Do Kia and Hyundai Belong to the Same Car Manufacturer?

Kia and Hyundai have been crushing for a few years now, and even competing with brands like Toyota and Honda. With flagship models like the Kia Telluride the Hyundai Sonata, and the Elantra, many are getting interested. 

Year after year, these two Korean brands continue to grow into increasing success in the industry. But are Kia and Hyundai owned by the same manufacturer?

In Nigeria, these brands have gradually been coming up. But they were once thought of as brands intended strictly for budget buyers, both Kia and Hyundai are now popular today in Nigeria in a way the Nigerian car market hadn’t seen yet from either brand. 

But with both of these carmakers coming from Korea and offering similar quality while coming up at the same time, are they the same or different, what’s the story?

Which of the Brands Came First?

Kia was founded in Korea in 1944, according to the Kia Corporation Wikipedia page. However, Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company began in 1947, according to the Hyundai Motor Company Wikipedia. Hyundai Motor Company wasn’t founded until quite a bit later in 1968. So Kia definitely came first.

Kia proceeded to tackle decades of production and sales, putting out numerous models in collaboration with other automakers like Ford and Mazda. But in 1997, Kia filed for bankruptcy during the Asian financial crisis. This is the point in the story when Kia and Hyundai change their relationship significantly.

Hyundai released its first automobile, the Cortina, with Ford in 1968. This lead ultimately to Hyundai’s production of the first completely South Korean-engineered and produced car, the Pony in 1975. In 1998, Hyundai acquired 51% of Kia Motor Corporation (now changed to Kia Corporation). This, Hyundai Motor Group was formed.

Are Kia and Hyundai From the Same Manufacturer?

Technically, no. Kia and Hyundai are not owned by the same manufacturer. They are more like corporate sisters with Hyundai Motor Group being the parent company. So, while models such as the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade share platforms and underpinnings, they are still entirely different brands that stand alone.

In fact, by 2013 Hyundai Motor Group reduced its ownership of Kia. Moving forward within the Hyundai Motor Group, both brands continued to produce. Each brand wins awards and earns accolades year over year.

Since 2015, Kia has had partial ownership of numerous Hyundai Motor Group subsidiaries. Today, while Hyundai and Kia are not the same manufacturers, they do have their sights fixed on the same goal. The future of mobility is the name of the game.