Where Are Kia Cars Made?

Kia is a popular automotive manufacturer based in Seoul, South Korea. Its parent company is Hyundai, which is the largest automotive producer in South Korea.

In 2021, Kia produced a total of 2,558,000 vehicles. Around 45% of these vehicles were sold overseas, while 55% were sold domestically in Korea.

Kia has always been recognised for making reliable and affordable cars. In fact, older models could be seen as being a bit boring.

Nowadays, Kia has experienced a second wind of sorts. Models like the Stinger, Sportage and ProCeed are as beautiful as they are exciting to be around. It’s also one of the big automotive brands that are leading the way with good-looking electric vehicles (EVs). 

So where are Kia producing these awesome new vehicles? Let’s find out.

Where Kia cars are made

Kia vehicles are currently manufactured in South Korea, China, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Slovakia, United States, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The company is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

Kia designs and produces its cars in a number of domestic and international facilities. In total, there are 14 Kia manufacturing facilities in eight different countries across the world.

Kia’s manufacturing plant in the United States is located in West Point, Georgia. This facility reportedly cost Kia $1 billion dollars to build and is capable of producing a whopping 340,000 cars a year.

Recently, Hyundai announced plans to begin producing Kia electric vehicles in a new plant in Savannah, Georgia, US. Once this plant becomes fully operational, Kia’s future in the US will be both bright and electric!

But which of Kia’s vehicles are produced in the US? Let’s find out.

Which Kia cars are made in the US?

Kia vehicles produced in the US include the Sorento, the Telluride and the K5. Kia also plans to produce its electric vehicles in a new plant in Savannah, Georgia.

Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia officially opened its doors in November of 2009. The first vehicle produced here was the Sorento CUV, which went on to become Kia’s best-selling model in 2011.

But Kia cars produced here are not only sold within the United States. These vehicles can also end up in Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, the Middle East and the Pacific!

How to tell where your Kia was made

The most accurate way of identifying where your Kia vehicle was made is to check the first two or three letters of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

The first three digits of a VIN number are known as a World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI). For most production vehicles, this allows you to trace the car back to its country of origin.

You can find your Kia VIN number on the title or registration documents for your car. It can also be found on the cowl panel, the front wall of the engine room or on a metal plate in the inner driver’s door pillar. (Source: Kia)

WIM Number	Country of Origin
K–	Korea
LJD	China
MZB	India
MS0	Myanmar
PNA	Malaysia
U5Y	Slovakia
U6Y	Slovakia
XWE	Russia
8LG	Ecuador
9UW	Uruguay

If you’re interested in decoding your VIN number to find out more about the spec of your Kia vehicle, there are plenty of VIN decoder services online. They’re mostly free and very easy to use.

FAQs

Which company owns Kia?

Hyundai Motor Company is Kia’s parent company. Although the two operate independently, they are related and both companies own stakes in each other’s businesses. Originally Hyundai bought a minority stake in Kia in 1998 to help keep Kia afloat, avoiding bankruptcy.

What does Kia stand for?

According to Kia, ‘Ki’ means ‘to arise’ in the Chinese language. The ‘a’ simply refers to the continent of Asia. When combined, the word Kia means ‘to arise from Asia’. This highlights the brand’s strong roots in South Korea and the sense of pride in its homeland.

Are Kia cars reliable?

Kia certainly seems to think so. They offer a seven-year (or 100,000-mile) warranty on all of their vehicles, which shows that they are confident about the performance and longevity of their cars. On the whole, Kia cars are considered to be reliable. A combination of solid build quality and careful craftsmanship has developed a strong reputation for the brand.

In 2016, Kia ranked no.1 on J.D. Power’s annual survey of new model reliability. That’s a huge achievement for a low-cost South Korean automotive manufacturer!

Conclusion

From an unassuming and modest South Korean car brand to a pioneer in electric vehicles and modern automotive design – I’m proud to say that Kia has successfully won over the hearts and minds of car enthusiasts like myself.

Like many manufacturers, Kia owns and operates a number of manufacturing facilities – both domestic and overseas – to satisfy the demand for its vehicles. 

Do you own a Kia? How is it treating you? Let us know below!