Who owns Kia?
Kia is owned by Hyundai Motor Group (South Korea, KRX: 005380), which has owned the brand since 16 October 1998.[1] Kia was founded in 1944 in South Korea and was independent until 1998.
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
Key facts
- Current owner
- Hyundai Motor Company reported
- Owned since
- Previous owner
- Independent (1944–1998)
- Owner HQ
- 🇰🇷 South Korea, Seoul
- Origin
- 🇰🇷 South Korea
- Founded
- 1944
- Category
- Automotive › Cars › Mass-market cars
- Parent ticker
- KRX: 005380
- Last verified
- · 1 sources
About Kia
Kia began making bicycle parts in 1944 and was bought by Hyundai in 1998 after the Asian financial crisis, so the two brands that appear to compete are the same group. Its design turnaround was led by a designer poached from Audi.
Ownership timeline of Kia
- 1998 – present Hyundai Motor Group [1] reported
Where Kia sits in Hyundai Motor Group
Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.
Open the full Hyundai Motor Group ownership tree →
Other brands owned by Hyundai Motor Group
Latest news about Kia
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Kia?
The parent company of Kia is Hyundai Motor Group, a publicly listed company headquartered in South Korea.
Is Kia South Korean?
Yes. Kia originated in South Korea in 1944 and its owner, Hyundai Motor Group, is also headquartered in South Korea.
Since when has Hyundai Motor Group owned Kia?
Hyundai Motor Group has owned Kia since 16 October 1998.
Who owned Kia before Hyundai Motor Group?
Kia was an independent company from its founding in 1944 until Hyundai Motor Group acquired it in 1998.
Is Kia still owned by Hyundai Motor Group?
Yes. As of 8 September 2026, Kia is still owned by Hyundai Motor Group. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (1) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
- [1] Hyundai Motor Company Annual Report 2025 — Hyundai Motor Company, Annual report, published 20 March 2026; retrieved 8 September 2026.
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