Kia Cars in India

Kia’s Corporate Identity, or brand logo, consisting of an oval that represents the earth and their name in English within it, expresses the way Kia keeps growing vibrantly in the global arena. The sleek oval and the red, the colour of passion, represent dynamism. The location of the name right in the centre represents the company’s accountability and credibility as well as their pride as a global automaker.

Kia’s origins can be traced back to December 1944, when it was operational as the Kyungsung Precision Industry (KPI), a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts. KPI gave Korea its first domestic bicycle in 1951 and in 1952, it renamed itself to Kia Industries. After a shutdown in 1986, Kia re-joined the passenger vehicle industry in partnership with Ford. After a weak production run, Kia declared bankruptcy in 1997 only to be purchased by Hyundai Motor Company later in 1998. Therefore, all Kia car models are now a part of the Hyundai Motor Company.

Kia announced its foray into the country in April 2017 by signing a MoU with the government of Andhra Pradesh to set up a manufacturing facility in Anantapur. The first phase of the plant, being built at an investment of USD 1.1 billion, will cover 23 million square feet (213.7 hectares) and once fully operational, will provide approximately 3,000 jobs to achieve a target of producing 300,000 Kia cars all over the year. The construction process is planned for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2019, with vehicle production earmarked to begin in the latter half of 2019. The first Kia car in India is speculated to be the Seltos, based on the SP2 concept. With a promise on delivering segment-first features and affordable pricing, Kia cars are expected to disrupt the market for other carmakers.