And we are resuming a series of articles about car production. This time we will consider Kia Motors.
The Korean company KIA Motors, known for its cars, has been one of the first places in all ratings for the number of cars sold for several years. This popularity is due to the very attractive price/quality ratio of the models produced by the company. Also of great importance for the popularization of the brand was the joint policy of the company and the Russian state to move the final assembly shops of cars closer to the consumer. Today there is a large production center where KIA cars are assembled in Russia. In addition, the Russian market receives models assembled by factories in South Asia and Slovakia.
The transfer of car production to the domestic market has become beneficial to automobile companies due to increased customs duties and the introduction of economic preferences by the Russian government
Where is Kia Rio assembled?
KIA Rio is the company's most popular model. There is a large Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad, where KIA Rio is assembled for the Russian market.
For some time, models assembled by the Ukrainian automobile plant LuAZ were available to customers. However, today you can only buy cars assembled in Kaliningrad.
For other markets, KIA Rio is assembled using the facilities of Thailand, China, South Korea, and some other countries. At the same time, the car for different regions differs both in exterior and “filling”.
Where is Kia Sportage assembled?
KIA Sportage is a popular model, which is a compact SUV from a South Korean company. Today, the final assembly of the car is carried out by the Avtotor plant (Kaliningrad). This stage involves the assembly of about 30 machine parts. The Slovak plant, where the KIA Sportage is assembled, supplies cars to other countries.
Previously, cars of this model produced by the company's German plant were also sold to Russian consumers.
Where is Kia Ceed assembled?
A popular C-class car, occupying an intermediate place between Rio and Optima among the KIA model range. The car, like its relatives, is assembled for the Russian market by a Kaliningrad plant.
There is also a Kazakh production facility that produces KIA Ceed for some CIS countries. Russian consumers can meet cars produced by the main representative office of the company (South Korea). This is especially true for the first generation of the car.
Where is Kia Sorento assembled?
One of the company's most famous cars, which occupies a significant portion of the mid-size crossover market, competing with cars such as the Chevrolet Optima, Mitsubishi Outlander, and the Hyundai Santa Fe, which has the same base.
The plant where the KIA Sorento is assembled is located in Kaliningrad (Avtotor). Previously, the SUV was also produced by IZH-Auto.
For European countries, the car is assembled by the KIA Motors Slovakia plant. Models assembled by Turkish production facilities are also common.
Where is Kia Optima assembled?
The KIA Optima is a middle-class sedan, which is known in many countries around the world under various names. It has a common base with its main competitor - Hyundai Sonata.
The model has been sold on the Russian market since 2012. The only plant , where the KIA Optima is assembled is still the same Avtotor. Assembly of the car began there in the fall of 2012.
Where is Kia Soul assembled?
The car represents a rather rare segment of mini-SUV, characterized as a mini-truck. Within the Kia Soul model range, it is located between the Kia Sid and Sportage.
The model, sent to the CIS countries, is produced by a Kazakh plant. For the South Asian market it is produced by the company's main facilities (South Korea). The plant where Kia Soul is produced for the Russian market is located in Kaliningrad.
Where is Kia Cerato assembled?
KIA Cerato is also one of the group's best-selling cars. Until recently, the car was assembled by a South Korean plant, including for the Russian market. However, today the plant where the Kia Cerato is produced is the same Avtotor, located in Kaliningrad.
Where is the Kia Picanto assembled?
The KIA Picanto is an urban compact car. It is popular due to its small size and high functionality. One of the few popular cars of the brand that is not produced by Russian factories.
The regions where Kia Picanto is assembled are South Korea and Kazakhstan. Mostly South Korean models are presented on the Russian market. Cars produced in Kazakhstan are sent to the markets of the CIS countries.
According to experts, in the next few years, car production will also be transferred to the facilities of the Kaliningrad Avtotor plant.
Where is Kia Venga assembled?
The Kia Venga is a subcompact car that, until 2016, was assembled at the Slovak plant Kia Motors Slovakia. Now the plant where KIA Venga is produced for the domestic market is Avtotor.
The model, intended for South Asian consumers, is produced by the South Korean division. Since 2015, the Kia Venga has been discontinued in Russia.
Conclusion
KIA cars today are mostly produced at domestic production facilities. Avtotor produces such popular models of the company as Rio, Sportage, Ceed, Cerato. The line of cars produced by the Kaliningrad plant will expand according to market needs. Cars of the Korean brand have proven themselves to be reliable, inexpensive models. Domestic consumers most prefer the budget representatives of the Kia line, but the main competitor of the successful Rio model, the Hyundai Solaris, has not gone unnoticed. It still remains one of the best-selling cars in Russia.
Author Andrey Borisovich asked a question in the section Choosing a car, motorcycle
Where is the Kia Picanto assembled? I ask because I categorically do not accept Russian and Chinese assembly. and got the best answer
Reply from CAIIIA[guru]
South Korea
Answer from 2 answers[guru]
Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: Where is the Kia Picanto assembled? I ask because I categorically do not accept Russian and Chinese assembly.
Answer from Tamara.[guru]
it can be collected both in Russia and in any other country. It is quite possible that the assembly process, for example, takes place in one country a little, then this assembly is taken to another country and completed. . Well, where do you think Mercedes is being robbed? Yes, collections are carried out everywhere.. You are probably not aware of this and therefore are categorical about it
Answer from Dmitriy[guru]
Kia cars began to be assembled in Ukraine
autonews 02/11/2005
OJSC Lutsk Automobile Plant (LuAZ, Ukraine) has begun assembling Kia cars, the company told RBC.
Until the end of s. The company plans to assemble more than 1.5 thousand cars of this brand. In 2006 LuAZ plans to assemble 3.8 thousand Kia cars.
LuAZ will assemble Kia Picanto, Kia Rio, Kia Cerato, Kia Magnetis, Kia Opirus and Kia Sorento cars. In addition, it is planned to begin assembling Kia Pregio minibuses. The cars will be assembled using the SKD method.
Answer from Pepel[guru]
The official presentation of the new generation Kia Picanto took place on March 1, 2011 - the opening day of the Geneva Motor Show. Sales of the new Picanto in Russia will begin in the summer of 2011.
So far it looks like Slovakia, Ukraine.
Answer from Okov Sokolov[guru]
It's cool, but you have a TV at home. where is it collected? What do you think?)))) In my native Kaliningrad))))) If you don’t believe me, look at the label on the back of the TV))))))))
One of the currently most popular cars, Kia (manufacturing country is Korea), has been pleasing car enthusiasts for 13 years. The Sorento model debuted in 2002 in America. After its presentation at Chicago car dealerships, the car quickly began to gain popularity. A total of three generations of the Kia Sorento were produced.
I generation
The story, as mentioned above, began in 2002. It was then that everyone saw the first Kia Sorento SUV. The country of origin is South Korea, but the assembly was carried out at several Kia Motors factories. The first was in the homeland of the car, the second in Russia, the third in the Philippines, and a little later, due to increased demand from American buyers, it was decided to carry out assembly in the USA.
As for the Russian plant, which was located in Izhevsk, at that time only screwdriver assembly was carried out there. If we call this process in simple words, then the finished elements arrived at the workshops, where they had to be assembled together.
After 4 years, it was decided to modernize the model. During restyling, the design of the car was changed and new, more powerful power units were installed.
II generation
The first generation was produced for 7 years, but in 2009 a new version of Kia was presented in the capital. The country of origin of the Sorento car could change, because the assembly was carried out in different places. As a rule, in this matter they are guided by For example, in Russia it was decided to abandon Izhevsk, and production was moved to Kazakhstan. It was in Ust-Kamenogorsk that a plant was specially built, which was called “Asia Auto”. The Kia Motors concern has installed the most modern equipment there, so you don’t have to worry about the quality of the assembly; reliable cars are supplied to the Russian market. By the way, you need to pay attention that Korean specialists closely monitor the products that come off the assembly line.
III generation
In 2014, the Koreans presented a completely updated Kia car. The manufacturing country organized a “bride show” in Paris. A year later it became possible to purchase the model on the Russian market. However, with one condition - the assembly was carried out at Avtotor. Back in 2013, the conveyor was transported to Kaliningrad. Those who want an American or Korean assembly will have to pay a considerable amount, since it is not officially sold in the Russian Federation.
Description of Kia Sorento 2015
It is a fairly popular car in Russia. And we can say with complete confidence that right from the first day of sales, the car took a leading position in the segment. At the same time, it is worth dwelling more specifically on how this was done. With any restyling of a car, the appearance changes in one way or another, and the same applies to the Kia model range. The manufacturing country tried to put maximum effort into it. At the front, the Sorento received a new radiator grille, as well as a bumper with new optics. The headlights at the front are LED, and LEDs at the rear.
Innovations in Kia cars
What fundamentally new did the Koreans offer in their car? Naturally, bold decisions in appearance and interior decoration, a more economical diesel engine with a turbine, the suspension has become stiffer, and ground clearance has decreased by 1 cm, while from a safety point of view, body rigidity has been greatly increased - by about 18%.
As for convenience, Kia (manufacturing country - South Korea) is a leader in this category; in the top version the car is impressive. When you first approach the car, the illumination of the handles immediately turns on, and when you start the engine directly, the position of the front wheels is visible on the screen. For the cold season, the car has nice little things like heated steering wheel and seats on three levels. The most important thing is that all these functions are already in the basic version. The dashboard in the car is completely new, the plastic has been replaced, it has become matte and more comfortable. The steering wheel is not particularly informative, even if there is a power control button directly on it.
Rear visibility is small but clear. On the go, even in economy mode, the engine reserves last for a long time, since there is a turbocharged diesel engine under the hood. In order to get into a car, people with shorter than average height will have to try, there is a very high seating position, and the lower part of the body itself - you feel in this crossover, like in an SUV. The brake pedal was not particularly conveniently located - next to the resting place. This is too low, there is a chance of catching it accidentally. Overall, the car has become an order of magnitude better.
2015 Kia Sorento Competitors
Who can become a real competitor or is already one for the Korean Kia crossover? Which country produces cars of the same class? Of course, South Korea. But we can mention Japan, the USA, and a number of others. Among the models, it is worth remembering the Chevrolet Captiva with a 2.2-liter engine and a power of 184 hp. With. The car is produced by the Bupyeong Automotive Company. There is also a Hyundai Santa Fe with the same engine, but with 13 hp. With. stronger, Opel Antara with characteristics similar to Captiva. Well, the Toyota RAV4 - still with the same engine displacement, but much less powerful, only 150 horses. The model is assembled in Japan and other countries, because the Toyota concern has 52 factories in total.
One of the main features of the Kia company is that cars are assembled at branches of those countries in whose market they will subsequently be sold.
Photo: Kia plant in the USA
It is worth noting that the appearance and technical characteristics of one model may directly depend on the branch at whose facilities the car is produced.
The most powerful enterprise in Russia where Kia products are made is the Kaliningrad Avtotor plant.
The Kia Rio is considered one of the best-selling cars on the world market, in particular in Russia. Car enthusiasts primarily note the high build quality, attractive design and low cost.
As mentioned above, Rio is assembled for Russia at the Kaliningrad plant.
Among the Rio manufacturing countries was Ukraine, where the Kia Rio was assembled at the LUAZ plant. Don't forget about branches in Thailand, India, China, Ecuador and South Korea.
Kia Sid
A golf-class car, which has been among the sales leaders over the past few years.
For the Russian market, LEDs are assembled at Avtotor in Kaliningrad, and for the CIS markets at an enterprise in Kazakhstan.
The most powerful plant is the South Korean enterprise, whose products can be found all over the world.
Kia car assembly in Mexico Kia Carnival
Kia Carnival is one of the most “ancient” cars of the Korean concern, which has been assembled since 1998. Since then, the car has gone through three modifications, each of which was made at a factory in South Korea.
Also, until 2014, the car was produced in the UK and the USA, but there it was called Kia Sedona.
Kia Cerato
At the moment, Cerato is on the list of sales leaders in Russia. Until 2013, the car was made in South Korea and Kazakhstan.
It is worth noting that the new modification of the model is also assembled at a Russian plant.
In 2006, when the second generation of Cerato was introduced, the “Korean” began to be assembled in the USA.
Kia Clarus
Clarus is one of the few Korean cars that was assembled exclusively at its own factories. In fairness, it is worth noting that for a short period of time the assembly took place at the Kaliningrad Avtotor.
Kia Mojave
Even at the initial stage of development, company representatives claimed that the Kia Mojave SUV would only be supplied to the United States. But later, it was decided to export the model to the Russian market.
Today, Mojave is assembled at Avtotor in Kaliningrad, as well as in Kazakhstan and South Korea.
It is worth noting that in the USA the SUV is called the Kia Borrego.
Photo: Kia assembly in Korea Kia Opirus and Kia Quoris
It's no secret that the Kia Quoris is the company's most expensive car. Its predecessor was the Kia Opirus sedan, production of which ended in 2010, and took place exclusively at South Korean enterprises.
Kia Quoris is assembled in Kaliningrad to this day.
Kia Optima
Another popular model among domestic car enthusiasts, the Kia Optima, appeared on the Russian market in 2012, and it was then that its mass production at Avtotor began.
Kia Sorento
The new generation of the Sorento mid-size SUV cannot boast of the same popularity as the previous ones, but it has its fans.
Today, Sorento is produced at a Kaliningrad plant. For some time, assembly was carried out at Izh-Avto.
It is worth noting that Sorento SUVs for the European market are made at facilities in Turkey and Slovakia.
Kia Soul
The Russian version of the Kia Soul boasts a unique design. Thanks to this, a domestically assembled car is significantly different from its foreign counterparts.
It will no longer surprise anyone that the car is produced at Avtotor.
In addition, mostly for local markets, the model is assembled in Kazakhstan, China and South Korea.
Video: Kia car assembly process
Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage crossover has gained high popularity due to its design and fantastic driving performance. The first generation of the car was assembled at German factories. Subsequent modifications are made in Russia and Slovakia.
Kia Venga
Until recently, Kia Venga was the only Kia model that was not assembled in Russia. But, in 2015, the situation improved, because the Avtotor enterprise committed itself to annually filling the domestic market with high-quality cars.
Conclusion
Kia cars are among the most popular both on the global and domestic markets.
The range of models is truly impressive, and it seems that the Korean concern has set itself the task of including at least one representative in each class of car.
For the domestic market, Kia models are assembled mainly at the Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad. However, for some time, assembly was carried out at the Izh-Avto enterprise.
The Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad has been assembling KIA cars for more than 20 years. The first KIA model rolled off the Kaliningrad assembly line back in 1997. This model was KIA Clarus:
Today, the Kaliningrad plant produces 11 KIA models:
- KIA Sorento
- KIA Sorento Prime
- KIA Soul
- KIA Picanto
- KIA Optima
- KIA Sportage
- KIA Cee'd
- KIA Cerato
- KIA Mohave
- KIA Quoris
- KIA Stinger
The Avtotor plant began production of the KIA Stinger in January 2018. The Kia Stinger is assembled using the SKD method (large-knot assembly from vehicle kits), which are supplied by Kia Motors factories in Slovakia and South Korea:
The Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad is one of the largest and largest enterprises in the Russian Federation, which specializes in the automotive industry. Every ninth car in the country rolls off the company's assembly line. The assembly and production of Kia brand cars has been carried out since 1996, it was then that a contract was signed with the KIA Group.
The plant first receives molding metal sheets, from which individual parts of future machines are welded. During the assembly process, more than 3,000 weld points need to be connected. Then the product is sent to the welding jig, where the bodies are formed. After this, additional points are combined in the body finishing area. Then the geometric parameters of the body are measured using special equipment. To do this, a random car is taken and tested at 300 points along x, y, z coordinates. After this, the car is painted, sealant is applied, polished, and then control testing is carried out.
In Russia, applications for the purchase of the Kia Stinger were accepted back in December 2017; products began to be supplied to buyers in March 2018. The Stinger is the first fastback Gran Turismo in the history of the Korean manufacturer. The car was created at the Kia design center in Europe based on the GT-concept. According to public relations and media control "Avtotor", the car is sold in the Russian Federation in 3 variations with 2 types of engine: 2.0 T-GDI and 3.3 T-GDI.
The updated version is sold at a price of 1 million 999 thousand 900 rubles. For this amount, a standard modification with rear-wheel drive Stinger 2.0 T-GDI and a limited-slip differential is available.
Kaliningrad specialists adjust the engine power to the specifics of the state tax system, which is equal to 248 horsepower, and the highest torsional moment is 353 Nm. These characteristics guarantee the fastback 5-door design acceleration to 100 kilometers per hour in just 6 seconds. An all-wheel drive modification of the car for the 2.0 T-GDI is also available for sale.
The Kaliningrad enterprise also produces the most powerful version of the Stinger GT 4WD for sale in the Russian Federation. It is equipped with a 3.3 liter V6 Lambda engine with fuel injection and dual pipe charging. The car's power is 370 horsepower, and the highest torsion moment is 510 Nm. At the same time, acceleration to one hundred kilometers per hour is the fastest of all existing brands of Korean-made cars - 4.9 seconds.
It should be noted that all modifications of the Kia Stinger are equipped with a personally developed 8-speed automatic transmission.
The vehicle kit consists of the main components of the car: body, engine, transmission. All delivered machine kits undergo incoming inspection. The parts are then unpacked and placed on carts according to the assembly order.
After passing the incoming inspection, the bodies enter the internal logistics area, where they are thoroughly washed. After that, protective covers are put on them so as not to damage them when installing other equipment. In this form, the body enters the conveyor, at each section of which new parts are mounted on it. At a certain stage, the previously assembled chassis with engine and transmission are already waiting for the body. Then wheels are installed on the almost assembled car, it is refueled with fuel and other liquids, after which it moves under its own power towards the first sea trials.
Russian KIA dealers have already started accepting applications for the KIA Stinger. starts from 1,899,900 rubles.
