Made by Kia for Hyundai - surprised

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
445
Location
ogdensburg new york
I have owned hyundais for a quite a few years and really like them never any problems with them.i have a 2015 SantaFe sport and it is great I get 30mpg to the gallon most of the time.i did not like the tires that it came with so I was going to buy some new ones this summer.when I looked on the plate on the drivers door I was shocked.it said made by Kia for Hyundai.has any one else ever heard of this?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pretty much. And they love to come with Hankooks from the factory, which I get the impression are decent but not at a Michelin/Bridgestone level of performance.
 
The ones that came on our Santa Fe were really nice Continental. These were 19 inch though. We've since replaced them with Firestone. Not to shabby either.
 
Originally Posted By: ernied
I was shocked.it said made by kia for Hyundai.has any one else ever heard of this?

It's a surprise you haven't heard of this.
smile.gif
 
The Santa Fe and Kia Sorento are probably built side by side in the same plant(Georgia?) and they're probably mechanically similar kinda like Ford building Lincolns.
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
You own a Hyundai and had no idea that they're owned by Kia?


reverse that. kinda. Hyundai is KIA's largest Stakeholder, currently owning around 33.88%, down from 51% in 1998.
 
They integrated together around 2006 or 2007, before that they were a bit more divergent. They probably keep them still separate for several reasons, up to and including notorious korean local corruption and tax loopholes.
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
You own a Hyundai and had no idea that they're owned by Kia?
LOL

crackmeup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
You own a Hyundai and had no idea that they're owned by Kia?

Hyundai became largest shareholder when KIA went almost bankrupt due to serious quality issues. Since then they completely merged.
Your Santa Fe is Made in LaGrange, GA where Hyundai moved production of Santa Fe from Montgomery, AL. Hyundai purposely located that KIA factory in LaGrange since it is approx. 90 miles from Montgomery. Since those cars share suspension engines etc. all suppliers that decided to open operations for Hyundai/KIA in the U.S. kind of located between those two cities. I think that allows Hyundai/KIA to run cheaper operations.
 
Last edited:
When the Santa Fe was launched here in the USA, Hyundai didn't have capacity in HMMA (Hyundai Motors Manufacturing Alabama), so the Santa Fe is being built in KMMG (Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia). The popularity of the Santa Fe has been great enough that Hyundai is going to build it in both KMMG and HMMA. I'm not sure where the extra capacity at HMMA has since come from, but the volumes are going up significantly. Santa Fe production in HMMA starts this month.

Kia is very proud of KMMG and work hard to make it a world class operation. It is a very clean and organized operation. It doesn't surprise me that Kia would clearly state that your Hyundai was built in a Kia plant.
 
All those SUVs are made in a plant at the AL-GA border.

We had a Santa Fe sport rental and it was decent, but no way was it a 30 mpg vehicle... And we calculate every tank...

Nice vehicle though.
 
Originally Posted By: ernied
I have owned hyundais for a quite a few years and realy like them never any problems with them.i have a 2015 santafe sport and it is great I get 30mpg to the gallon most of the time.i did not like the tires that it came with so I was going to buy some new ones this summer.when I looked on the plate on the drivers door I was shocked.it said made by kia for Hyundai.has any one else ever heard of this?


Posted in wrong forum. Mods please move.

Has nothing to do with PCMOs.
 
If you have Hankook Optimo K415 on your car, I feel sorry for you...

Biggest pieces of garbage I have seen in my life for the price they ask. I own a Hyundai i30 and my sister a Kia Sportage, both new cars equipped from the factory with Hankook Optimo K415.

On the Hyundai they felt as stiff as a wooden wheels with less than impressive cornering and breaking abilities. In just 3 years and under 20k miles, they where full of cracks and dry rot. I bent over and put 4 Pirelli Cinturato P7...night and day difference.

On sister's car (1 year old) they are on their way out as well as the clunking the suspension makes over small and mediums bumps makes you believe the car will fall apart any minute. No such noises are present when the car is switch to the mandatory Conti winter tires.
 
I'd go with one of the below on that make and model, depending on your budget and driving needs. I listed them in the order in which I feel I would get the biggest bang for my buck:

General Altimax RT43
Firestone Destination LE2
Continental CrossContact
Continental TrueContact
Pirrelli Scorpian Verde AS Plus
Micheline Premier LTX
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top