Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (Korean: 기아; Hanja: 起亞; RR: Gia; MR: Kia, IPA: [ki.a]; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer after (its parent company) Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 2.8 million vehicles in 2019. As of December 2015, the Kia Corporation is minority owned by Hyundai, which holds a 33.88% stake valued at just over US$6 billion. Kia in turn is a minority owner of more than twenty Hyundai subsidiaries ranging from 4.9% up to 45.37%, totaling more than US$8.3 billion.[1]
Kyungsung Precision Industry[]
1944–1952[]
NO KNOWN LOGO
Kia was founded in May 1944, as Kyungsung Precision Industry, a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts. However, it didn't have an official logo until Kyungsung Precision Industry changed its name to Kia Industries in 1952.
Kia Industrial Company[]
1952–1964[]
1964–1986[]
1986–1990[]
SVG NEEDED
Kia Motors Corporation[]
1990-1993[]
SVG NEEDED
1993–2021[]
1993–2012[]
2012–2021[]
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Custom wordmark KIA (custom-designed)
Launched:
September 2011 (reveal) April 2012 (official)
This logo was first used on the Kia GT Concept revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. It became the official logo in April 2012.
December 2019 (registered) January 6, 2021 (official)
The new logo was registered by Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service in December 2019 and a similar prototype logo was used on their Imagine by Kia concept car seen at the Geneva Motor Show.[2] The new look was publicly introduced on January 6, 2021 along with a new slogan; 'Movement that inspires'.[3] Joining to all of it, Kia Motors changed its name to Kia.[4] The new logo was first used on the K8 model, which was previewed on February 17, 2021 as a replacement to the second generation K7/Cadenza model, and will be used gradually on all-new or redesigned, existing and facelifted car models. In the United States, the new logo was first used on the fourth generation 2022 Kia Carnival, which was revealed on February 23, 2021.
