And we are resuming a series of articles on the production of cars. 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 in terms of the number of cars sold for several years. Such popularity is due to a 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 workshops for the final assembly 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 for car companies due to the increase in customs duties and the introduction of economic preferences by the Russian government
Where is the Kia Rio assembled?
KIA Rio is the most popular model of the company. A large Avtotor plant operates 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 by 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 “stuffing”.
Where is the Kia Sportage assembled?
KIA Sportage is a popular model, which is a compact SUV from a South Korean company. Today, the 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, the Russian consumer was also sold cars of this model, produced by the company's German plant.
Where is the Kia Ceed assembled?
A popular C-class car, which occupies an intermediate position between the Rio and Optima among the KIA lineup. The car, like its relatives, is assembled for the Russian market by the Kaliningrad plant.
There is also a Kazakh production, where they produce KIA Ceed for some CIS countries. The Russian consumer can meet cars produced by the main representative office of the company (South Korea). This is especially true of the first generation of the machine.
Where is the Kia Sorento assembled?
One of the most famous cars of the company, which occupies a significant share of the mid-size crossover market, competing with such cars 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 the facilities of 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 the Kia Optima assembled?
KIA Optima is a middle-class sedan, which is known in many countries of 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 KIA Optima is assembled - it's still the same Avtotor. Assembly of the car began there in the fall of 2012.
Where is the Kia Soul assembled?
The car is a fairly rare mini-SUV segment, characterized as a mini-truck. Inside the lineup, the Kia Soul sits between the Kia Seed and the Sportage.
The model sent to the CIS countries is produced by a Kazakh plant. For the South Asian market, it is produced by the main facilities of the company (South Korea). The plant where Kia Soul is produced for the Russian market is located in Kaliningrad.
Where is the Kia Cerato assembled?
KIA cerate is also one of the concern'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 Kia cerate is produced is the same Avtotor, located in Kaliningrad.
Where is the Kia Picanto assembled?
KIA Picanto is an urban subcompact car. It is popular because of 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. The Russian market is dominated by South Korean models. Machines produced in Kazakhstan are sent to the markets of the CIS countries.
According to experts, in the next few years, the production of the car will also be transferred to the facilities of the Avtotor Kaliningrad plant.
Where is the Kia Venga assembled?
Kia Venga is a subcompact car that was assembled at the Slovak plant Kia Motors Slovakia until 2016. 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, Kia Venga has been discontinued in Russia.
Conclusion
KIA cars today are mostly produced by domestic 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 as the market needs. Cars of the Korean brand have proven themselves as reliable, inexpensive models. The domestic consumer most of all prefers budget representatives of the Kia line, but the main competitor of the successful Rio model, the Hyundai Solaris, did not go unnoticed either. It still remains one of the best-selling cars in Russia.
One of the main features of the Kia company is that cars are assembled at the branches of those countries in the market of which they will subsequently be sold.
Photo: Kia plant in the USA
It should be noted that the appearance and technical characteristics of one model may directly depend on the branch at which the car is produced.
The most powerful enterprise in Russia, where Kia products are made, is the Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad.
The Kia Rio car is considered one of the best-selling in the world market, in particular in Russia. Motorists first of all note the high build quality, nice design and low cost.
As mentioned above, for Russia, Rio is assembled at the Kaliningrad plant.
Among the producing countries of Rio was Ukraine, where the Kia Rio was assembled at the LUAZ plant. Do not forget about branches in Thailand, India, China, Ecuador and South Korea.
Kia Sid
A golf-class car that has been among the leaders in sales over the past few years.
For the Russian market, LED is assembled at Avtotor in Kaliningrad, and for the CIS markets at an enterprise in Kazakhstan.
The most powerful plant is a South Korean enterprise whose products can be found all over the world.
Assembly of Kia cars in Mexico kia carnival
Kia Carnival is one of the most "ancient" cars of the Korean concern, which has been assembled since 1998. Since that time, 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 cerate
At the moment, Cerato is on the list of leaders in sales in Russia. Until 2013, the car was made in South Korea and Kazakhstan.
It is worth noting that a new modification of the model is also being assembled at a Russian enterprise.
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 native enterprises. In fairness, it should be noted 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 be supplied only in the United States. But later, it was decided to export the model to the Russian market.
To date, Mojave is assembled at Avtotor Kaliningrad, as well as in Kazakhstan and South Korea.
It is worth noting that in the US the SUV is referred to as the Kia Borrego.
Photo: Kia assembly in Korea Kia Opirus and Kia Quoris
It's no secret that Kia Quoris is the company's most expensive car. Its predecessor was the Kia Opirus sedan, the production of which ended in 2010, and took place exclusively in South Korean enterprises.
Kia Quoris is assembled in Kaliningrad to this day.
Kia Optima
Another Kia Optima model, popular among domestic motorists, appeared on the Russian market in 2012, and it was at the same time that its mass production began at Avtotor.
Kia Sorento
The new generation of the mid-size Sorento SUV cannot boast the same popularity as the previous ones, but there are fans.
To date, Sorento is produced at the Kaliningrad enterprise. For some time, the assembly was carried out at Izh-Avto.
It is worth noting that Sorento SUVs for the European market are made at the facilities of Turkey and Slovakia.
kia soul
The Russian version of the Kia Soul boasts a unique design. Due to this, the car of domestic assembly is significantly different from foreign counterparts.
No one will be surprised that the car is produced at Avtotor.
In addition, to a greater extent 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 enterprises. 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 undertook obligations to annually fill the domestic market with high-quality cars.
Conclusion
Kia cars are among the most popular, both in the global and domestic markets.
The range of models is really impressive, and it seems that the Korean concern has set itself the task of inserting at least one representative in each car class.
For the domestic market, Kia models are assembled mainly at the Avtotor Kaliningrad plant. However, for some time, the assembly was carried out at the Izh-Avto enterprise.
When buying a car, one of the key criteria is the place of its assembly. Many parameters depend on this - the level of adaptation to local roads, the quality and even the 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 these cars manufactured? Where do cars come from to the Russian market?
General information about KIA
Kia Motors Corporation is a South Korean brand, which is the 2nd largest in South Korea and 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. The full spin-off into an individual unit took place in 2003.
At first, the company was called KyungSung Precision Industry, and only since 1951 it was renamed KIA Industries.
The initial line of work of the newly created structure is the manufacture of two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles and bicycles).
Only since the 70s of the last century, the production of cars and trucks started. In less than 20 years of activity, the millionth car rolled off the assembly line.
In 1998, the company was affected by the financial crisis associated with a decrease in consumer ability and a drop in sales.
During the same period, Kia 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 manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Audi, got a job at Kia Motors.
In just four years (from 2008 to 2011), Kia's vehicle sales jumped 81 percent, with total sales of 2.5 million vehicles a 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, Spectra models have been produced in Russia at the IzhAvto plant, since 2006 - Rio, and after some time - Sorento.
Already by 2010, the production process of cars 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 let in - Sid, Sportage, Soul, Sorento, Cerato, Venga and others.
Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad.
The mentioned companies were engaged only in production, and KIA Motors performed distribution tasks.
Thanks to the well-established production, for several years, starting from 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, has started in St. Petersburg.
The car was based on the platforms of two well-known cars from the Hyundai company (i20 and Solaris).
Already the first years showed the success of KIA Rio in the Russian market. In 2014, sales of this model exceeded 10,000 units every year.
In which countries and where is 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 market received a car with a new name - KIA Magentis.
In the South Korean market, second-generation cars had other “names” - K5 and Lotze.
The third generation of cars has been produced since 2010, and it was from this period that KIA Optima received worldwide recognition.
Since 2010, Kia Spectra has been assembled in Izhevsk, the quality of which was very decent. So, after some time, the release of another model was launched -.
There is an opinion that these cars are produced only in South Korea. But this is a misconception. This state of affairs took place 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 enough to cover current requests.
In Russia, KIA Optima is produced at Avtotor (Kaliningrad). The plant has a well-established production and a wide staff of experienced employees.
As with other models, the emphasis is on SKD. At the same time, complete units come from the territory of South Korea.
The key point for many car owners is build quality. Here it is worth highlighting the following points:
- In Russia, the car is assembled from large units that are debugged and tested;
- The quality of ready-made transport is closely monitored, which nullifies the appearance of marriage on the market;
- In the USA (Georgia) KIA Optima is produced for domestic consumption. In this case, 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 packaging.
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 category of the middle class, was first introduced in 2004.
Cerato 2nd generation 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 generation of cars were produced in South Korea, and since 2006 - in the USA. Since 2009, when the 3rd generation cerate appeared.
At the same time, the manufacture 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 factory received ready-made components that were assembled within a few hours by the factory 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 collected, factories in Russia
Model KIA Soul is a compact mini-SUV, the first sales of which in the South Korean market began in 2008. It was then that the car was presented at the Paris Motor Show.
Interestingly, the car does not fit into any particular class, but most often the Soul refers specifically to the 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 down.
In Europe, KIA Suoul has appeared only since February 2009, and in the USA - since April.
For the Russian consumer, KIA Soul is assembled at three plants:
- In Kaliningrad - "Avtotor";
- In Kazakhstan - "Asia Auto";
- In South Korea.
There is information that the KIA Soul is also being assembled in China, with which Russia has long established a close partnership. Cars from China are exported to many parts of the world, including Russia.
Are there any build differences? In Kaliningrad, there is a "screwdriver" production, when factory workers assemble ready-made units. Consequently, the quality of finished machines 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 can differ is only the equipment.
Results
As can be seen from the article, KIA cars have a very wide geography of production.
The Russian market gets 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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Factories of KIA Motors corporation work in 5 countries of the world. They annually produce over 2.7 million KIA vehicles. According to official data, dealerships of this manufacturer operate in 150 countries. The total number of employees of this corporation reaches over 48 thousand people. But we are interested in the question of where exactly KIA cars are assembled.
As a rule, the company's management chooses the place of production of the car, depending on where it will be sold in the future. It is noteworthy that the manufacturer produces several models, the appearance and interior of which has significant differences, depending on the market. If we talk about where KIA is assembled for Russia, then most of the cars of this brand for our market are produced at the Avtotor enterprise located in Kaliningrad. Recall that models of such well-known companies as BMW and Hyundai roll off the assembly line at the same plant.
Kia Rio
Kia Rio is a best-selling company from South Korea. In addition, this model occupies one of the first places in the ratings of passenger car sales in the Russian market. This car is loved for its high-quality fit of all parts, attractive appearance and affordable price. The assembly of Kia Rio for the Russian market is carried out at the aforementioned Avtotor enterprise.
It is worth noting that for some time Kia Rio was also produced in Ukraine. But versions of the model for North America and Europe (there they are known as Kia K2) are produced in Indonesia, Iran, India, Thailand, China, and South Korea.
Kia Sportage
Kia Sportage cars for Russia are manufactured at the domestic Avtotor enterprise. At the same time, the partial assembly of the model takes place at the Slovak plant of the company. It is noteworthy that the first generations of the popular crossover were assembled in Germany.
Kia Cee'd
The Kia Sid car is also in good demand in Russia. The assembly of this passenger car, like the Kia Rio, is carried out at the Avtotor enterprise. Machines for sales in the CIS are completed in Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan). Also, this model is produced at the main enterprise of the corporation, located in South Korea.
Kia Optima
Kia Optima is another popular car of this company in Russia. Since the end of autumn 2012, this model has been manufactured in Russia at the Avtotor enterprise.
Kia Sorento
The KIA Sorento assembly site is also of interest to our motorists, since this off-road vehicle turned out to be very popular in our market. The production of the model has been established at the Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad. Previously, the model was also assembled at the Izh-Avto enterprise. Cars with this name for other markets are produced at the Turkish and Slovak factories of the KIA corporation.
Kia Soul
Kia Soul is a stylish and compact model of the company that will not leave anyone indifferent. Kia Soul is completed at the Avtotor plant. It is also reported that this car is produced in Kazakhstan, South Korea and China, depending on the market.
Kia Cerato
Until 2013, the car was produced at a plant in South Korea (where the car is sold under the name Kia K3) and Kazakhstan. Then it was decided to assemble Kia cerate already in Russia. I would also like to mention that the version of the model for the American market is produced in the USA.
The question of the quality of cars from Russian factories
As you probably already noticed, all KIA models are completed in Russia (modifications for our market). There are active discussions on the question of whose assembly is better on the specialized forums. Often one can come across the opinion that the Russian version does not deserve respect. As a rule, such users believe that all other enterprises produce real masterpieces. But is such an opinion objective?
According to the editors of the Autopub project, those times when the Russian assembly of foreign cars was of lower quality are long gone. Today, everything is done on the assembly line, so there is practically no reason for doubt.
Factors contributing to a decent result, even in Russia:
- Most of the parts are produced outside the Russian Federation. We have only assembled machines.
- There are specific requirements for the quality of the final product, compliance with which is carefully monitored.
- The approach to the choice of specialists is very serious, no one intends to endure various "tricks".
Today, automotive companies regularly conduct special courses that help improve the skills of employees. In addition, automated technology is used, which not only reduces the human factor to a minimum, but also seriously checks the quality of each car that rolls off the assembly line.
The Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad has been assembling KIA cars for more than 20 years. The first KIA model left the Kaliningrad assembly line back in 1997. This model was KIA Clarus:
To date, 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 started production of the KIA Stinger in January 2018. Kia Stinger is assembled using the SKD method (large assembly from car 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 state leaves the assembly line of the company. The assembly and production of Kia brand cars have been made 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 that, additional points are combined at the body finishing section. Then the geometric parameters of the body are measured on special equipment. To do this, a random car is taken and tested at 300 points along x, y, z coordinates. After that, the machine 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, for buyers they began to supply products in March 2018. The Stinger is the first Gran Turismo fastback in the history of the Korean manufacturer. The car was created in the Kia Design Center in Europe based on the GT-concept. According to Avtotor's public relations and media control, the car is sold in the Russian Federation in 3 versions with 2 types of motor: 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 a rear-wheel drive Stinger 2.0 T-GDI and a self-locking differential is implemented.
Kaliningrad specialists adjust the engine power to the specifics of the state taxation system, which is 248 horsepower, and the maximum torque is 353 Nm. These characteristics guarantee fastback 5-door design acceleration to 100 kilometers per hour in just 6 seconds. There is also an all-wheel drive modification of the car for the 2.0 T-GDI.
The Kaliningrad enterprise produces the most powerful version of the Stinger GT 4WD car for sale in the Russian Federation. It is equipped with a 3.3-liter V6 Lambda engine with fuel injection and twin turbocharging. The power of the car is 370 horsepower, and the maximum torque 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 car are equipped with an automatic transmission of personal development in 8 steps.
The car kit consists of the main components of the car: body, engine, transmission. All delivered car kits pass the input control. The parts are then unpacked and stacked on carts according to the assembly order.
Bodies after passing the input control enter the zone of internal logistics, where they are thoroughly washed. After that, protective covers are put on them so as not to damage when installing the rest of the 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 body is already waiting for the previously assembled chassis with the engine and transmission. 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 begun accepting applications for the KIA Stinger. starts from 1,899,900 rubles.
