The name "Kia" is derived from the Sino-Korean terms ki ("to come out") and a (which stands for Asia), and roughly translates to "arise

The name "Kia" is derived from the Sino-Korean terms ki ("to come out") and a (which stands for Asia), and roughly translates to "arise or come up out of Asia," according to Kia Motors. Kia, South Korea's oldest car firm, began as a hand-made steel tubing and bicycle components factory in 1944, and has since evolved into one of the country's Chaebols.

Kia began producing complete bicycles in 1951. Kia changed its name from Kyungsung Precision Industry in 1952, and went on to produce motorcycles (beginning in 1957), trucks (1962), and automobiles (1974). The Sohari Plant, the company's first integrated vehicle assembly plant, debuted in 1973. Kia re-entered the vehicle industry in 1986, partnering with Ford. Kia built a number of Mazda-based vehicles for both domestic and international markets in South Korea. Kia Motors America was founded in the United States in 1992. In 1995, there were over a hundred Kia dealerships in thirty states, selling a total of 24,740 cars.

Kia has been focusing on the European market since 2005, and design has been highlighted as its "key future growth engine." Kia produced more than 100,000 Kia Sportages in 2015, breaking the model's yearly production record. Kia India Private Limited is a Kia subsidiary responsible for the company's Indian operations. The company was created in 2017, and mass manufacturing of the Kia Seltos, its debut product, began in 2019.

Kia Motors' latest offering in India is the Kia Carens. It will be presented in  December, 2021 and most likely be powered by Seltos 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines. Both manual and automatic transmissions are likely to be available on the new Kia Carens.