 | 6-speed MT/ 6-speed AT |
Kia Sonet is a compact crossover SUV, known for its muscular and bold look. With aggressive grille, and sharp LED headlights, Sonet stands out in the subcompact SUV segment. The Sonet is available in multiple engine options including- petrol & diesel, with various transmission, such as Manual, iMT, and Automatic. The interior is designed with premium material and equipped with a 10.25 infotainment system that comes with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. Sonet comes with advanced safety features like- six airbags, ESC, ABS and traction control.
Kia Sonet
The Price of Kia Sonet ranges between ₹8 Lakh – 15.77 Lakh (ex-showroom). The car delivers mileage 18-24 km/l, depending on engine variant. The modern styling and aggressive look of Kia Sonet, makes it one of the best selling compact SUVs in India.
| Engine Type | Displacement (cc) | Power (hp) | Torque (Nm) | Transmission Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2L Petrol | 1197 | 82 | 115 | 5-speed MT |
| 1.0L Turbo Petrol | 998 | 118 | 172 | 6-speedMT/ 7-speed DCT |
| 1.5L Diesel | 1493 | 115 | 250 | 6-speed MT/ 6-speed AT |
Kia Seltos
Kia Seltos is one of the most popular cars from Kia, a compact SUV offers bold looks while being practical. With modern styling and tiger nose grille being iconic in this model. Kia Seltos has a great road presence with wide stance, sharp square shaped LED lights.
Kia Seltos available in petrol and diesel engines, paired with Manual, iMT, and Automatic transmission options. The interior is designed to give a comfortable and premium feel. The car is equipped with a premium sound system and all advanced safety features like- six airbags, ESC, ABS and traction control.
The Kia Seltos price ranges between ₹11.13 Lakh – 20.51 Lakh (ex-showroom). The car offers a mileage range of 16-21 km/l depending on engine variant. The Kia Seltos is quite popular for its SUV feel equipped with advanced technologies and modern styling.
| Engine Type | Displacement (cc) | Power (hp) | Torque (Nm) | Transmission Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L Petrol | 1497 | 113 | 144 | 6-speed MT/ 6-speed AT |
| 1.4L Turbo Petrol | 1353 | 138 | 242 | 6-speed MT/ 7-speed DCT |
| 1.5L Diesel | 1493 | 115 | 250 | 6-speed MT/ 6-speed AT |
Kia Carnival
Kia Carnival, a premium multi purpose vehicle, combination of luxury, comfort and advanced features. It’s an ideal choice for families to provide a premium traveling experience. The sleek and sophisticated design with the Kia’s tiger nose grille, sleek LED headlamps and muscular stance makes it adorable on road. The carnival is known for its exceptional comfort with 3-row or 4-row seating arrangement. Equipped with ventilated seats, a dual panel sunroof, and tri-zone climate control. With the advanced safety features like- six airbags, ABS, ESC, front & rear parking sensors and a 306-degree camera.
The Price range of Kia Carnival ranges between ₹63.90 Lakh – ₹75.55 Lakh (ex-showroom). The car offers a mileage range 13-15 km/l, depending on the engine variant. It’s the top pick for the luxury MVP segment.
| Engine Type | Displacement (cc) | Power (hp) | Torque (Nm) | Transmission Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L Diesel | 2151 | 200 | 440 | 8-speed AT |
Kia EV6
The Kia EV6 is the first electric vehicle. The car has a futuristic and bold design. Built on the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The EV6 delivers outstanding performance and advanced technology. The sleek look of exterior features ‘Digital Tiger Face’, LED headlamps and an aerodynamic silhouette, gives it an aggressive presence on the road.
The car features advanced features like- dual 12.3 inch curved display, a floating center console, and a heads-up display. It also has adaptive cruise control, highway driving assist 2 and forward collision avoidance as driving-assistance system.
Available in two powertrain includes- single motor (RWD) and dual motor (AWD). The car offers a driving range of 528 km (WLTP) on full charge. It supports ultra- fast 800V charging, which makes it able to charge 10-80% in just 18 minutes. The price range of the Kia EV6 is between ₹60.95 Lakh – ₹65.95 Lakh (ex-showroom).
| Variant | Power (hp) | Torque (Nm) | Range (WLTP) | Battery Capacity | Charge Time (10-80%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Motor | 229 | 350 | 77.4 kWh | 528 km | 18 Min (800V) |
| Dual Motor | 325 | 605 | 77.4 kWh | 425 km | 18 Min (800V) |
Financial Stats of Kia Corporation
Corporation took a high financial jump in 2023. Achieved significant growth across key financial metrics. Kia made revenue of KRW 99,808 billion in 2023 which was 15.3% more than 2022. The operating Profit spiked to KRW 11,608 billion from KRW 7,233 billion. Indicating the enhanced operational efficiency.
In 2023, Kia turned profitable in India for the first time.
| Financial Metric | 2023 Value (KRW Billion) |
|---|---|
| Revenue | 99,808 |
| Operating Profit | 11,608 |
| Net Profit | 8,778 |
| Total Assets | 80,628 |
| Total Liabilities | 34,070 |
| Total Equity | 46,558 |
| Liabilities to Equity Ratio (%) | 73.2 |
| Debt to Equity Ratio (%) | 8.2 |
| Earning Per Share (KRW) | 22,168 |
