From flirting with bankruptcy to award-winner: The story behind Kia’s first cars in Australia

AutoExec Summary
Kia’s early struggles in Australia led to the brand dominating market segments years later. Facing bankruptcy in the late 90s, Kia was saved by Hyundai and entered the Australian market with the Mentor sedan and Sportage SUV. Despite initial negative perceptions due to poor quality and lack of safety features, Kia gained traction with the introduction of the Rio in 2002. The Sportage, riding the wave of SUV popularity, helped change cultural attitudes towards daily use of SUVs.

Brands mentioned: Kia, Hyundai, Ford, Subaru, Toyota, Holden, Mazda, Suzuki.