When buying a car, one of the key criteria is where it is assembled. Many parameters depend on this - the level of adaptation to local roads, the quality and even technical characteristics of the vehicle.
With increasing demand, large manufacturers are opening factories in many countries around the world.
The South Korean company KIA, which has a wide geography of factories, is no exception.
Where are cars of this brand made? Where do cars come to the Russian market from?
General information about KIA
Kia Motors Corporation is a South Korean brand, which ranks second in size in South Korea and is one of the ten largest companies in the world.
The year of foundation is considered to be 1944, when the new enterprise became part of the Kia Group. Full separation into an individual unit took place in 2003.
At first the company was called KyungSung Precision Industry, and only in 1951 it was renamed KIA Industries.
The initial direction of work of the newly created structure is the production of two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles and bicycles).
Only in the 70s of the last century did the production of passenger cars and trucks begin. In less than 20 years of activity, the millionth car rolled off the assembly line.
In 1998, the company was affected by a financial crisis associated with a decrease in consumer power and a drop in sales.
During the same period, the Kia company lost its independence and was acquired by another manufacturer, Hyundai. A year after the merger, Hyundai Kia Automotive Group was formed.
The turning point was 2006, when Peter Schreyer, a German designer involved in the development of many models from such manufacturers as Volkswagen and Audi, got a job at Kia Motors.
In just four years (from 2008 to 2011), Kia car sales jumped 81 percent, with total sales reaching 2.5 million cars per year.
Today, KIA continues to gain momentum, offering the world more and more new models.
With the growing popularity of KIA cars, company representatives were forced to expand production. So, since 2005 in Russia, the IzhAvto plant has produced Spectra models, since 2006 - Rio, and after some time - Sorento.
By 2010, the car production process at this plant was stopped, but a few months later the plant resumed work for a couple of months to produce a small batch of Sorento and Spectra in order to cover IzhAvto’s current obligations to the South Korean brand.
Another assembly site is Avtotor (Kaliningrad), where the following KIA models are imported - Sid, Sportage, Soul, Sorento, Cerato, Venga and others.
Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad.
The mentioned companies were engaged only in production, and distribution tasks were performed by KIA Motors.
Thanks to well-established production, for several years, starting in 2010, the KIA brand has been the leader in sales in the Russian Federation among foreign cars.
Since 2011, the production of Kia Rio cars, optimized for local operating conditions, began in St. Petersburg.
The car is based on the platforms of two famous cars from Hyundai (i20 and Solaris).
Already the first years have shown the success of KIA Rio in the Russian market. In 2014, sales of this model exceeded 10 thousand units every year.
In which countries and where is the Kia Sportage 2016 assembled, factories in Russia
In which countries and where is Optima assembled, factories in Russia
Another noteworthy model is KIA Magentis, known in Russia as Optima.
The production of this KIA model started in 2000. The first generation cars were sold under the name Optima, but in 2002 the Canadian and European markets received a car with a new name - KIA Magentis.
On the South Korean market, second-generation cars had different “names” - K5 and Lotze.
The third generation of cars has been produced since 2010, and it was from this period that the KIA Optima gained worldwide recognition.
Since 2010, Kia Spectra has been assembled in Izhevsk, the quality of which was very decent. So, after some time, the production of another model was launched -.
There is an opinion that these cars are produced only in South Korea. But this is a false misconception. This state of affairs existed until 2014. Now the car is assembled not only in the Russian Federation, but also in the USA.
There are no European factories that would produce KIA Optima, because South Korean capacities are quite enough to cover current demands.
In Russia, KIA Optima is produced at Avtotor (Kaliningrad). The plant has well-established production and a wide staff of experienced employees.
As with other models, the emphasis is on large-unit assembly. At the same time, complete units come from South Korea.
The key point for many car owners is build quality. The following points are worth highlighting here:
- In Russia, the machine is assembled from large components that are debugged and tested;
- The quality of finished vehicles is closely monitored, which eliminates the appearance of defects on the market;
- In the USA (Georgia), KIA Optima is produced for domestic consumption. At the same time, the assembly scheme is the same as in the Russian Federation. If we compare the final result, there is almost no difference. The only thing that differs is the configuration.
In which countries and where is Cerato assembled, factories in Russia
The KIA Cerato model is a worthy representative of the South Korean brand. The car belongs to the middle class category and was first introduced in 2004.
The 2nd generation Cerato appeared four years later, in 2008. The third generation - in 2009. Since the appearance of the new model, the geography of production has gradually expanded.
The car was produced in India, Iran, Ecuador, USA, Russia, Ukraine and a number of other countries.
As for the KIA Cerato, the first and second generations of the car were produced in South Korea, and since 2006 - in the USA. Since 2009, when the 3rd generation Cerato appeared.
At the same time, production was entrusted to a number of other countries (including Russia).
The Asia Auto plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan) joined the work, where SCD assembly was carried out.
The bottom line was that the plant received ready-made components, which were assembled within a few hours by plant workers.
In Russia, the production of KIA Cerato is carried out by the Avtotor plant, located in Kaliningrad. Previously, only large-scale assembly took place, but since 2014 a full cycle has been established.
In which countries and where is Soul assembled, factories in Russia
The KIA Soul model is a compact mini-SUV, the first sales of which on the South Korean market began in 2008. It was then that the car was presented at the Paris Motor Show.
It is interesting that the car does not fit into any specific class, but most often Soul is classified specifically as a mini-SUV.
The main feature of the model is a high level of comfort for passengers and a huge trunk, which becomes even larger when the seats are folded.
In Europe, KIA Swole appeared only in February 2009, and in the USA - in April.
For the Russian consumer, the KIA Soul is assembled at three factories:
- In Kaliningrad - “Avtotor”;
- In Kazakhstan - “Asia Auto”;
- In South Korea.
There is information that the KIA Soul is being assembled in China, with which Russia has long established a close partnership. Cars from the Middle Kingdom are exported to many parts of the world, including Russia.
Are there any differences in the assemblies? In Kaliningrad, “screwdriver” production takes place, when factory workers assemble ready-made components. Consequently, the quality of finished cars does not depend much on the place of production.
In addition, ready-made units also come to China and Kazakhstan, so finding differences in assembly is a difficult task. All that may differ is only the equipment.
Results
As can be seen from the article, KIA cars have a very wide production geography.
The Russian market receives mainly cars from St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Kazakhstan, South Korea and China. Much depends on the model and current demand.
KIA Sportage, Optima 2016: assembly jambs, crooked assemblers.
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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.
Initially, I had the same model, but Russian assembly. We chose it together with my husband; as a man, he understands more about the characteristics of the car and other things. At that time, this machine seemed to us to be optimal in terms of price-quality ratio, but during operation it revealed many problems. Every 2-3 months I had to go to the salon for inspection and minor repairs! My strength and patience were already running out when the director of the car service center suggested that I give up this car and take the same one, but made in Korea. I agreed, and from that moment - for four years now - I have been absolutely happy to be the owner of a Sorento. The car was standard - I did not order any additional options. Everything that came from the factory is more than satisfactory to me. Even the audio system is excellent - I’m telling you this as a professional musician. During the entire period of ownership, I did not have any complaints about the car. She even withstood the journey from Moscow to Sochi perfectly. The only thing is that the seats weren’t very comfortable: we had to stop more often to stretch our bodies. Moreover, on a long journey, my back aches not only for me, the driver, but also for the passengers. We have already tried many options, but nothing helps - neither special pads, nor pillows. Apparently, there is only one way out - to change the seats themselves. My car runs on diesel fuel, which is very beneficial when you drive long distances. The car goes well off-road, and it is also easy and convenient to move in winter on snow and ice. By the way, about winter: even in severe cold there were no problems with the car warming up for a long time (it was a diesel engine, after all), and there was no such thing that it would not start after standing in the cold for a long time. In a word, I am satisfied with my choice. The thought of changing to another car has never even crossed my mind, although I understand that someday I will have to change the car. But this Kia suits me completely, so it’s quite possible that my next car will be of the same brand.
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Korean cars are deservedly popular in our market. All domestic motorists are familiar with the Korean brand Kia, which has long been producing reliable, beautiful and comfortable vehicles. Surely many Russian consumers and fans of this “Korean” will be interested in information about where Kia Sorento is assembled for the domestic market. Since 2013, the Kia Sorento model has been assembled at the Russian enterprise Avtotor, located in the city of Kaliningrad. In addition, there is information on the World Wide Web that the AvtoVAZ plant will soon produce the Kia Sorento, but this data has not been confirmed. There was a time when this “Korean” was produced at the IzhAvto plant. This plant managed to produce a limited number of cars. Also, the Kia Sorento model has been launched in Slovakia and Turkey. There is also an enterprise in South Korea, but cars of this assembly are delivered to us very rarely and only through Vladivostok. Mostly Russian-assembled crossovers drive across the regions of our country.
Mid-size Korean SUV, both Russian and Korean made, have their fans. One can argue endlessly about which car is better.
I can confidently declare that the Kaliningrad plant produces Kia Sorento in quality no worse than in South Korea. After all, BMW cars are also assembled at this plant, and the Germans are famous for their pedantry and love for reliable products. Where Kia Sorento is produced today they use components that are supplied from Korean factories. At the Russian enterprise, strict control over personnel is maintained; in case of “shoals”, none of the employees will receive a break. Also, the Kaliningrad plant strictly controls the quality of rolled body products. In addition, employees constantly attend courses to improve their skills.
The conveyor line is fully automated, and each batch of new Kia Sorento crossovers is subjected to strict inspection. After the appearance of the updated generation of Korean cars, domestic engineers released their restyled version of the crossover. The appearance of the “Korean” was slightly altered, the ground clearance was changed, more powerful power plants were installed, and work was done to improve the safety and comfort of the vehicle.
Technical characteristics of the car
The Kia Sorento is equipped with diesel and gasoline engines, the volume of which varies from 2.-2 liters. up to 2.4 liters. The diesel version of the Korean crossover in the maximum configuration is capable of reaching a maximum speed of up to two hundred kilometers per hour. Sorento on gasoline “squeezes out” no more than 175 km/h. The fact where the Kia Sorento is produced plays a big role. The quality and service life of the machine depends on this. The Kia Sorento crossover does not belong to the class of economical vehicles. The mixed cycle of fuel consumption is almost nine liters per hundred kilometers. A car with a diesel power unit and a manual gearbox consumes less - 5.5 liters. It will take eleven seconds to accelerate the car to the first hundred. Kia Sorento 2014-2015 models are available with a six-speed automatic transmission and the same manual transmission. The car is designed to carry from five to seven passengers. Thanks to such excellent technical characteristics, this “Korean” has become so popular all over the world, and in Russia, including.
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.
