Kia Repair, Service and Maintenance with Perez Auto Repair. Serving Phoenix, Glendale, Laveen Village and Tollason & More.
Kia Motors Corporation is South Korea’s second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 2.7 million vehicles in 2012 and 2.75 million vehicles in 2013. As of December 2013, the company is 33.88% owned by the Hyundai Motor Company. Kia is headquartered in Seoul.
Kia historically has not had a good reputation. They used to be considered a disposable car – cheap to buy, cheaply made, not fun to drive, and had extremely low resale value. However, in the recent decade or so they have made great improvements to their quality, warranty, and style. This has helped them to slowly overcome their reputation and become a seriously competitive entry-level brand.
In August 2014, the company received international attention when Pope Francis rode in a Kia Soul during his five-day visit to South Korea, as well as using a Kia Carnival and Hyundai Santa Fe.
Kia was founded on December 11, 1944, when Korea was part of Japan, as a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts. In 1951, they began building complete bicycles. They later began to build Honda-licensed small motorcycles in 1957, then Mazda-licensed cars trucks in 1962 and cars in 1974. Its first automotive assembly plant was opened in 1973, but military dictator Chun Doo-hwan forced them to stop producing passenger cars and focus entirely on light trucks in 1981. Kia began to build vehicles again in 1986.
Kia Motors America was incorporated in the United States in 1992. The first Kia-branded vehicles in the U.S. were sold from four dealerships in Portland, Oregon, in 1994. In 1997, Kia declared bankruptcy and was Hyundai Motor Company acquired 51% of the company in 1998, outbidding Ford which had owned an interest in Kia Motors since 1986. Since then, after divestments, Hyundai’s ownership in Kia has declined but they remain Kia’s largest stakeholder.
Kia’s current model lineup includes the Optima midsize sedan, the Cadenza midsize sedan, the K900 luxury sedan, the Soul compact car, the Sportage crossover, the Sorento crossover, the Sedona minivan, the Forte line of compact cars, and the Rio small compact cars. They also produce an Optima hybrid and Soul EV.
If you are having trouble with your Kia, old or new, bring it into Perez Auto Repair in Phoenix today!
Perez Auto Repair makes it our number one priority to keep your Kia running efficiently with regular service, maintenance and repair. Always keep your Kia in good condition and ensure the safety of yourself, your loved ones, and those around you! If you believe your vehicle is in need of service or are not sure and would like to have your car diagnosed, contact Perez Auto Repair online via phone 602-269-3576 or stop into our facility located at 429 S. 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009.