HOME NEW CARS USED CARS OWNERS KIA FLEET ABOUT KIA Test Drive Find a dealer Brochure Search YOU ARE HERE: KIA MOTORS UK ABOUT KIA KIA WORLDWIDE INDEPENDENT REVIEWS KIA READY TO ROLL COMPETITION REEVOO MODEL REVIEWS KIA SPORTS SPONSORSHIP INDEPENDENT REVIEWS OLDER MODELS KIA - SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ CONTACT US FAQS KIA WORLDWIDE AWARD WINNING KIA KIA NEWS ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT KIA COMMUNITY CAREERS FUN AND GAMES Kia Worldwide How it all began.... Kia was founded in 1944, on the outskirts of Seoul, as a manufacturer of bicycle parts. From its humble beginnings, the company has gone from strength to strength, emerging as the driving force behind the Korean motor industry. Kia can also take credit for the production and export of Korea's first cars. As a global company, Kia Motors produces in excess of 2 million cars a year and, as such, a wide range of Kia vehicles including passenger cars, commercial vehicles and buses can be seen throughout the world. Kia has always been proud of its heritage - and this is reflected in its name. In fact, the word 'Kia' is derived from the Chinese characters 'ki' meaning to 'arise or come up out of' - and 'a', which refers to Asia. So, the name Kia literally means 'to come out of Asia'. Today, Kia has become a household name, with an ever-expanding range of models sold through a network of dealers in 172 countries and over 44,000 employees across the globe. But no matter how big we become, our customers remain our top priority and we aim to provide the same personal service as we did when we began, over sixty-five years ago. Interested in learning more about Kia through the years? Our timeline reveals the company history to date highlighting vehicles produced and sold through the years from the first domestic bicycle produced in 1957 to our current day vehicles. You could also take a look at our official corporate blog here. For more information on models, news and deals, wherever you are in the world, visit Kia around the world on our Facebook page and find your local Kia page. Interbrand Top 100 Global Brands Today Kia Motors Corporation has entered the exclusive list of the ‘Top 100 Best Global Brands,' according to the 2012 study released by Interbrand, the world's largest brand consultancy agency. Claire Chai, Vice President of Kia Motors Corporation Marketing Division, said, "Entering the ‘Top 100 Best Global Brands' validates Kia's commitment to continuously provide exciting and inspiring brand experiences. And it's amazing to see what we can accomplish by staying true to who we are - a young and dynamic challenger that goes beyond expectations. SUBMIT SITEMAP SECURITY LEGAL NOTICE CONTACT US E-NEWSLETTER FACEBOOK: LIKE OUR PAGE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER YOUTUBE: VIEW OUR VIDEOS FOLLOW US ON GOOGLE+ New Cars 7 Year Warranty Finance Calculator Future Concepts Kia Motors Finance The Kia Sorento The Kia Soul EV Range Kia VR7 Range Offers Emissions Independent Reviews Kia Insurance ECO dynamics Motability Used Cars About Approved Used Cars Used Car Offers Used Car Search 7 Year Warranty Emissions Owners My Kia Service Booking Service & Maintenance Parts & Accessories Kia 7 Year Warranty Kia Insurance Bluetooth® DAB Radio Green Driving Roadside Assistance Customer Services Kia Fleet ECO dynamics Kia Care-3 Best Contract Hire Offers Sign up to Fleet Eureka Magazine Fleet Car Range Case Studies 7 Year Warranty Kia Fleet Guide Fleet Services Meet the Team Tools Fleet Magazine Contact us About Kia Ingenious Britain Independent Reviews Kia Ready to roll competition Reevoo model reviews Kia Sports Sponsorship Independent Reviews Older Models Kia - Social Media Buzz Contact Us FAQs Kia Worldwide Award Winning Kia Kia News One Less Thing to Worry About Our Commitment Kia Community Careers Fun and Games © KIA MOTORS UK 2014 VISIT: KIAMOTORS.COM www.kia.co.uk/ HOME NEW CARS USED CARS OWNERS KIA FLEET ABOUT KIA Test Drive Find a dealer Brochure Search