History
As we saw, the prime reason that stunted Kia's foray into American market was dictated more by conditions at home than by its lack of quality or effectiveness in America. It was never able to make a dent on the American auto market. Despite this, it has sold over a million vehicles through a network of over 600 dealerships. All the vehicles offered in its lineup in its home country is offered in the US, too.

Expansion
The name Kia derives from an acronym, which translates to Arising from Asia in Korean and Chinese characters. Being South Koreas oldest car company, it was founded in 1944. Its humble origins can be traced to a manufacturer of steel tubes and bicycle parts, Hyungsung Precision Industry. As the company grew, it started to produce and supply several models, under license to the Japanese auto giant, Mazda. Among the models it produced for Mazda during this time, the Pride and Avella, came to be sold in North America and Australasia as the Ford Festiva and Ford Aspire respectively. Till it was merged with its main competitor, Hyundai in 1998, Kia Motors Corporation was secure as South Koreas second largest manufacturer of automobiles and trucks. Although centered essentially in the Korean domestic market, Kia does export vehicles to North America besides much of Asia and Europe. Kia was a giant chaebol (a conglomeration of companies, as is the practice in Korea) and operated as an independent, publicly traded company till the early 1990s. It formed a subsidiary, Kia Motors America to enter the US automobile market, in 1992. With its home economy nosediving into an abyss by the events of the East Asia Financial crisis, Kia found that operating in a foreign market into which it was a relative new entrant was extremely difficult. With Hyundai purchasing 51 percent share of ownership in 1998, Kia was reduced to being a subsidiary of this company.

Models

Kia Sedona
Closely related to its sibling, the Hyundai Entourage, the Kia Sedona is offered in base LX and EX trims . This short wheelbase minivan has some features like standard Sirius satellite radio with three months' free subscription and a USB connection port for MP3 players.
Kia Sorento
The Kia Sorento is Kia's midsize SUV. Its two trims -the LX and EX come in two types of V6 engines and three different drivetrains. Given a 242-horsepower, 3.3-liter V6 and a 262 hp; 3.8-liter V6, this model remains the same as last year.
Kia Sportage
This compact SUV has been a consistent winner since its introduction in 1993.For the 2009 model year, it gets a rehashed front end and reorganized tail lamps. It also comes with a new standard XM satellite radio with three months free subscription. It also adds a standard USB input for MP3 players, as well as an optional iPod integration unit.
Kia Rondo
The Rondo can be called a crossover utility vehicle (CUV). It is offered a choice of two engines -a 2.4-liter Inline4 that generates 162 hp, and a 2.7-liter V6 with 185 horsepower.
Kia Amanti
The Kia Amanti is Kia's flagship brand. It is offered in a single trim. For 2009, it is given a satellite radio and an auxiliary USB jack for MP3 players, as standard. The optional 4-inch display optional monitor with a trip computer and digital clock is now enlarged to 5.5 inches.
Kia Optima
Kia has entered 2009 with major updates for the Optima. Its styling is spruced up. Its engine is now more powerful and its torso is fully freshened. Its headlights are an amalgamation of styles from different makes. It has borrowed heavily from other makes in regard to the grille, as well. Its 2.4-liter engine now has 13 extra horses at 175 hp, and the V6 makes 190 horsepower, up from last year's 185.
Kia Spectra and Spectra 5
Following a major overhaul in its design in 2007, the Spectra and Spectra5 remain more or less the same as they were last year, except for some peripheral changes. For 2009, it comes with one small change. It is given active head restraints that tilt forward in case of a rear collision, thereby reducing the chances of a neck injury.
Kia Rio and Rio 5
For 2009, the Rio, an entry level sedan, is given a revised radio unit and now comes with Sirius Satellite Radio and MP3 compatibility. Two of its trims, the LX and SX, have been given a USB jack for MP3 players. Also noticeable are some minor changes on the instrument and radio controls.