Kia

Kia was founded on June 9, 1944 as Kyungsung Precision Industry in Seoul, making steel tubing and bicycle parts. In 1951 it unveiled the Samchully, Korea’s first domestic bicycle. By the 1950s it moved into licensed motorcycle and truck production, and in 1974 rolled out its first Mazda-based passenger car. The opening of the Sohari assembly plant in 1973 marked Kia’s shift to full-scale vehicle manufacturing. In the 1990s the Sportage SUV set the brand on an off-road course. Models like the Soul and Telluride earned praise for bold design and technology. Kia launched its first global EV, the EV9, in 2022. Today under Hyundai Motor Company Kia’s line-up spans from the Picanto city car to the EV9 electric crossover. SUVs and electrics drive its 2024 target of 3.2 million global sales.