Kia’s cars have been in the market since 1994. They are a world-famous car brand known for being affordable. They have continued to be a streak of success for many years. Kia is a South Korean brand that has manufactured many famous car models.
Currently, Hyundai Motor Company holds 33.88 percent of Kia Corporation. As a result, Kia engines are Hyundai or GEMA models. Their engines come in many sizes. They manufacture the engines in Korea and China.
This article will mostly be about who makes Kia engines. We will also find out the history of the makers of the Kia engine. But before that, let us find out what Kia engines really are like.
What Are Kia Engines
Kia is best known for being less expensive while providing appealing cars. It has been a hard competitor for over 90 years. Its success mostly comes from a good turbo diesel and petrol engines reputation. The engines come in many sizes, including 1.8 L, 2.0 L, and 2.4 L.
Kia is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company. So, most of the engines used in Kia models are Hyundai or GEMA. Kia uses engines of Kappa series, Gamma series, Hyundai nu engines, Kia Ceed engines.
Who Makes Kia Engines
Kia Corporation declared bankruptcy in 1997 and became a subsidiary company of Hyundai Motor Company in 1998. Hyundai owns about one-third of the KIA Corporation. In return, Kia owns about 22 Hyundai Motor Company subsidiaries.
Before being owned by Hyundai Motor Company, KIA Corporation used only engines made by the KIA corporation. For example, Kia GDI engines. But after Hyundai took hold of Kia, almost all the Kia cars started using Hyundai engines or GEMA engines.
GEMA is short for Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance. It is a joint venture of Chrysler, Mitsubishi Motors, and Hyundai Motor Company. Together, they share their engines for over 20 different car models.
Now you know who makes Kia engines. Let us learn their history and how they use the engines.

The History of KIA Engines, KIA Corporation, Hyundai Motor Company, and GEMA
Kia Corporation is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturing company. It’s headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
It is South Korea’s second-largest automobile manufacturer after Hyundai Motor Company.
Kia initially started as a bicycle parts manufacturing company in June 1944. It was called Kyungsung Precision Industry. They introduced the first South Korean bike, Samchully. The first-ever Kia car was called Sephia.
Later on, because of the Asian financial crisis, Kia declared bankruptcy in 1997. Hyundai Motor Company gained Kia in 1988. As of 2015, Hyundai owns 33.88 percent shares of Kia. In return, Kia holds shares of around 22 subsidiaries of Hyundai Motors.
Hyundai motors is also a South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul.
The brand Hyundai operates the world’s largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility in Ulsan, South Korea, which has an annual production capacity of 1.6 million units.
Hyundai motors sell its vehicles in 193 countries. Chung Ju-Yung founded the company in 1947. Its first car, Cortina, was released in cooperation with Ford Motor Company. The first-ever South Korean car, Pony, was released in 1975 with the help of Japan’s Mitsubishi Company.
Since then, Hyundai has been a successful motors company. They have many cars loved in different countries. They have some of the most demanding cars, which are both well-equipped and less expensive.
Hyundai, later on, became a part of GEMA, along with Mitsubishi and Chrysler. It is a joint venture to build customized engines of different designers and share them with each other.
As Kia is currently a subsidiary of Hyundai Motors, most of the engines used in Kia are of Hyundai or GEMA. You may also find the Kia engine used in Hyundai cars.
Now, let’s know some great features of the Kia engine.
The Benefits of Kia Engines
Kia has been in the market for a very long time. They make the engine of Kia and Hyundai considering the wants of the customers. As a result, many have liked these engines. Let’s learn some benefits of these engines.
Long-Lasting
Kia’s engines can survive for a very long time. You can go miles with your car run by these engines.
Though, you will have to change the oil properly. Also, proper manufacturer maintenance would be required for your Kia engines to run for a long time.
Dependability
Kia comes with a 5 years bumper-to-bumper warranty. It also has a ten years Powertrain warranty. So, with proper care, it lasts for many years. So you can definitely buy them without hesitancy.
Budget-Friendly
Apart from being durable, Kia’s are budget-friendly. So you can buy them if you are short on them. However, you would still get a good car with great specs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. they share Hyundai and GEMA-made engines. Kia is a subsidiary of Hyundai Company.
Most of the Kia and Hyundai engines had common problems, like engine overheating, leaks, catastrophic engine failure, knocking sounds, etc. As a result, Hyundai and Kia recalled their models to fix the issues.
Yes. Kia is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motors. Hyundai Motors is the company of GEMA, a joint venture of three engine manufacturing companies. Mitsubishi is one of them. So Kia has used GEMA-made engines, of which Mitsubishi is a member.
Conclusion
Since the beginning of their journey, KIA Corporation has bagged many accolades and awards. Hyundai Company did not let Kia go down the history. Even after becoming a subsidiary of Hyundai Motors, Kia remains strong on the market. Hyundai has made customers satisfied with desired engines.
I hope you got the answer about who makes Kia engines. However, Kia’s history is rich, and they also make quality engines. Kia has a remarkable footprint in the automotive industry, no doubt.