Kia was founded in 1944 in Seoul, South Korea as a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts. The name of the company is derived from the Chinese meaning "to arise, or coming up out of Asia." It gradually expanded its manufacturing to building motor scooters, after successfully producing the first bicycle in Korea in the 1950's. A decade later, the company had included 3-wheel cargo vehicles and motorcycles in its production line. By the 1970's, the next step was automobile production, establishing Sohari, the first fully integrated assembly plant in Korea. Other automobile manufacturers adopted its highly advanced technology, and the company rapidly added new and better models to its inventory. Kia was introduced in the U.S. under its own name in the early 1990's, primarily in dealerships in Western states. However, as demand for their economical vehicles grew and SUVs were included in its lineup, more and more customers discovered the versatility of the company. Today, it has dealerships in every major country around the world.

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Kia Forte
The Forte is Kia’s new compact sedan with a sporty new design.

Kia Optima
The Optima is Kia’s midsize sedan that is redesigned for 2011 with much more expressive styling.

Kia Rio
The Rio is Kia’s entry-level sedan that was redesigned for the 2006 model year and received exterior detail updates for 2010.

Kia Soul
The Soul is Kia’s all-new compact vehicle that Kia describes as an urban passenger vehicle.

Kia Cee'd
Kia has face-lifted and revised its highly successful Cee’d small family car.

Kia Magentis
The 2011 Kia Optima shows that mid-size sedan shoppers don't have to settle to design boredom or a lack of features.

Kia Sorento
The Sorento is Kia’s midsize SUV that is all-new for 2011 after skipping the 2010 model year.

Kia Sportage
The Sportage is Kia’s compact SUV which is new for 2011 with a modern, clean design.