Kia is a fairly young car manufacturer that . They started producing cars under license from the beginning of the 60s. The first Kia model was the Kia Pride - which was actually a re-badged Mazda 121. In 1998 the company went bankrupt and was helped out by Hyundai who bought 51% of Kia. Today, Hyundai holds a minority position, but the two companies today have extensive cooperation.