Some people consider Hyundai and Kia to be simply rebadged versions of the same cars. The two brands do have a close relationship, despite the fact that this is not the case. Hyundai acquired Kia in 1998 and now has a 51 percent share in the business. The two corporations are now regarded as sisters because that share has decreased to around a third.
Hyundai and Kia frequently use one another’s vehicle platforms as a result of their tight cooperation. Do the cars from both brands have the same engines?
In This Article...
Is Kia a part of Hyundai?
The Hyundai Motor Group, which includes the passenger car brands Hyundai and Genesis, also owns Kia. Together, they currently rank behind Volkswagen, Toyota, and General Motors as the fourth-largest automaker in the world.
- As a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts, Kyungsung Precision Industry was established in 1944 and is now the oldest automobile manufacturer in South Korea. It also produced the Samchully, Korea’s first locally constructed bicycle, in 1951. In 1957, it started producing Honda motorbikes under license, and in 1962, Mazda vehicles were also produced under permission. The alliance with Mazda included automobiles in 1974. Kia also produced Fiat and Peugeot vehicles under license in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Only after it began producing automobiles in collaboration with Ford in 1990 did its own brand begin to gain traction (and therefore Mazda, which Ford used to control).
- When Kia Motors America was established in 1992, the brand entered the fiercely competitive US market. Some of the early models that contributed to the brand’s establishment included the Sephia and Sportage.
- When Kia filed for bankruptcy in 1997 under the shadow of Asia’s financial crisis, Ford made an attempt to raise its modest ownership position in the automaker. Ford, however, lost out to a major Korean automaker! In 1998, Hyundai acquired a 51 percent share in Kia and gained control of the firm. While Kia is a division of their shared parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, Hyundai Motor Co. now holds a 33.88 percent ownership.
- When Kia strengthened its focus on Europe and engaged former Audi designer Peter Schreyer as the company’s design manager, a significant turnaround occurred. This gave rise to Kia’s “Tiger-Nose” design philosophy, which had a similar impact on that brand’s global sales as Hyundai’s Fluidic-Sculpture had on its. Additionally, Schreyer was promoted to President of the Hyundai Group and Chief Designer as a result.
- Over 3 million automobiles were sold by Kia worldwide in 2018, and the company is one of the fastest-growing brands in numerous international markets. Although it is a sister brand of Hyundai, the two firms’ front-end operations remain distinct, and they engage in direct competition with one another over similar items in the same market.
- Hyundai products and the complete Kia product line share platforms and components. On any car, however, there is no cross-badging or evident part sharing. The Soul, Optima, and Sorento are three of its most well-liked products. We’ll probably get the Rio, Picanto, Sportage, as well as some new compact cars made just for India.
Who is the brand owner of Kia?
The major automakers with present presences in the United States are listed below, along with the brands they sell.
BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce are all owned by BMW Group. Smart and Mercedes-Benz are owned by Daimler AG. Lincoln and Ford are owned by Ford Motor Co. Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac all belong to General Motors. Hummer is back as a GMC subsidiary brand. In order to co-develop EVs, GM and Honda have an official collaboration. Acura and Honda are owned by Honda Motor Co. It collaborates with GM. Sony Honda Mobility is the name of the electric vehicle firm they founded with Sony. Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia are all owned by Hyundai Motor Group. Mazda is owned by Mazda Motor Corp. Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Infiniti are all owned by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Following the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot S.A., a new company called Stellantis was created. According to the explanation, the word is derived from the Latin verb “stello,” which means “to dazzle with stars.” Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, and Ram are now under Stellantis and are FCA brands that are offered in the United States. Other Stellantis automobile brands include Citroen, DS Automobiles, Opel, Peugeot, and Vauxhall. Subaru is owned by Subaru Corp. Jaguar and Land Rover are owned by Tata Motors. Owned by Tesla. Lexus and Toyota are owned by Toyota Motor Corp. Additionally, it owns stock in Suzuki and Subaru. The automotive brand VinFast, along with VinHomes, VinBigData, VinBioCare, and VinBrain, are all owned by VinGroup. Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Volkswagen are all brands owned by Volkswagen AG. Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus are all brands owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH).
Do Hyundai and Kia share the same engines?
Yes, a lot of the engines used in Hyundai models are also used in Kia cars, and the reverse is also true. Several instances include:
- The Hyundai Kona, Hyundai i20, Kia Ceed, and Kia Stonic all have Kappa G3LA/G3LC engines.
- The Hyundai i30, Kia Ceed, and Hyundai Elantra all feature the Kappa G4LD engine.
- The Kia Rio, Kia Ceed, and Hyundai i20 all have Gamma G4FA engines.
- The Kia Ceed, Kia Rio, and Hyundai Accent all employ the Gamma MPI/GDI/T-GDI.
- The Kia Sorento, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia Stinger all use Theta MFI/GDI Turbo engines.
- The Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento both use the D4HB engine.
- The Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Stinger both use the Lambda MPI/DGI/T-GDI.
Styling and Presence
Hyundai and Kia have extremely comparable vehicle lineups. Though it’s important to note that Hyundai has established a luxury branch named Genesis that largely addresses those gaps, Kia does provide a few vehicles that Hyundai doesn’t. Hyundai’s aesthetic is generally much more restrained and understated, with slender curves and unobtrusive round forms making up the majority of the design elements. However, compared to their Hyundai cousins, Kia vehicles have sportier style that gives them a more aggressive and dynamic appearance. In a similar vein, compared to the Hyundai model, Kia SUV vehicles have a more robust, off-road oriented look. In general, Hyundai automobiles are more likely to blend in with the crowd, but Kia styling is more angular and futuristic, designed to grab attention and make a statement.
Performance and Handling
Although Hyundai and Kia share platforms and drivetrains, we already established that each company maintains its own independent engineering divisions. This is significant because it enables individual ride and handling characteristics to be tuned for each brand of car. It’s risky to generalize given the large range of vehicles available, including hatchbacks, sedans, crossovers, and vans. In contrast, a comparable Hyundai vehicle is probably going to prioritize a smoother, but disconnected-feeling ride, whilst you will probably find that Kia vehicles provide more dynamic, engaging handling qualities. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but in our opinion, Kia automobiles’ special chassis tuning significantly increases fun.
Price and Value
Kia automobiles are typically less priced than their Hyundai counterparts. The comparable Hyundai Elantra starts at $19,850, while the Kia Forte starts at $17,890. Although the Forte is less priced, Kia didn’t scrimp on quality or features. Like Hyundai, Kia provides one of the best warranties in the industry, which is ten years and 100,000 miles. Both companies offer quality that is unmatched in the industry and stand behind their products. In the J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study*, Kia placed third for 2021, ahead of brands like Toyota, Chevrolet, and even Mercedes-Benz. Even Hyundai’s luxury division, Genesis, ended behind Kia. Only Porsche and Lexus were ranked higher among mass market brands in terms of quality than Kia. At the top of that list, Kia is, in our opinion, in good company. It’s also important to note that J.D. Power named the Kia Optima, Sorento, and Sportage as the top models in each of their respective classes.
The Kia Advantage
In conclusion, Kia cars offer greater value and better quality, with bolder style and a more dynamic driving experience, even though Kia and Hyundai offer comparable vehicles. Simply put, no matter what you value most in a car, Kia automobiles are better overall. Of course, it is ultimately up to you to decide. We recognize that purchasing a new car is a significant investment. We advise you to test drive both brands since we are certain that you will ultimately decide on a Kia. Any way you look at it, it’s unquestionably the better option. Please forgive me, Hyundai.
Why are Hyundai and Kia so alike?
Although Kia and the Hyundai Motor Group are separate companies, Kia Motors is a subsidiary of Hyundai. The distinction between Kia and Hyundai is that each brand has its own brand philosophies to build its vehicles in a distinctive manner. They are connected but distinct, as you can see! Just picture a Kia against.
What distinguishes Kia and Hyundai from one another?
Hyundai delivers a more opulent and flowing style, whereas Kia creates cars with a sportier look. With a little more varied selection of cars, Kia’s lineup includes the Sedona minivan, which reaches a wider target population. Hyundai, meantime, sells a line of high-end vehicles under the Genesis brand.
Do Hyundai and Kia use the same parts?
The competition between siblings is among the fiercest everywhere, and this is also true in the case of Hyundai and Kia.
As a result, the two businesses have an ownership position in one another, with Hyundai directly owning 33.9% of all Kia shares and Kia having an indirect stake in Hyundai through ownership of Hyundai Steel and supplier Hyundai Mobis.
Both are regarded as mainstream brands in Australia and frequently rank among the top 10 brands on sales lists.
Last month was one of the few times, according to VFACTS sales data, where Kia actually outsold its brother.
In May 2021, Kia sold 7124 cars, making it the third most popular brand in Australia, and Hyundai sold 6450 cars, placing it in sixth position.
History
Kyungsung Precision Industry was established in December 1944, near the close of World War II, with the intended goal of enhancing the infrastructure and enhancing mobility in a war-torn Korea through the production of bicycles and steel tubing.
Automobile production started in 1962, although the firm concentrated on producing licensed versions of models from other manufacturers rather than designing and creating its own vehicles.
Prior to the start of production of Mazda-based passenger vehicles, including the Familia-based Brisa, in 1973 at the company’s first automobile manufacturing site in Sohari, South Korea, this involved the production of Mazda-designed and engineered light trucks (near Seoul).
The Peugeot 604 and Fiat 132 cars were among the other models built at this time. Later, Kia built and marketed the Ford Festiva, which was based on the Mazda 121, in collaboration with Ford, who at the time also owned a stake in Mazda.
The Ceres light truck was the first Kia-branded vehicle made available in Australia in 1992. It had a 2.2-liter diesel engine with a five-speed manual transmission and a starting price of $14,957, although it only produced 52kW of power and 142Nm of torque overall.
The Mentor hatchback and Sportage SUV were the first passenger vehicles to arrive in this area in late 1996.
The original construction company, Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company, was expanded into the Hyundai Motor Company in 1967.
Similar to Kia, Hyundai got its start in 1968 by producing licensed replicas of foreign automobiles, in this case the Ford Cortina.
Hyundai, in contrast to Kia, concentrated on constructing passenger automobiles and began work on one of the first independently designed and produced South Korean vehicles. The business enlisted the help of European experts, including the former managing director of Austin, and entrusted renowned design studio Giugaro with the duty of designing in order to accomplish this.
The tiny Pony was the outcome, which was on sale in late 1975, with shipments to South American and Middle Eastern nations starting the following year.
With the Hyundai Excel line, which came first as a five-door hatchback and later as a four-door sedan, exports to Australia started in 1986.
The earliest Excels had either a three-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual transmission with a carburetted 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 52kW and 123Nm of torque. Prices for a base GL manual initially began at $9990.
Due to Kia’s insolvency during the late 1990s Asian financial crisis, Hyundai was able to purchase an initial 51% ownership in the company in 1998 after outbidding Ford, who had previously had a stake in the company.
Brand portfolio and positioning
Over the past 20 years, Hyundai and Kia have advanced in leaps and bounds, shattering any lingering perceptions of the subpar, inexpensive, and cheery cars both brands produced in the 1990s. These advancements have been made possible by stunning designs, dramatic quality improvements, and the use of the most cutting-edge technologies.
Hyundai and Kia are both positioned equally in the market as mainstream brands competing head-to-head with companies like Toyota and Mazda, unlike Volkswagen and its sister brands.
In a rough sense, it may also be said that Hyundai has recently exhibited more conservative designs, while Kia has historically exhibited a more dynamic design language.
With its lineup of N models, including the i20, i30, and Kona N, Hyundai is the only one of the two to have a dedicated performance sub-brand.
Kia offers GT-Line and GT variants, but has used these names in a more haphazard manner.
Although Hyundai and Kia each have a sizable selection of vehicles, neither manufacturer is present in every market.
Micro and light automobiles (Kia Picanto and Rio), medium (Hyundai Sonata), big cars (Kia Stinger), and vans are segments in which one brand currently serves Australia exclusively (Hyundai iLoad).
While Kia is unable to introduce its similar Telluride here due to the lack of a right-hand drive variant, Hyundai also offers the huge Palisade in the large SUV class.
Although theoretically Hyundai only owns a small portion of Kia, practically both companies share mechanical underpinnings, such as chassis, powertrain, and infotainment systems.
The interior and external designs, as well as the final technical adjustments made to the cars, are what differentiate them most.
One area where the two manufacturers do differ is in the after-sales service; whereas Hyundai gives a five-year, unlimited-mileage guarantee with five years of capped price servicing, Kia offers a standard seven-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and seven years of capped price servicing.
What about Genesis?
Genesis serves as a luxury subsidiary inside Hyundai Motor Company and is to Hyundai what Lexus is to Toyota. Although it is placed above both Hyundai and Kia, it has closer links to Hyundai.
Before the brand was spun off in 2015, the Genesis moniker originally emerged in 2008 on a Hyundai-badged sedan and coupe riding on a unique rear-wheel drive architecture. Here, it was formally introduced in 2019.
Even though the Hyundai Motor Group now has its own independent luxury brand with Genesis, the Hyundai and Kia brands continue to provide their own lineups of opulent vehicles.
For instance, in 2018, Kia unveiled the second generation of the full-sized luxury sedan Quoris/K900, which is built on the same platform as the premium Genesis G90.
The future: EVs and E-GMP
With models derived on platforms for internal combustion engines, such as the Kona and Ioniq from Hyundai and the Niro EV from Kia, both Hyundai and Kia have rapidly pushed into the electric vehicle market.
The company has stated that it would keep selling these EVs derived from ICE, but it is also introducing a wide range of models on an exclusive all-electric platform known as E-GMP.
Ioniq 5 and EV6 production-spec models from Hyundai and Kia have been made public, and Hyundai has also hinted at the arrival of the Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 7.